Challenge yourself to take action
We’re going to challenge you to take action NOW!
Take 5 minutes to list the excuses that you commonly use when watching TV seems like a better idea than going for a walk. Add to the list the excuses you have used for not following your diet as well as you’d like to recently.
Now include the excuses you might have for a small weight gain. Be original, though. We’ve heard some crackers over the years – and the best one yet has to be, “I had a Christmas job in a mince pie factory and inhaled a lot of icing sugar.” This is closely followed by, “I was abducted by aliens and force-fed cream cakes.”
The one about the budgie eating your diet book doesn’t wash, either – all your diet information is online in case of such an eventuality.
When you have made the list, recognise these stalling tactics, so next time you find yourself saying one of them you can jolt yourself into a more positive and healthier response.
Fear nothing
Taking control of situations in your life is far easier than dealing with the possible consequences of putting them off. Think about how good you feel after the activity. Remember when you didn’t want to go for that walk or workout, but then you really enjoyed it and afterwards felt energised and healthier? That change to semi-skimmed milk, which you put off for months, was so easy that, with hindsight, you think: “I wish I’d done it sooner.”
Often, it is this fear of the consequences that make us hesitate. But be positive. Take control. The more changes you make now, the fewer there are to worry about in the future.
Know the benefits
You are more likely to be motivated to give up that morning bar of chocolate or do more exercise if you know the benefits of the task ahead, so write these down.
Record the reasons
Take time to write down the reasons why you want to be slimmer and fitter, keep it with you and read it when motivation is slipping.
Monitor your food and activity
How you manage your time can be the key. Using Rosemary Online food & fitness diary can really help you to plan carefully and realistically. Plan your meals for a few days ahead and, when you go shopping, look for new foods to add interest and variety to your diet.
No more excuses
Constantly putting off what needs to be done can also have a negative effect on your self-esteem. Not implementing planned healthy changes to your lifestyle can sometimes give rise to feelings of failure. This may be the start of a vicious circle similar to the one associated with dieting.
Reward yourself
As well as planning your exercise and your menus, plan some objectives or short-term goals and the rewards you will have when you achieve them – eg put aside £1 every time you achieve one of your goals and treat yourself to a pedicure or facial at the end of the month. Record your objectives online in “my details/my achievements”.
And finally…
Use the help and support offered by our website to help you be positive about the changes that you need to make. Are you making the most of sharing your experiences, be they good or bad, with other members going through the programme?
Try making more use of the discussion forum to get more tips and ideas, and you may find that speaking to your friends or partner really helps. Every bit of support counts. And remember that your online team are always ready to listen and help.
Above all, think positively about your weight loss. Many, many members of Rosemary Online have had similar experiences to the ones that you are encountering and they have shown that it is possible to succeed – just check out the stories in our success section.
There will always be ups and downs, and sometimes things don't happen as quickly as we would like, but you CAN achieve your goals.
