4 Components of Weight Loss

            It is never too early or late to lose weight if you are overweight or obese. Even if you became obese at a young age, you can change habits now and lose weight! It takes determination, discipline and hard work, but the rewards are countless! One of the biggest benefits of weight loss is having less pain, including back pain. Moreover, it is easier to prevent obesity than to treat it. So if you have found yourself 10 or 20 lbs overweight, start working to reverse the trend. Otherwise that could turn to 50 or 100 excess pounds that you never expected to have.

4 Components of Weight Loss  

1. Change in mindset. Admit that food controls you and recognize why you overeat. Until you know what your problem is, you cannot fix it. 

2. Change in activity level. You must increase your daily amount of activity and exercise in order to lose weight. No pill or diet by itself can replace the benefits of regular exercise. 

3. Change in eating habits. You cannot eat the same amount or kinds of foods that you have been eating and lose weight. Look at your eating habits and start to modify them. 

4. Perseverance over time. There is no easy way to lose a lot of weight, no matter what the ads may say. It takes time and hard work. Do not give up! Keep working at it and you will succeed. Find the help you need, whether it is an exercise partner, a weight loss group, a gym membership or an appointment with a nutritionist or dietitian. 

Most importantly, do not leave out any of these four components or you are less likely to get the weight off and keep it off.  Do not forget to consult your physician about your weight, in case it is related to a medical problem.

Additional reading on WEIGHT LOSS:

http://thinklikeapt.blogspot.com/2012/04/weight-loss-perseverance.html

Overweight Excuses

This does not apply to everyone, so please do not be offended or become anorexic.

So you are OVERWEIGHT, and you have been for some time now. You may have been able to lose some weight in the past, but lately you just can't. And you wonder why. We all make excuses for why we overeat, eat the wrong foods or do not exercise. I am the first to admit that. So let's look at some common excuses for being OVERWEIGHT.

1. "I don't have time to exercise."  That is why you have not lost weight! Make time!
2. "I don't have money to join a gym."  Then exercise at home or start walking!
3. "I don't have money to eat healthy foods."  Then take money from your unhealthy food budget and allot it to your health. Chicken breast costs less per pound than most cuts of beef.
4. "I am too busy with all my children to exercise." Then exercise together with them. Teach them the importance of healthy living.
5. "I work all the time."  Then exercise during every 5-10 minute break you get.
6. "I don't know how to lose weight."  There are a ton of free resources out there. Start online or at the library.
7. "I like to eat junk food."  If you want to lose weight, you must decrease the volume of junk food you consume.
8. "I don't have time to cook."  Then buy lots of salads. They take less than 5 minutes to prepare.
9. "Diets don't work for me."  Then stop dieting and start learning about a healthy, active lifestyle.
10. "My entire family is overweight."  Then be the first to start a healthy lifestyle. Then you can teach others!
11. "I am big-boned."  Have you ever watched Biggest Loser? Even "big-boned" individuals can go from 250 lbs to 150 lbs.


It takes a lot of hard work and difficult (but healthy) choices in order to lose weight, but the first step is to stop making excuses. You CAN do it!!!