It's About Discipline

I was talking to a friend about nutrition yesterday. This woman had done an amazing job losing over 120 lbs. and maintaining that loss for over a year -- truly inspirational. She leads an active, healthy lifestyle.

After all this time, she still makes a conscientious effort in watching what she eats. She enjoys a bit of everything - meat, dairy, sweets, etc. - but she is sensible about what she eats and she is aware that there are always consequences. Being at goal weight doesn't mean she can eat whatever she wants in any quantity. She still has to be careful. In general, she's cut out all sugary, refined, fatty foods from her diet. Does she still indulge in a burger or a cupcake? Yes. Perhaps two or three times a year. While she doesn't have cravings for junk food - which is something that I also realized for myself yesterday - she did say that she is still very aware of making sure she follows a balanced diet. It doesn't come easily to her. While she doesn't measure everything, she still measures some things (e.g. olive oil when she cooks, dressing for her salads). She still has trouble working fruit into her daily diet (something I can totally relate to). Anyway. All in all it just reminded me of the effort it takes to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I know several people who do not need to watch what they eat - they can eat whatever they want in whatever quantity and they'll always stay slim ...

If you want it, you've got to work for it. If you want to keep it, you've got to commit to continuing to work hard. It really does boil down to discipline.

We've heard it all before. I'm really not saying anything new.

The concept is so simple, yet why is it so difficult to implement? Is it because we want to see results immediately? Is it because we don't want it to be so difficult?

In the end, there's no other way than to do the work. I think in the beginning it's about doing something, anything. Do ten jumping jacks a day. Walk for 20 minutes every other day. Cut down on salt intake. As I said, something, anything.

I think starting small is good. It feels manageable. The little changes do make a difference. The next step is about being consistent ... and then following that up with more changes. Workout a bit more. Increase your intensity. Increase your duration. Make more changes to your diet.

Again, it doesn't have to be everything, but it should be something. It's not going to happen by wishing - you've got to work for it.

It truly does take patience. I've already got those pink boxing gloves ... now I just have to keep working really (really, really) hard until I get that body!