Maintaining Enthusiasm

At the very beginning of a diet
it isn’t too hard to maintain our enthusiasm to lose weight.
We have a tendency to believe that this time we’ll finally do it.
Finally, we’re going to bring our weight under control
and keep the weight off.

In our heads, losing weight is easy.
All that’s needed is to cut out junk food,
Eat less bread and pasta, and more fruits and vegetables,
Use less fats and oils to cook with, and choose the leanest meats.

We don’t really think about the emotional side of eating,
Or how we are going to react when we smell or see food when we’re hungry.
We find enthusiasm for weight-loss when we consider
How much better we’re going to look and feel,
Once we’ve reached our goal weight.

Then, along the way, something happens.
We begin finding it harder and harder to take the time to exercise.
We take a bite of this and that, here and there.
We use the activities and events in our life as an excuse to overeat.

Maintaining the enthusiasm that we have at the beginning
of the weight-loss process is incredibly difficult.
In the beginning, we’re excited about the possibilities.

The first few weeks, people usually log in big weight-loss numbers
as bodies begin to shed water weight.
But after several weeks, the body slows down,
and weight loss sometimes plateaus.
We find the numbers on the scale aren’t dropping as quickly as we’d like.
Even though this is normal,
it still feels frustrating to work so hard
And not see the results that were hoped for.

The Reality is that weight-loss requires hard work and discipline
and a lot of determination. over a long time period.
It isn’t always easy, and at times, it is almost impossible
to stay focused on the task, and the ultimate goal.

This is normal. It’s a process.
It takes time and energy and patience.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep a positive attitude.
We will have good days and bad days
and what’s important,
Is that we don’t get into the habit of having bad days.

If we only had to watch what we ate for a few weeks,
most of us could probably handle it,
but when we have to do it for
days and days, weeks and weeks,
months and months, and then years and years
our inclinations are to just give it up sooner rather than later.

It just seems like too big a hassle,
and so we take a break from our weight-loss plans
until the next time we get the urge to drop a few pounds.

This happens because we simply haven’t sustained
our enthusiasm for the kind of lower-calorie lifestyle
that weight-loss and maintaining weight-loss actually requires.

When weight-loss has plateaued…..
or when in Maintenance, after reaching goal,
is when the Real Challenge happens.
We have to keep reinventing ourselves,
Finding and trying new food plans, new diets, new recipes,
new workout programs.
Any way we can find to keep ourselves interested
and to re-inspire ourselves.

That point in the weight-loss and maintenance process
where the going gets tough
is what separates those who can stay focused
from those who choose not to do so.

To succeed.
We have to find a way to keep ourselves engaged.