There's nothing to be ashamed in that. It's a familiar story for all of us: You plan and swear to abide by a daily exercise routine and count every last calorie that you consume. But a week or 10 days later, you are eating chocolate cake at a friend's birthday (yes, you have the perfect excuse) and grabbing drinks during happy hour (again, you buy one get two so how can you not drink right?). But the vicious cycle is back at play. Discipline has flown out the window and thus your love handles feel squishier.
If your goal is to lose weight and exercise more on a daily basis to lose weight, forget deprivation diets and marathon workouts for quick results. They rarely ever last, and thus work. Studies have shown that taking tiny steps as opposed to giant leaps is the best way to get lasting results. You can soon show off your toned arms in that sleeveless dress you've been meaning to wear this summer since the past three summers, but only if you take slow, measured steps.
Research shows that those people who aim for that small, potentially permanent change in their food choices and/or physical activity each week (such as drinking one fewer can of soda or walking five more minutes each day) lost more than twice as much belly fat, 2½ more inches off their waistlines, and about four times more weight during a four-month program, compared to those who followed traditional calorie-restriction and physical-activity guidelines.
That's good news for all of us struggling to lose weight and keep it off. When you focus on a couple of small changes, you begin to ingrain those healthy habits into your lifestyle rather than swinging in extremes and failing miserably time and again at your own set dietary restrictions. When you choose to change one habit at a time, it's not that hard to follow. You can just focus on that one habit and feel good when you conquer that feat.
For me, giving up Fanta was a major challenge and when I tried to quit cold turkey, I had so many relapses that I started feeling like a complete failure. And to drown that sorrow, I'd reach for another bottle of Fanta. Then I read about how slow, small changes had lasting effect as compared to extreme measures and decided to do just that. Having failed to give up the fizzy drink one too many times, it was worth a shot.
So I started with having Fanta on alternate days. Even that was tough. I don't know how I thought I'd be able to give it up altogether in an instant. But having the liberty to drink the orange colored bliss on alternate days ensured that I didn't drink it on the days I shouldn't. I would remind myself that the next day I could enjoy one guilt free but only if I didn't drink one that particular day.
In a months' time, I had significantly reduced my Fanta intake. And from there onwards, I started working on cutting it out altogether and believe me when I say this: It wasn't that hard at all. Now I don't drink it unless it's the weekend and I get to pamper myself on that one special day. And even when I do, a small glass will satisfy my taste buds.
The same principle worked with my exercise plan as well. I started doing some light exercises in the morning--I swear by the seven minute workout app. For 21 days straight, I did this every morning as soon as I woke up and it not only boosted my morale that I was exercising to get the body I wanted, but it also made me crave to exercise more. I soon joined the gym, and started walking to work which I continue to do to this day. I go to the gym thrice a week but I walk every day and on the days I don't, I feel so guilty and uncomfortable (mentally and physically) that I can't wait to walk the next day.
So I recommend you swap your extreme weight loss measures for smaller achievable ones and gradually build from there. Cut down on chocolates, switch to dark chocolates first instead, try to give up rice and have it only on alternate days, have a fruit every day at breakfast time, and make other such small lifestyle changes.
This will not only ensure that you stay on track but overtime, when healthy habits become a part of your lifestyle, it will be much easier for you to lose weight and keep it off. There's a lesson we can learn here from the old fable of the tortoise and the hare. And as far as weight loss is concerned, the tortoise wins this race too. So be like the tortoise, people, and watch your body morph itself into what you had always wished for.
The writer weighed 74 kilos and has now dropped down to 50 kilos. If you have any questions regarding her experience, write to her at sharmaditi374@gmail.com and she will try her best to guide you in your weight loss journey.
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