Losing weight and committing to lifestyle changes is not always easy. At times we may make excuses while other times we may have some obstacles in our way that hinder our ability to stay the course. Time, confidence, ability, or a previous injuries can all seem to trip us up along the way.
The reality is, we probably won’t get this right every time or all the time. The good news, however, is that there are things we can do to ensure we meet fewer of those obstacles and make our way to success.
Let’s tackle six ways we can overcome common weight loss challenges.
1) I Don’t Have Time to Exercise
I specifically put this one first because we often say it the most. We’re overrun with work, children, family, and a life. By the end of the day it’s easy to be so exhausted from just living life that we’ve run out of time to do the very best thing for us… move our bodies!
- Get In A Short Walk: It doesn’t always have to be a full workout to get ourselves moving. Squeeze in just 10 minute power walk a couple of times a day.
- Get Up Earlier: It’s hard to do sometimes, I know. But what if just three days a week you woke up 30 minutes earlier to get in a workout at home before the day gets going? You can start your day energized and awake.
- Ditch Your Car: I know I make this statement a lot… “I’m just going around the corner.” And then I jump in my car and drive, honestly, around the corner. Ditch your car and use your feet to get you there.
- Switch Up Your Routine: On your down days or days off from work, consider rearranging your time so that you can get in a workout. Plan on spending time with the kids at the movies? What if you went out for a family bike ride instead? How about taking the kids to the park while you walk around the play area? Find sneaky ways to move your body by changing up your normal routine.
2) Exercise Is Boring
The thing is, it doesn’t have to be boring. There is plenty of entertainment to be had while getting in your workout to make the time pass quickly and allow your mind to wonder.
- Change Your Scene: If you’re spending time at the gym, go outside instead. If you’re tired of working out in your usual neighborhood, go someplace new and explore different areas in your city. Check out your local website for Parks and Recreation to see which parks in your area have fitness equipment.
- Change Your Music: Music, especially during a workout, is very empowering. It can give us bursts of strength and excitement. Build workout playlists to get you moving through high impact, warm ups, and cool downs.
- Watch Television: If you have exercise equipment in your home, commit to working out while watching your favorite show instead of sitting on the couch or lying in bed. Chances are you won’t realize how quickly the time passed!
3) I’m Simply Too Tired
It’s true, life has us busy. We’re jugglers and multi-taskers. Constant exhaustion is certainly a motivation killer and can make finding the willpower to exercise or do just about anything else very difficult and tiring.
- Manage Your Expectations: Sometimes just the idea of working out is exhausting because we’re seeing the full picture of what we “should” be doing instead of what we can actually do right now. Set honest expectations for yourself that work within your time and energy level. Go for a walk around the block. Later, you can do the mile job. But, don’t give up on your health and fitness because you’re too tired.
- Find Your Peak Time: If you hit high levels of energy around noon, that’s your moment to squeeze your workout in. Waiting until you have gone through your daily life to workout may be the biggest obstacle you have to face. Should you find that you’re a morning person and ready to hit the ground running each morning… do it! Go run while the getting is good.
- Make Appointments: We have an image we like to share on our Facebook and Instagram accounts, it reads “Think of your workouts as important meetings you have scheduled with yourself. Bosses don’t cancel.”
4) I’m Not Athletic
It’s easy to focus on what we’re not, rather than what we are when we are working towards goals. The key here is to remember what you can do. You can walk. You can learn new routines. You can grow to become stronger and faster. Being athletic is not a requirement for a good workout.
- Keep It Simple: Start with a daily walk. Start slowly and allow your body to adjust and adapt which will allow you to expand easily on the workouts you do to become more experienced and confident.
- Grab A Friend: Perhaps getting in your workout with someone who feels the same way as you do is the way to go. Together you can motivate, inspire, and push each other.
- Don’t Compete: You’re doing this for you, not to “win.” Because, the truth of the matter is that it really doesn’t matter how many miles you can run you’re still working to improving you and doing what’s right for your body.
5) I’ve Tried Before and I’ve Failed
Failure is not final. You do not have to give up simply because you were previously unsuccessful in your efforts. Re-evaluate what you did before that lead to failure so that you can change the outcome this time.
- Pace Yourself: Start small and remain consistent. Once you’ve done that, add more in and master that. You don’t have to go big or go home each time. You just have to start moving.
- Be Realistic: It is not a realistic plan to decide to get off the couch today and run a half marathon tomorrow. Sometimes our motivation drives us to do or think things that are completely unrealistic for our bodies. Set goals, achieve them and then make bigger goals.
- Remember Why: Remember our why is so key to our success. Why are you working out? Why do you want to lose weight? Write a list of why you’re doing this so that any time you begin to feel like a failure you have a reminder of why you decided to do this in the first place!
6) I Can’t Afford A Gym Membership
Let’s be honest here, some of those gym fees are crazy high! Can they be worth it? Absolutely. Are they are a requirement? Absolutely not! Who says you can’t lose weight and stay home? Who says you can’t lose weight and just be outside? No one… because you can.
- Workout at Home: There are a multitude of exercises you can do at home with inexpensive or no equipment. Grab some resistance bands and maybe a set of dumbbells. Search YouTube and Pinterest for some amazing ideas for working out while at home.
- Create a Group: When losing weight people often find comfort in each other. Use a site like Meetup.com to create a walk group at parks and neighborhoods all over your city.
- Take the Stairs: By the time you’ve waited for the elevator to arrive you could have already taken the stairs and been on your way… plus, you’ll get your heart pumping and your blood moving. Do it, even if it’s just one flight.
- Explore Community Centers: Most cities have a community center where for little to no money you can go in and use fitness equipment and often times, a pool. This a great resource for getting in workouts on the cheap. Plus, I’ll bet you meet many people there in the same boat as you.
You Can Do This!
Changing your lifestyle for the better, creating healthy habits, and changing your routine can be daunting at first. Just remember to pace yourself. I’m sure you have heard “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and it’s the perfect analogy for here. You can’t change everything overnight. By making small steps you’ll start to find ways to overcome any obstacles you face rather than find excuses to enable avoidance. You can do this and 310 has your back.
