Avoid getting discouraged!

Your body stores excess calories as body fat. You need some fat to save for a rainy day and to pad your organs, but too much body fat will pose a health risk.  I do not know many overweight people who do not want to lose weight.  Unfortunately, losing weight can be a frustrating journey that is not always accomplished by following the simple calories in, calories out method.  The idea that burning more calories than we consume makes perfect sense, but many of us eat too much or burn too little because of other factors.  While calorie counting works for some, there are other people that torture their selves with counting calories only to fail to lose weight.  The problem is that we often underestimate the amount we are eating and the calorie content of our food.  Discourage the accumulation of extra fat that pads your middle and puts a little too much junk in your trunk by eating just enough to maintain your weight — so your body will use the calories you eat for energy. That may involve tweaking your diet to discourage fat storage, as well as following an aerobic and strength exercise routine designed to burn calories.

I personally have a problem with ice cream and sugar.  I will gorge myself on it.  It really is not fair.  My brother could get his bag of candy at Haloween, and it would last him months.  Mine would be gone in hours, and I would be sitting in the corner holding my belly in a sugar-induced coma wondering why the heck I ate all that candy.  Don’t become discouraged!  Don’t give up!  Instead, learn from your prior mistakes and find ways to limit your consumption of these foods.  Personally, I have we become discouraged by not bringing ice cream and candy into my house.  I have found I could eliminate Dthe accumulation of extra fat around my middle caused by this junk food not bring into the home and thus not eating the excess empty.

[pullquote]Never Get Discouraged!  If you can’t see the result sin the mirror, remember, the first and most important changes happen on the inside of your body.[/pullquote]  It is easy to get discouraged when you do not see progress in the mirror.  Often, initially, progress can be slow, and most of the initial changes are you building a routine and making internal changes to your physiology that will make lasting changes as long as you stick to the plan.  I suggest to my colleagues and patients that they use a tape measure and not a scale or mirror to judge success.  Weight loss can take longer than expected and there is no magic pill to magically melt it away.  Staying positive and focused will play a huge role in whether or not you succeed.  

The bottom line: Stay on the track to success, and you will see progress soon.  Every little bit counts, so begin to focus on small lifestyle changes.  Walk past those candy bowls, take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk between meetings, and avoid the temptation to sample every food you see or leave a few bite son your plate.  When you meet a goal, reward yourself with new clothes instead of a snack or dessert.  Fight being discouraged by avoiding the lapses and instead seek self-encouragement.