If your goal is to lose weight fast and look like an actress, I have news for you: dramatic results do not occur overnight! If you want a serious transformation, it will take a serious amount of time and work. There’s no way you’ll completely reverse 30 years of a poor lifestyle in 30 days. It just won’t happen.
A major issue people experience in their quest for weight loss is the inability to delay gratification. In other words, they give in to the temptation of instant pleasure and once they sin, the guilt ultimately derails their efforts. It’s game over at that point!
Nutritionist Keith Klein said it best: “Just because you have a flat tire doesn’t mean you have to slash the other three. Fix the tire and continue on your journey.” Those that are able to delay gratification, or at least fix the tire when necessary, are the ones that will reach their destination in the end.
Another aspect that’s crucial for weight loss success is the ability to work hard. Hopping on a treadmill for an hour while watching Oprah just won’t cut it. In fact, it may do more harm than good. Sure, it’s better than lying on the couch, at least for a while, but over time you may end up storing more fat than you burn and to add insult to injury, you could really do a number on your hormones and health.
As discussed in the book Lights Out, when you run for an extended period of time, your body perceives that it’s running away from a predator. That causes your stress levels to soar, which causes your cortisol levels to soar, which results in a host of problems like insulin resistance, immune suppression, and fat gain. And if you have a lot of weight to lose, your joints won’t be happy either!
On the other hand, doing short bouts of intense activity like weight lifting gives the message of “fight” instead of “flight”. Your body prepares for future battle by getting stronger. You build muscle even when the aging process is trying to waste it away. And building muscle will increase your metabolic rate and burn body fat among many other benefits, but it takes work, hard work! Your body won’t change if it’s too easy. It has no reason to.
Do a reality check: How much time have you invested toward achieving your goal, and are you truly working hard or simply going through the motions? The first rule to healthy, long-term weight loss is to be patient and put in the time. Following that, if you want a hot body and you want to look hot in a bikini, you better work!
