It takes discipline to train for the Boston Marathon. It is the same discipline needed to achieve your weight loss goals.
When you’re training for a marathon you need to run consistently and follow your training program. It isn’t much different when you are on a program to lose weight. Consistent discipline to do what is necessary to succeed is how you accomplish your goal.
I spent one Marathon Monday volunteering at the Boston Marathon. I was a gate keeper for a corral that the runners line up in at the starting line. Each corral held about 1,000 people. There were 34 corrals, over 34,000 registered runners plus some bandits (they are the runners who aren’t registered but join in and run it after the registered runners begin). Just think, all those people were really disciplined with their training to get them to that point; how many days of running (in rain, sleet, or snow – well okay maybe only in New England did they have to run in the snow)? The point is, they knew what it was going to take to train for this event and they disciplined themselves to do it.
You can do the same if you want to lose weight. If you need to lose over 50 pounds than you really need to be disciplined and it isn’t just for a month or two. It could take a year to do it.
You have to watch your portion sizes, read the labels and know what food you are putting into your body. You need to plan your meals for the week. You have to make time in your schedule to exercise and stick to it, even on the days you just don’t want to.
You will need to vary your training so that you are doing cardio 5 days/week and weight training 3 days/week. Change your weight training program every 6 weeks so that your body doesn’t plateau at a certain weight.
There will be good days and bad days. You will cheat on your food plan and you will stick to it. As long as you are sticking to your food and exercise plan more than not you will succeed. You just need to be disciplined!
Holly Kouvo is a certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Specialist, speaker and writer who specializes in helping people lose hundreds of pounds. Learn more at www.FittingFitnessIn.com.