I’ve recorded this email as a video as well. You can find it on Facebook or Instagram.
Happy New Year!
I hope you had a lovely, if strange, Christmas.
I, for one, am in need of a few weeks of eating well. There’s something about Christmas which makes us feel like we’re not correctly celebrating if we don’t eat too much or drink too much. We make choices we wouldn’t make at any other time of the year. In fact, I’ve seen some interesting numbers about that; apparently we are less satisfied with ‘normal’ amounts and types of food over Christmas – isn’t that interesting!
I always think intention is important when starting a weight loss quest. Whether it’s a serious ‘I need to change my life’ type weight loss quest, or an ‘I really should cut the junk’ quest.
Of course, the intention is the overall result you’re aiming for. But. If that is literally all you aim for, then you are going to have a hard ride. Following on from my email about the unfortunately important components of success; making changes is seriously hard both in terms of learning new stuff and in terms of having to continuously make the right decisions over months (even years) – even when the scales haven’t moved for weeks at a time, even when you’re just not in the mood.
This is why I very often write about the importance of finding something about the process which you can enjoy and which you can see improvements in. It helps make the hard times easier.
If your only focus is whether the scales went down a pound this week, you are going to get disheartened pretty quickly.
If the whole process is purgatory, you are going to run out of willpower pretty quickly.
But, if you can find stuff to enjoy, then you are going to have a much easier time.
Perhaps you like noticing your strength improve – can you do 10 squats where previously you could only do 6? Perhaps it is fun following the progressions to your first full press up, and realising you’re a step closer than you were a week or two ago.
Perhaps you can run up two of the three flights of stairs without gasping for breath now – let’s strive for that third flight now as well.
Maybe it is a nice feeling waking up with a clear head and plenty of energy in the morning.
Perhaps you enjoy finding new meals to cook – or are buying things you’ve never tried before and are working out how best to enjoy them.
These things can all form part of your plan to get you to your overall goal of losing weight, but by learning to genuinely enjoy the ride, the tough times are going to be less tough and you’re likely to stay the course for the long term simply because you like the course.