A Simple Guide to Losing Weight: Part 2

As a follow up to my previous post, A Simple Guide to Losing Weight (read it here), I wanted to shed some light on my perspective. What I see and hear as a trainer, an online platform, and as “that” person people talk to at parties.

Yay, nothing like being cornered in room by a bunch of people you’ve just met and talking “weight loss”. Yay indeed.
Me, and every trainer in the world

In terms of “weight loss”, and I use that term loosely, what I’m seeing a lot of is that people just don’t want to put in the effort. They want to be negative about their bodies, complain of weight gain, and it seems they prefer to be “happy with being unhappy” with themselves. Which I find really sad and frustrating as I try to help as much as I can but nothing seems to help them. Their negativity seems to be on repeat… and perhaps it’s beyond my control. But I still feel compelled to at least try to help them.

They have to want to help themselves, and not keep putting it on someone else (like me).

I try to spin them into a more positive mindset and instil more confidence in them, but my job is also made tricky when the same people don’t want to take responsibility for their lifestyles. They eat too much crap too often, not enough good stuff, and don’t move their bodies. I am all for body confidence, throwing out the scales, and being happy in your bodies. But I am also human, and I know the struggles of wanting to lose weight. I feel that it is ok if you do want to shed a few kilos. Everyone has a right to want this. But sometimes, we need some common sense and we need to take responsibility for our actions.

Is it a simple case of eating more and moving less? A lot of the time yes, it is. Of course there are a lot of other factors at play (discussed here), and it’s not always as easy as it seems, but let’s start with this simple principle:

Eat a bit less, move a bit more.

There are some small steps you can take in order to help you shed a few kilos, and all of these steps are relatively free, and take a little bit of time and willpower. (Read them here).

I will never tell you what to eat, and what not to eat. But let’s be realistic. Consuming 800-1,000 Calories a day in ice cream or chocolate is not going to help you lose weight – even if it is vegan or fat free ice cream, or dark chocolate. Having 2 beers every night is also not the best choice. Neither is eating pastries and cookies every day at morning tea break…and, you probably feel crap afterwards, and guilty (?). If you do not exercise in some way shape or form during your week, whether it is walking, playing with your kids, or going to the gym, then you are probably not going to lose weight. Now, if you WANT to eat 1,000 Calories a day in junk food – be my guest. If you do not wish to exercise at all, then don’t.

But if you want to shed a bit of weight, and feel a little better, then it’s time to take some positive steps in the right direction and FEEL better about yourself. Take ownership of your actions and your lifestyle. Ask yourself “what am I able to control”, and let’s make some small changes.

I get so many requests from people to “tell me what to eat, and I’ll do it”. How about you take responsibility for your own actions, and be a bit more conscious of your habits? You don’t have to give your whole diet and lifestyle a complete overhaul, but simply make some small changes each day, week or month. Sustainable changes that help you create new habits and patterns.

I have a whole blog post on “Losing Weight” with some basic tips to consider. Have a read, and if you can make a few small changes this week, I bet you’ll feel a whole lot better. Trying to shed a few kilos doesn’t have to be a huge, scary task…. simply making some small changes can make a big difference.