Frequently Asked Question

I often get asked "How did you get started? I don't know where to start, what should I do?"

The hardest part about getting started on a weight loss journey, actually has nothing to do with getting started. No, the hardest part (in my opinion) for myself and many others is how to be consistent and keep going once you've started.

Think about it. It's easy to eat well for one day. It's easy to go for a walk or do something somewhat active on a beautiful evening after work or on a gorgeous, sunny weekend day. But it is not always easy to eat well, consistently, for an extended period of time. It is not always easy to make exercise a part of your routine. There are several reasons why it can be hard to stay on track. Maybe you have a busy schedule and fitting in exercise is difficult. Maybe your coworkers invite you out for lunch frequently and it's often a place that has very few healthy options. Maybe you get sick, take a break from working out, then never start again.  Maybe you have been doing it for a week but have gained a pound and figure "What's the use?".  Maybe the weather has been awful. Maybe you don't have access to a gym. The reasons (and, let's face it - excuses) are endless.

"Start exercising. Eat healthier". It's been said a thousand times. But what some people don't think about is that it's a mental game, too. I've put a lot of thought into this...and you really need to have a positive, determined attitude in order to beat the road blocks (especially in the beginning) and battle the plateaus. Instead of letting yourself be overwhelemed by what is working against you - you need to make the conscious decicision to basically make lemons into lemonade. Be creative. Be determined. Make sacrifices. Prioritize. Don't let yourself give up no matter how stuck you feel. Keep in mind that even if the scale doesn't move, you are still making a difference to your body. Take it day by day.

I am very guilty of getting overly frustrated by being "stuck" on the scale. I've gained 5 or 10 lbs back and lost it again a couple of times. I've been stuck several times. I'm stuck right now. I currently weigh the same as I did 4 months ago. And I won't lie - it ticks.me.off. It's frustrating and annoying. Sometimes I just want to throw myself down on the floor, kick, and scream "It's not faaaaiiir"!!!! But instead, I just keep on, keepin on.

Even after I screw up (hello, chinese food or pizza for supper followed by a glass bottle of wine). I know that I am a hundred times healthier than I was before I started, and I won't let a bump in the road or the occasional indulgence take away from that fact.  The same holds true when you are still in the beginning stages of the journey...no matter what hurdles are being thrown your way, or what "mistakes" you make, you just gotta keep on, keepin' on. Really try to keep your attitude positive and determined - because that is how you will be able to pull through and continue the healthy changes, even after that very first day, week, month, and beyond.

So you see - it's mental.