Define Your Nutritional and Fitness Success Part II

In my first article, I discussed a strategy for working on nutritional changes. Now we can move forward to discuss the mindset that helps determine your future success when you face your goals.

THE MINDSET

This is the foundation of your fat loss process. It starts with your mindset, your attitude, your acceptance.

• Define your priorities
Why do you want to lose weight? Find the deepest reason in your heart. I know all of us want to look good, but why is that so important? How would that change your life?

• Don’t go in to prove things wrong
I don’t blame you. After so many failed attempts, we develop a skepticism shield. Self-defense. Keep that in mind, but also remember that if you bet this will fail, it will.

• Forget your neighbor’s grass!
Every time my husband decides to do a better job with his diet, it looks to me like he loses 10 lbs in 24 hours! So unfair! OK, rant over. FORGET about other people’s results. Pay attention to your biofeedback, learn what works for you.

• Make peace with the fact that change is not always convenient
Well, you may not find it convenient that you have to figure out how to insert protein in every meal, or maybe veggies are not your favorite. With all my respect: get over it. Change a bit at a time, work on your strategies. This is a process.

• Your body doesn’t respond to tantrums
Sometimes, it might take a few days for your body to adjust to certain changes. Maybe your results won’t blow your mind in the first week or so. Take a deep breath and trust your process. Learn, adapt, and love your body.

• Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people

If you don’t have a choice and can’t change that, don’t worry about trying to convince people that this will work for you. Own your process and stay with it. Empower yourself and celebrate your journey.

THE EXERCISE SCHEDULE

Let’s be real. Not everybody can make it to the gym everyday. Some people can’t make it to the gym. Period. That should not discourage you.
Even being a personal trainer, after having my baby in December of 2013, my schedule drastically changed. Between my business, the 2 kids and my husband, I wasn’t comfortable inserting a drive and gym time into my daily list. Working out at home became my routine and it worked. But I understand how hard it is to stay motivated that way. For that reason, I started teaching LIVE online 30 minute workouts.

As I had clients and friends from other states who wanted me as a trainer, this solution worked like a charm. Since the classes are real-time, they can’t really “pause” me like they could stop a video. They also know I am watching and coaching them, and always waiting to see them there.

So here come the workout tips:

• Make sure you find a way to stay committed and accountable by working with a trainer, or inviting a friend to be your workout partner.

• Make an effort to fit 3 high intensity weight training sessions per week on your schedule.

• Avoid long cardio sessions. For most people 40 minutes should do the trick on days you’re not lifting weights.

• As long as you feel safe, try to lift heavier weights to favor your metabolic response.

• Try to have a protein shake immediately after your workouts. As basic as possible, just like water and protein powder. That will also help you balance your hormones to favor muscle building and fat loss.

One final point. It is important to have short, medium and long term goals as a baseline. Don’t let that drive you crazy. The most fundamental goal is to stay true to yourself. Maybe the numbers won’t change super fast, but learn how to listen to the changes that your body is now accepting. Your mindset is what will make you or break you during this journey. Take all this as a change in lifestyle. Your lifestyle will change forever and THAT will help you avoid the yo-yo trap.