Success Is Your Only Option

First and foremost, if you are reading this, I want to congratulate you for wanting to make lifestyle improvements (unless you are just trying to stalk my life, that's totally cool too)!

Now that you're hanging out around these parts, you're going to quickly learn that I strongly dislike statistics and will do everything in my power to defy them.

Seventy percent of people who start a fitness program quit. 

Well, that's reassuring.
Starting something to quit doesn't exactly sound logical to me.
Why the hell would you come up with a goal, begin to work toward it, get so close, and then just quit?
Simple answer: the outcome of your goal was not specific, nor did it mean enough to you, and your plan wasn't strategic.

The most common goal that we see today is weight loss.
Approaching our weight loss goal terrifies us.
With so much information on the internet, different "thinspo" blogs, new diets, weight loss books, and magic wasteofmoney get-skinny-now formulas, its understandable why so many weight loss goals fail.
Ew, FAIL is a four letter word. And after you are done reading this, it needs to be eliminated from your vocabulary, train of thought and I know damn well you will never let it happen.

I'll kick it to you straight: weight loss takes work and dedication. It takes time to put weight on, so it's going to take time to peel it off.

That wasn't a real push-up.

• Here are some reasons why your previous weight loss attempts have failed

-You eat too much. 

-You don't move.

-You do too much too soon. 

-You expected results yesterday. You only started today.

-You choose quantity over quality. Eating a bag of 100 calorie cookies instead of a handful of unsalted nuts isn't helping your body! The nutritional value vs low calorie argument ended in the 90's.

-You are stressed.
-Sugar, sugar, sugar.
-You drink too much. Alcohol puts weight on your midsection. Check out Bart Simpson if you need an example.
-You're allergic to food.
  Haha, got you on that one. Yes, you could have a food allergy. A lot of people are unaware that they are lactose intolerant! Take a week off from dairy products (milk, cheese, cream, chocolate) and see how your body feels.
-You are inconsistent.
-You are bored.
  Really? Unless you are Joey Chestnut, Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest Champion, eating is not an event.
-You won't let go of your past.
  Ok, enough is enough. The last time you tried to lose weight, you fell off the wagon. Don't give up or think of failure. Get back on.

Weigh yourself once a week at the same time of day for accuracy

• Here is how you will succeed.

SHIFT YOUR FOCUS.
Instead of obsessing over all those weird diets you keep trying, focus on living a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy = Happy , Unhealthy = Unhappy
Enjoy the choice to be healthy.

-Educate yourself. Knowing the science of your body will make it easier for you to eat your 3-5 daily servings of veggies.
-Incorporate small changes to create a lasting impact.
-If the path you are on isn't leading you to your goal, don't change your goal, change your path.
-Eat breakfast within the first hour of rising. You already know this. Break the fast with some eggs and oatmeal or a protein smoothie to wake up your metabolism.
-MOVE! Get up, take a 10 minute walk. Take the long way. Stretch at your desk. Ditch the elevator, they break all the time anyway! Although adding more movement to your day won't replace a quality workout, you will still be improving your metabolism.
-Stop stressing. Stress throws your hormones out of balance. Hormones play a vital role in how your body stores fat.
-Say no to sugar. You are sweet enough. Sugar is a high calorie non-nutrient that spikes insulin (a hormone) and stores fat.
-Go to sleep. 6-8 hours every night. Sleep is like a restart button for your body. Your hormones are being balanced and your body is getting its opportunity to rest (obviously) and reset.
-Drink water! Your body is 60% water. So is your brain. Every system in your body relies on water. When you don't drink enough water, your body struggles to carry out its necessary means to remove waste and deliver vital nutrients to your cells. Men need about 13 glasses per day, women around 9.
-Focus on nutrients. Quality sources of protein, carbohydrate and fat should compose every meal.
-Take a multivitamin. Look, unless you are Michael Phelps (in which case, I would love to interview you), eating an upwards amount of 12,000 calories per day, you aren't getting the necessary amount of nutrients your body needs!
-Quit eating chemicals. Next time you read "diet" on a food label, you are actually reading "poison" in the health language.
-Exercise. If you really thought that I was going to let you get around this, you either haven't met me or you have a terrible sense of judgement. Sedentary lifestyles develop an array of health issues. Join a gym, put in a workout DVD, ride your bike, go for a run or a brisk walk. 45-60 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Your workout is your recess.
-Find your motivation. When you find something that truly motivates you, there is only room for success.

Its about effort.

Change your mind, change your life.
-Meghan