Before You Begin a Weight Loss System

We can get ahead of ourselves when we finally decide to make that commitment to follow a weight loss system to shed pounds and get healthy. We get inspired and feel very enthusiastic at first; but if we don't see dramatic results right away, we lose our motivation and not the weight. How many times have you begun a weight loss system, diet or exercise program only to fall off, cheat or give up? The reasons for these failures are many and varied, but mostly they stem from a lack of planning. There are a few things you should figure out before you begin. If you jump headfirst into a weight loss system without a plan, you risk discouragement and failure. Try a few of these tips before you begin.

Do the Math

Weigh yourself. Calculate your ideal weight by your height and frame size. Measure your BMI (Body Mass Index) and take your measurements. Now you know how many pounds you need to lose, and have a baseline for starting. Calculate how many calories you average on a daily basis and compare to a healthy diet of 2,000 calories. The difference is how many calories you will need to reduce to lose weight. A healthy weight loss system will have you lose 1-2 pounds weekly so that is now your goal. The amount of weight you need to lose divided by 2 pounds weekly is how long it will take you to reach your goal (give or take a few weeks).

Identify your Weaknesses

Many overweight people have specific types of food that they crave and overindulge in. It may be sweets, sodas, salty snacks like chips or fatty foods. When you set out to follow a weight loss system you will be reducing your caloric intake and changing the types of foods you eat. Identifying your weak points will help to raise a red flag and keep you from cheating. One trick to staying true to your weight loss system is to replace that favored food with something else that tastes great, but is a healthy alternative. You can still eat something sweet when you have a craving, but it can be a nutritious and will not cause you to gain weight. For example, if you are an ice cream lover, you can substitute whole fruit sorbet or nonfat frozen yogurt when you crave that creamy taste.

Remove the Temptation

Before you settle into your new weight loss system, go through your kitchen and clean house. It is much easier to follow your weight loss system, eat the healthy foods you need and stay on track when there are no other choices within reach. Remove all the foods that are not within the guidelines of your weight loss system and replace them with healthy alternatives. Don't rely on willpower; you haven't done so well with that in the past. You can set yourself up to fail if you think you can control your cravings. Take away the temptation and it will be much easier to stick to your weight loss system. Stay away from your favorite fast food restaurants to avoid deviating from your goals.

Working a weight loss system is difficult at first, but will get easier. As you replace poor eating habits with healthy ones, you will see the results and be motivated to continue until you reach your weight loss goals. Set yourself up for success before you begin and increase your chances of making your weight loss system work for you.