What Does it Take to Lose Fat and Keep it Off?
At Blue Tree Health, we've been helping people with weight loss for a long time now. We know what obstacles are most common and what methods are most effective for getting past them. You won't hear us advocating for any simple fixes or "weird tricks" to lose weight fast.Losing weight is putting your body in a state of persisting "starvation mode". Your body naturally resists being in a caloric deficit for an extended period of time. To overcome your body's built-in defenses, you'll need some help. You can start off by helping yourself with the right mentality.
Begin By Being Disciplined
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”
It’s not motivation that helps you lose weight but discipline. Motivation dies down, but discipline is what changes habits. We have had patients learn self-discipline and even throw their favorite food away as a symbol they now have control.Discipline is much like the muscles you'll be working out as you lose weight. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. The hardest time to have a salad rather than fast food for a meal is the first time you do it. Two things will start to happen as you practice saying no to your body's cravings.First, it will start to get easier. Maybe more importantly, though, is that you will start to enjoy saying now. Exercising your power of will can be, well, empowering. It's generally difficult to gain muscle while losing fat, but it's inevitable that you will gain self-control.Losing weight requires that you become more disciplined.
Embrace Your Inner Stoic
"Mastering one's appetite is the very foundation of training in self-control."
Countless carefully crafted weight loss plans have been ruined by ill-timed cravings. Emotional eating is incredibly common and can seem like an insurmountable foe in the moment. It can be tough to remember that your appetite isn't your boss.The philosophy of stoicism can be helpful for conquering your cravings. Unlike many other philosophies, stoicism isn't about hypotheticals and abstract thought. It's about in the real world, today, how can you best endure pain, overcome destructive emotions, and maintain control over your decisions?A stoic lives life in the present moment. When the stoic experiences pain or misfortune, he or she doesn't give in to emotion or complain. The stoic notes the emotion as a temporary experience and allows it to pass. When you don't feed an emotion by replaying its cause in your mind, it only lasts a few seconds.Even so, if you aren't mindful, emotions can easily sabotage your goal. After a hard day, it's tempting to take it out on yourself with junk food. Doing so will make you feel good during the moment because of endorphins. However, this brief high is rarely worth the intense guilt you're likely to feel long afterward.By acting with reason rather than emotionally, you can make better dietary decisions.
Choose Your Company With Care
"If a companion is dirty, his friends cannot help but get a little dirty too,no matter how clean they started out."
People who can't maintain a healthy diet are not "weak". Discipline is important for keeping weight off, as we've covered, but you'll need a lot more discipline if your friends have unhealthy eating habits and your kitchen only has junk food. Your environment is an invisible force dictating your habits, decisions, and actions. No matter who you are, most of your "decisions" are made on auto-pilot. All human beings, even the most disciplined ones, are susceptible to impulses, both good and bad. You can use this to your advantage. Surround yourself with positive people that are there to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Losing weight and getting fit is much easier with the support of others. It's also easier if you keep your kitchen stocked with vegetables and lean meat rather than taquitos and ice cream. You only really have to be disciplined for the half hour you're at the grocery store. Cravings will come for you no matter what you do. Once you have a fridge filled with fruits and vegetables, managing them becomes a lot more simple.
Conclusion
Losing weight and keeping it off is never easy. However, with the right practices, any weight loss goal is achievable. Keep a disciplined mind and surround yourself with friends who support you. If you need more help, schedule an appointment with Blue Tree Health. We notice that patients that come in weekly lose an average of six more pounds a month.
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