Weight Loss Hurdles

With every hurdle, there’s another…..

Have you watched an Olympic runner jump hurdles in a race? It’s not just one they have to jump but several in a row. It seems the more they run in the race the closer together the hurdles become. The runner pushes harder and they pick up speed. When the athlete finishes the race, they have a great feeling of accomplishment. What do they do then? Run it again and again and again.

I sometimes feel this way with my workouts and fitness goals. I get on a roll, have a hurdle and overcome it. My strength, weight and standards change in order to reach the next hurdle I have set in my way. I jump another one this time as a stronger person and realize I CAN do this. Then I set yet another goal for myself.

At some point the hurdles seem to get closer together. As each pound is lost you begin to realize it’s not just five pounds you wanted to lose... but 10, then 20, then 50. Maybe even build some muscle. You start looking and feeling great and you set a goal for abs and great quads and calves. Before you know it, you ran the entire race and jumped all those hurdles you thought impossible. Now what? You are ready to do it again, with each race and set of hurdles being a little different.

But before you start a race, you must train. And this time I don’t mean your body. You have to train your mind and make a plan. The best way to do this is write out your goals. (Journal people journal I can’t say it enough). Start to read everything you can get your hands on dealing with food plans and what you should be eating and what you shouldn’t. (I am reviewing some great books right now and will have interviews soon posted with the authors.)

You can’t change your diet if you don’t have the facts. This is your first hurdle: Start to plan your meals. Cook your foods on the weekends. Freeze lunches for work and always have a protein bar or energy bar in your purse or duffel bag. This way when plans change your diet doesn’t have to. I have personally gone back to a bigger purse to make sure I always have almonds, water, and protein bars on me at all times. I also carry an assortment of vitamins in case I forget them in the morning. Once you have a goal and diet plan on paper, you are ready to get behind the starting line of that race track. Set a date in which your life is going to change (preferably tomorrow) and pull the trigger on the gun and take off.

Your second hurdle is your workout program. Find what you like to do. Are you going to workout at home or in a gym? Get yourself set up right now (don't wait anymore, no excuses) or buy that gym membership and do your workout.

Now the next few hurdles are not to quit. With working out and eating healthy you may trip over a few hurdles till you get a hang of it, but keep going. Once you keep going and your in a groove, whatever comes in your path, (like a work birthday party or happy hour), you know how to jump over those hurdle successfully.

When changes start to happen the old hurdles seem so easy and trivial. Making food choices isn’t even a thought or a problem anymore. You know your worth it. So are you going to still have hurdles? Yes because now your standards have changed and you have new goals.

I know you can do it and I am always here to help. But remember, I am running too and jumping hurdles of my own, I am far from fitness perfection. I very much enjoy encouraging you on your hurdles. Think of us running together in this race for fitness (some of you behind and some of you in front, kicking my butt and that’s great!) Don’t think of me being in a race to beat you. Instead I am reaching behind and handing you that baton and encouraging you to keep going. We are all on the same team. A team to beat out obesity and bad health choices. Let’s run this race together over and over again.

Let me know what hurdles you are facing or have jumped. I love to hear from you. If it’s a personal hurdle you need help with you can always contact me at findyourfit@charter.net

Be blessed!