The bottom line

I posted 3 red flags within the last few days about diets working for you.  There are lots of flags but these 3 are good for now.

Get real with yourself.  If it's not allowing you to eat the foods you love, be flexible…. meaning you feel it has to be ALL or NOTHING, or it's guaranteeing you a certain amount of weight loss with no individual consideration….RUN away from that lifestyle, don't walk.

A diet that lets you be consistent is always the diet that wins.  A diet that is done in spurts will never outweigh the imperfect diet that you do consistently!!!

3 ways to tell #3

DOES IT PROMISE SPECIFIC AMOUNTS OF WEIGHT LOSS?!?

Weight loss is individual to you!  You see something that says, "lose 10 pounds in one week!" A) red flags all over in that sentence.  So you're saying I'll lose 10 pounds and so will you?  I bet not.  🤔That is not reality.  AND, 10 pounds lost in one week is nothing but water weight.

All you're really losing is your energy and muscle mass. 1-2 pounds lost in a week is more ideal and legit.  Actual pounds that won't come back the second you go out on a weekend and enjoy dinner, a movie with popcorn and a little yogurtland to follow.

No one can guarantee you any amount of weight loss in a certain amount of time.  Your dieting results always reflect your individual efforts.  One person may start losing weight right away: a newbie to the dieting scene will lose weight quickly.  OR, someone who has dieted over and over may take a much longer time. It's you vs you with no end in sight or and not how fast you'll get there.

Is your diet working for you #2

DOES IT ALLOW YOU TO BE FLEXIBLE?

If your diet does cut back on certain foods and you don't mind, then so be it.  Maybe because you want to reduce your intake of it or start eating less of certain things overall, is there still a flexibility aspect to it?  If you do go "off track" will your diet be ruined and will you feel discouraged?  It shouldn't be all or nothing.

For example: it's your kids birthday party….if your diet doesn't allow you to eat cake at the party OR have the occasional desert OR you're in Disneyland and you pass up on their amazing churros and diet coke…..  How will you feel during those moments?  We've all been there.  It's ridiculous and I freaking hate it.

Can you decide to eat something that maybe you are not eating all the time during a special occasion without feeling like "FREAK!!!  I blew my diet!"???  If that's the case, whatever you are doing is not sustainable.

Don't spend your life on these kinds of diets…….. Trying to claim Victory over your Willpower.  Restriction is the most common lead to binging and you will constantly live in that cycle of you don't change your thought process. 

Is your diet working for you?!

DOES IT EXCLUDE FOOD YOU ADORE?

If it doesn't' allow you to eat foods that you love, why waste your time?  How could that possibly be sustainable in the long run?  Torture.

Any eating plan that helps you to lose weight ( preferably from fat ) needs to be something you are going to be able to stick to.  If your "perfect" weight loss plan removes every food that you have ever loved, don't expect to keep it up for long.  That should be your first red flag that the diet is not going to be sustainable.

So, make sure it allows you to eat foods you love in moderation.  If your favorite foods are not included, you will not be able to be consistent.

Even if you do stick it out and lose the weight, the second you eat "normal" again ( adding in all the things you cut ) it all piles back on and then some.  Red flag Number 2 post to come.  

My day can start

Been up since 3:45am……. 3 classes taught at Orangetheory fitness and then THAT up there finally happened and it is now 10:45am.  So now my day can finally start.

Something about a finished workout that says to me, "ok, now we can gooooo!  Bring on the day!"  

You know the feeling I am talking about!

Has your day started yet?

consistent results

 Are only 2 of your 4 planned workouts happening.  Are you hitting nutrition goals 60% of the time?  Then expect your results to take 60% longer.  Each week take the time to make an honest self assessment.

There is a difference between what we THINK we are doing and what we really are doing.  How 'consistent' is your consistency?  Are you an "almost-er" or are you literally putting in the work that achieving your goals takes?  You know this answer.

The key to being consistent is working WITH your natural tendencies, not against them.  Results will always come from a long honest period of time of consistent efforts and patience, not random occurrences.

Whoever you are…...

Coming to work and reading what all the OTF members have written up on the glass for what they BURN for……. " to have arms like Haley"  WOW!  I love you whoever you are!.

I burn for my future 85 year old self!  How about you?