Thinking in a new way

Here are some things for permanent health and physical well-being that you may need to change in your brain ...

1. The body is complex but the basic rules are simple. The body is so complex we really do not have many definitive answers on many exercise and nutrition questions. Like any area of study, there are conflicting research and opinions. The basics are eating healthy foods especially lots of fruits and vegetables. For fat loss, consume less than you expend but not too much so that you starve your body. Exercise of any sort can only benefit you. Get plenty of rest.
   
2. Everyone is different so listen to your body How your body reacts to certain foods and certain types of exercise varies from person to person. During your journey to change your eating and exercise habits, listen to your body. If you feel really sleepy during the day ... think "what did I eat?", "how much have I slept", "when did I go to sleep or wake up?", "how much exercise have I been doing?" ... you can learn so much about yourself. You may find you have intolerances for certain foods. conversely, when you feel great, ask the same questions. Figure out what works for you. it will only aid in your happiness.
   
3. No excuses and don't feel sorry for yourself. I get it. You know someone who is fit and it comes easy for them. They eat just about whatever they want and still look great and seem healthy. Great for them. This is not the case for you. If you are fat, it is your fault. This is the hardest thing to admit to yourself, but you must do it. This is one of the few things I will tell you you MUST do. Are genetics important in the size you are today? Yes. You could have the genetic deck stacked against you. You may have so much working against you that you want to let it beat you. But know this. There has never been a person who wanted to get to an ultra-lean body who couldn't. I know people who have lost over 300 pounds and reached single-digit body fat (I am thinking of a male friend in this case). That person had to work really hard for a really long time but he wanted it and got it. Can you imagine losing that much weight? Can you imagine how much he learned in the process? How much stronger his mind had to become ... much more so than someone to whom everything came easily. Your biggest genetic deficiencies can be the source of your greatest achievement. Don't sit around and bitch and whine about how you got dealt a lousy hand. If you do, you have already set yourself up for failure. Just buck up and realize you might have to work harder. You might have to be more strict with your diet. But if you want it, you can get it. And your appreciation will be orders of magnitude greater. Do not blame the birth of your kids, a lousy relationship with a partner or family or personal illness on your troubles. They definitely make things harder, but do not cheat yourself into thinking they are the reason you are fat. You are fat because you don't eat and exercise well enough. If you realize this and accept it, you are well on your way to permanent fat loss. Because the next time you have to spend days in the hospital taking care of family or have to go on a long grueling business trip, if you believe in excuses, you will set yourself up to revert to every old habit and eventually your old physique. This is very hard for people and people tell me "but you don't understand how hard thing have been in my life". I do not doubt that things have been tough, but change your mind on how you approach things.
   
4. Patience and diligence We are talking here about healthy, slow and permanent fat loss. This takes patience. Many weight training and fat-loss programs are centered around 12 week programs. 12 week programs are wonderful. 12 weeks is a great time period for intense exercise because you can see great results in that time without your body adapting too much to your workouts and nutrition and hit a plateau. Many bodybuilders and fitness models use a 12-week pre-contest routine to get themselves in top shape so I have no problem with anyone going on a 12-week program. But I want people to think long-term. If the 12 weeks is used in conjunction with a year-round healthy lifestyle, that is perfect. One issue I have noticed is that many of these 12 week programs are contest-centric. in other words, you take before and after pictures, submit them to a panel of judges and you could win some pretty nice prizes. All of those things are good motivators on the short term, but you must think long term. i have seen many people have amazing 12 week makeovers only to revert to their old physiqe in the same amount of time or less. Slow and steady wins the race. Whatever your long term goal is, when you get there you shouldn't be bouncing up and down like a yo-yo. Go slow and steady. Learn as much as you can along the way. When you reach some of your shorter-term goals, maintain that level for a while. Learn what it takes to stay there. Experiment with different workout routines that fit your lifestyle. Then, next time you run into a difficult situation, you are likely to stay within a reasonable weight range and maintain your good health.