Building a Healthy Lifestyle, Brick by Brick

Sometimes people tell me they feel like giving up on losing weight because they do not have any will power. Others tell me they can't lose weight because they could never give up junk food.

Unfortunately, these folks have not gotten the picture yet. They seem to see themselves as doomed by dieting instead of uplifted by a healthy lifestyle.

Honestly, my choice to limit "junk food" is not so much about giving something up as it is about making a positive choice for my health. That is the lens through which I see my lifestyle.

This view means I am not as tempted to make poor food choices. But I have learned that no particular food has to be permanently off-limits. Anything can find its way into a healthy lifestyle, if practiced in moderation. It really is all about balance.

However, true change occurs slowly. So my advice, if you want it, is to tackle just one change at a time. Choose something that you can commit to doing daily, however small, and keep working it until that change becomes a habit. Then, add on something new. Build your new lifestyle brick-by-brick and you will have a solid foundation.

The Power of Positivity

Recently, I was thinking about the power of the mind in this journey, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude and outlook.

Since day one of my journey, there was never a moment where I doubted I would ultimately achieve my goals. Sure, there were bumps, blips, and wrong turns along the road. But I never allowed those obstacles to stop my progress. Instead, I viewed all challenges as opportunities rather than impediments.

I have truly come to appreciate the power of positivity.

Among the illusive "secrets of success" for successful weight loss, we must put positivity at the top of the list. If you believe, you will achieve. We really can do just about anything we set out minds to do, but we must believe that failure is just NOT an option.

Sure, on my personal journey to better health and fitness, not every day was easy. But it was "mind over matter" that allowed me to drop over 100 pounds. And it was certainly "mind over matter" that helped me cross the finish line of my first half marathon.

So believe in yourself! You are on a journey, not running in a race; there is no finish line. Be persistent, not perfect. You may trip, or even fall down, but your success depends on you getting up just one more time than you fall. And know that you will reach all your goals. Think positive!

Respect the Rules

Although I am enjoying my new place in Maintenanceville, I am still a very new resident and thus continually learning how to acclimate to my new surroundings. And this place is not so much a destination as a new beginning. In fact, I often feel like the real journey began when I reached my goal weight.

You see, I know how to lose weight. After all, I've done it lots of times! But of course, I also know how to gain weight. I've done that lots of times, too. However, maintenance is still uncharted territory. So I often self-reflect to try to figure out how to best use the skills I learned during weight loss to ensure my success in weight management.

For example, I recognize that I have developed certain nonnegotiable rules during my journey that govern how I conduct myself day-to-day in regard to food and exercise. But today I realized that I do not just follow the rules, I respect the rules.

Respect carries with it admiration and reverence. I do not follow my set of rules simply because I should obey them. I do so because I value the purpose for the rules: My continued health and well-being.

Although the outcome may look the same either way, the vantage points are infinitely different from one another. And having this particular outlook really helps strengthen my resolve and keep me "on the straight and narrow" when it comes to making healthy choices.

Top 5 Reasons I Love Exercise

Before I started my weight loss journey, my fitness level was nearly nonexistent. But I was committed to adding regular exercise to my new-and-improved lifestyle.

 
I began with just 10 minutes of marching in place while watching the morning news. More recently, I finished my first half marathon. Of course, there were several gradual changes in between.

Throughout my exercise evolution, I went from dreading exercise to absolutely loving it! And here are my Top 5 Reasons I Love Exercise!

#5 CHALLENGE

I love a challenge, and exercise is a way to continually challenge myself to grow and improve. My new passion is running, and each time I run I strive to run faster, run longer, or run farther. Achieving a new personal best feels incredibly rewarding.

#4 REFLECTION

During exercise is one brief period in my day where I am not being pulled in a million different directions at once. Exercise is my true "ME" time—a time to relax and reflect, and to just get lost in my own thoughts while listening to my favorite tunes.

#3 UNSTRESS

Nothing relieves my stress more than exercise. Running, in particular, really relaxes me. Something about the rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement or the treadmill is quite therapeutic. My stress literally melts away as I work up a good sweat.

#2 MORE CALORIES

The more calories I burn, the more calories I can eat. Now that is a nice perk.

#1 MOOD

The number one reason I love exercise is because it just makes me happy. Exercise elevates my mood. I am more congenial and have more patience after working out, too. Those little endorphins are real mood enhancers, and I love 'em!

What is your favorite way to get in your fitness minutes?

The Promise of Persistence

Perfection, in any endeavor, is simply impossible. It is only through persistence that we achieve our goals.

By continually chip, chip, chipping away at our goals, one day and one choice at a time, the promise of persistence is success—turning our dreams into reality with our tenacity.

Benjamin Franklin said, "Energy and persistence conquer all things." This is certainly true for weight loss and for weight maintenance, but is also true for any worthwhile goal.

In fact, I believe that "failure" is more aptly described as a lack of persistence. After all, you cannot "fail" at something unless you just stop trying.

Consider the following quote from Calvin Coolidge:

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

So never give up, never quit, never surrender. Fulfill your promise of persistence!

Every Healthy Choice Counts

I have started more diets than I can count. Bound and determined to lose weight, I would vow to eliminate every “bad” food from my diet. It was like I thought I could just flip a switch to change years of poor habits into perfect choices overnight. Seems ridiculous now.

This went along with an all-or-nothing attitude that did not tolerate “failure.” So as soon as I fell off the diet wagon (usually did not take long at all), I would simply just give up and go back to overeating again.

Sometimes I did not make it to sundown on Day 1 before crumbling.

But something I’ve learned on this weight-loss journey is that every single healthy choice counts. This journey is not about perfection at all. Nope, it is about progress and persistence. Every healthy choice I make, no matter how big or small, should be celebrated.

Also, it does not have to be all-or-nothing. As soon as I gave myself “permission” to slip up from time-to-time, I realized that missteps do not have to derail my efforts entirely. When I get off track, I just get back up and keep moving toward my goal. Never give up, never surrender.

Even with the occasional slip-up, those healthy choices add up to big results over time.

Document Your Journey

Weight loss is a kind of journey. If you were taking a trip, you might take lots of pictures or keep a journal of your different activities. Well, it is essential to document your personal weight loss journey in much the same way.

In fact, I journal every single day without fail. Recording my daily experiences and emotions helps me reflect on my choices and uncover behavior patterns that need my attention.

Also, I have taken a progress picture every month. I display my most recent photo side-by-side with a picture taken at my starting weight. This highlights all of the changes I’ve made and keeps me motivated to stay on track.

Each month, I also record my body measurements. After all, the scale is not the only progress measure. The tape measure has helped me appreciate just how far I’ve actually come when comparing my measurements from month-to-month, as well as with my starting numbers.

So document your personal journey. Having a detailed record of all your accomplishments can be an incredible motivator any time you are struggling with sticking to your goals.