The Power of The Mind
Author: Anthony Alayon
Copyright Anthony Alayon 2011
Published at Smashwords
Power Of The Mind
Our mind is the most powerful thing that each and every one of us possesses. Regardless of your physical capabilities, if you have the right mind-set, you will be able to follow this fat loss program and accomplish your fat loss goals. If you are serious about achieving your goals, you have to utilize the information I give you and make fitness and health your lifestyle.
Realistic Goals Make for Successful Outcomes
So many times we have seen people who set impossible goals. These are the people that think they can diet every now and then, workout for a month and expect to lose 40 lbs of fat in 30 days. While it is very easy to lose 5 lbs. every 12 days (depending on your current health conditions), losing 40lbs is a bit unrealistic. Something that I find to be very important when determining your set goals is your metabolism.
Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. This is something that will determine how long it takes you to reach your set goals. For instance, say you decide to follow a 10-week program to get into the best shape of your life with your friend. Let’s say you guys weigh about the same and are around the same age. You guys both go to the gym to exercise five days a week and both follow a nutritious diet which consist of 5 to 6 small meals a day. A month goes by and you have only lost 9 pounds when your best friend lost 16 pounds. Here is a point where many people do absurd things such as exercising too much, eating less, or getting depressed and letting everything go down the drain.
There are factors that need to be determined as to why your friend lost more weight than you. For example, your friend may have a higher metabolism than you. This does not mean that you cannot attain your desired results, but it just means that you may have to put forth the extra effort to be successful. For instance, I know many people with a much better metabolism than me. However, I do not let this affect my mindset.
Another factor to look at when determining your goals is body fat percentage. It is very easy for someone who is high in body fat to drop the initial 10 to 20 pounds as soon as they start dieting and exercising. This is because the body goes into shock when it sees the right amount of macronutrients (proteins, carbs, and fats) and fewer amounts of saturated fats, trans fatty acids, hydrogenated oils and so forth.
So always remember to keep your goals realistic and remember that nine pounds every month is better than not losing any weight.
Program Yourself for Success
Programming yourself for success in anything you do in life is a must in order to achieve your set goals. You can’t just roll out of bed, look at yourself in the mirror and say it is time for me to get into shape and expect results to come. To realize something has to be done is a great start, but if you do not make this a lifestyle, then you are not going to get the results you would like. In order to make your goals a reality, you must follow the 3D’s.
The 3D’s for Success
In my opinion in order for someone to be able to follow a fat loss diet and exercise program, they must possess the 3D’s. Those 3D’s are discipline, dedication, and determination. As anyone who has achieved their fat loss goal knows, it requires a lot of discipline. You have to go into a different state of mind, and as I like to phrase it, you need to “turn on the light switch.” This means that until you have reached your desired body composition you need to eat, sleep, breathe, and even dream about looking and feeling great.
Achieving your goals also requires an abundance of dedication to be successful. After speaking to several people who have dieted moderately to achieve their goals, I have seen the results and they do look good. On the other hand, I have seen those individuals who have dieted properly and followed a good exercise program and it makes all the difference in the world. They have a complete body makeover and look absolutely amazing.
Last, but not least, is determination. I truly believe that if you are going to follow a proper diet and workout routine, you have to be 110% determined that you are going to accomplish your set goals. If you do not believe this you have defeated yourself mentally. Always remember these three things and your outcome should be fantastic.
Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way
Many people often do not think that goals can be achieved, such as losing 5lbs every 12 days. This is not necessarily their fault. Often this is because they have been surrounded by negativity and have never given it their full time and effort. If you make fitness your lifestyle, you will be able to accomplish your set goals regardless of what those around you say.
Believe in Yourself and Achieve
If you don’t believe it is possible to do something, then who will? The last thing I want to hear out of anyone’s mouth is I CAN’T DO IT! If you follow the 3D’s, you will be successful at anything you do in life. For some of you, it may mean carrying food with you to work or going for a walk instead of watching your favorite television program. These are the things you need to achieve your goals. If you can maintain this mentality throughout my fat loss program, then you will not only get into the best shape of your life, but you will also be able to accomplish any other endeavors in your life.
The Secret to Lasting Results is Consistency
Many people who are looking to start a fitness program want to accomplish in three weeks what typically takes 2-3 months of consistent effort. While I think it's great to be ambitious and set big goals, one needs to also be realistic and patient. Too much too soon can lead to mental and physical burnout, which in turn will cause you to drop your fitness program too soon and you will not see any real results.
Motivation is a Key to Success
Many people are often surrounded by those who never give positive feedback, but instead enjoy bringing others down, which is something we will be speaking about later on. It appears to me that people are often told by their peers that things are not possible and they often tend to fall short of their goals. That kind of negativity is something that should be ignored. Some ways to stay focused and motivated are as listed:
Look for positive feedback from people around you in your everyday life. Let them be the ones to tell you that you are looking great. Always feed off this, as it will help to keep you motivated and on the right track.
Avoid those people with negative comments. If someone tells you that you cannot do it or that they cannot see any results from you, simply ignore those statements. Usually they are the people who do not achieve much in life and not too much is expected from them. Do not let this bring you down, but instead use it as fuel for the next time you are in the gym.
Take photos of yourself in order to see the progress you are making. Yes, you can easily feel as if you are not achieving much or not seeing any changes, but one thing that is evident is that pictures never lie. If you look back in 6 weeks you can see your body with a before and after comparison. By doing this, you will know that you are on the right track. This will also keep your mind off of what others have to say. Seeing these changes in your new look will help keep you motivated and finish off what you originally started.
Tracking progress by using a journal will also help to keep you aware of where you are on your quest for success. By keeping this and seeing the results on a piece of paper, it will add one more way of keeping you focused and tuned in to achieving your goal.
No Excuses!
If you are serious about reaching your goals, then you will find sometime in your day to get a workout in. I have spoken to very few people who absolutely cannot find time to exercise. Doing so may mean having to make sacrifices such as waking up early in the morning or going to the gym at night instead of going out with friends. These are all the questions you have to ask yourself.
If you are serious, you will take the initiative, make any sacrifices necessary and even go to bed early or go to the gym later at night instead of hanging out with friends. There are 24 hours in a day and most of the time arrangements can be made to get a workout in. The point I am trying to make is if you want something bad enough, you will take any necessary measures to make sure you get what you want.
Whip Out The Calendar
To ensure you are progressing, get a calendar and place it on your refrigerator. What this will do is allow you to track the progress of how much weight you are losing and how long it takes you.
As I have told you already, everybody is different when it comes to losing weight but if you follow my guidelines I have set for you, losing weight will be easy and you will notice immediate results.