Becoming a Success Story

Sarah Brown

The media floods us with images and stories of people who have lost 100 pounds, or even more. For many people this goal seems completely out of reach. How do these people do it? What are their secrets? Could it be one of the latest fad diets, some of those energy boosting pills, or one of those fancy new exercise machines? The answers may not be what you would expect.

Let’s first talk about a step that is often forgotten, which is goal setting. Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is a step that can keep you going in the right direction. S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Your fitness or weight loss goal should include each aspect of the S.M.A.R.T. goal. An example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal might be “I will lose 25 pounds (specific, attainable) in 6 months (timely, realistic) by exercising 5 days per week at the gym (measurable, specific). Including all five aspects of the S.M.A.R.T. goal helps to prevent the frustration of an unfocused and failed attempt at improving your life. Write out your goal using the S.M.A.R.T. acronym and be sure to keep it handy as a reminder.

Seeking support from others for your weight loss journey is a critical step. Talk to your family, friends and coworkers about how important these changes you are making are to you and how much their support can help. If possible, hiring a personal trainer to educate you and cheer you on can help lift you out of the rut that we all fall in to from time to time. Remember that you are not the only person struggling to reach your goals. Find someone to be a weight loss buddy and check in with each other every day. If you don’t know anyone who can fill this role look online or for a weight loss support group.

Those who lose 100 pounds or more usually don’t say that they did it by making sudden, drastic life changes. More often they have made small, progressive changes. Small changes such as going for walks on nice days, switching from cream to skim milk in your coffee, or eliminating one soda per day can make a difference in the long run. Taking on to much change at once can lead us to feel overwhelmed and burned out. Small steps can feel like small successes and can keep you looking forward to your next success.

Keeping a nutrition and activity journal can provide you with valuable insight and help to keep you accountable. Take a few minutes each day to write down what you have eaten, what you did for activity, and how you felt. Later you can look back and see how a certain way of eating or certain activities made you feel and how successful it was for you. You may realize that on days when you do not eat often enough you feel tired and unmotivated to work out, or you may learn that eating healthy and balanced meals throughout the day prevents you from craving junk food at night. Looking back through your journal can also provide some inspiration when you are struggling.

Major weight loss happens one step at a time. Becoming a success story may not be as out of reach as it seems. Do not hesitate to get others involved in your weight loss efforts and reach out for help when you need it. Focus on your goals. Start small and you can achieve big things.

Sarah Brown is a Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist, as well as the owner of Western Maine Personal Training. Her services are available both online and in person. She can be reached through her website at www.sarahpersonaltraining.com

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