A common mistake most people make is that of trying to lose a lot of at once. They think that fast loss is possible, thanks to the hyped and empty promises most fad diets make. However, the truth is that even if you are able to lose too fast, your body would put back all those ‘lost pounds’ on you as soon as you quit dieting. Remember that if your aim is to get rid of fat once and for all, you should lose slowly but steadily!
As a matter of fact, loss is not about following this or that fad; loss can be achieved only by making certain drastic changes in your lifestyle as well as committing yourself to following a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life!
That said, it is not possible to get rid of your old habits too fast, as it usually takes one at least two1 days to make or break a habit! Start making small but significant changes in your lifestyle, and don’t stray! Over time you would be successful in replacing all your bad habits one by one with good and healthy habits. However it won’t happen in a day!
For example, most diets would either restrict your junk food intake severely or ask you to discard them altogether! However, if you have been eating junk foods for months, or worse, if those foods have formed integral parts of your diet, it won’t be easy for you to get rid of them so easily!
Once again you can start off by getting rid of one junk food at a time. Alternatively, you can make it a point to keep yourself away from junk foods except on certain ‘cheat days’ when you would be free to indulge yourself the way you want! As your taste buds become more and more accustomed to healthy and natural foods, you would lose your junk food cravings altogether!
The same rule of ‘slow and steady loss’ applies to exercises too! If you have never exercised before, it is natural for you to panic in fear if someone says that you should run 10 miles per day or do lifting for hours in order to lose !
But how does the prospect of running only one mile or lifting weights for just five minuets per day sound? I am sure you would be able to manage that much. Over time, as your body grows accustomed to your new active lifestyle, you would be able to increase the intensity of these exercises easily!
To conclude, you needn’t be afraid of either dieting or exercising. Remember that while the journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step at a time, it is important for you to take that ONE step right NOW!