Think Slim, Issue #005 - Your Real goals

November 28, 2004

Look great, feel great

Hi

Last month I told you I was having work done on my bathroom. I can't believe it's only just finished yesterday and we still have to decorate! The house seems to have been full of workmen for ages – and why are they not all huge when they have so much sugar in their tea and coffee?

At least I have been keeping fit running up and down stairs keeping them supplied with hot drinks. But what bliss now! A hot powerful shower rather than the pathetic dribble we had before – almost makes the exercise before the shower seem worthwhile...

Contents

Feature article : Your Real Goals

What goals do you have for losing weight? Do you have a target weight in mind or a number of pounds you want to lose? Most dieters do and you need to have that. A vague notion of "losing weight" rarely works especially if you don't keep track either.

"What gets measured gets done" as the saying goes. With a target weight to aim for you'll feel much more focused about what you have decided to achieve and you can pat yourself on the back as you get closer and closer to your target.

But what happens when you have reached your target weight and celebrated your success? What do you do then to keep motivated? Because as sure as eggs are eggs, if you lose your motivation and focus the pounds will pile back on just as fast as you lost them (if not faster). And if you've ever been in that situation (and I know many of you have) you'll recognise that sickening feeling of all your hard work going down the tubes.

So what can you do about it?

To stop your motivation reaching the end of the road as you hit your target weight, you need to know your real goals – your true reasons for losing weight in the first place. Why do you really want to reach your target weight and stay there? To look great in (or without) your clothes? to be healthier? to be able to run for the bus or around the park with your kids?

Create your list of reasons – your real goals (Youll find more ideas here if you're stuck). Read them through every day all the time you're losing weight and keep on reading them afterwards. Your real goals won't disappear once you reach your target and will prop up your motivation to maintain your new weight as long as you keep them in focus.

Above all, to make sure you stay at target weight forever, and keep true to these goals, make a pact with yourself to never get more than 2lbs above your ideal weight without doing something about it. You'll stick at your ideal weight forever.

This month's tip : Heal-thy heart, heal-thy lungs

Sometimes it's hard to keep going when you're finding a work-out more difficult than usual. If it feels tough think about whether there's a reason you should slow down or stop (e.g. you're under the weather, think you're coming down with something, or you've been overdoing it recently).

If there's no real reason to stop, keep yourself going with a mantra which you repeat over and over to yourself in time with your movements.

Try running in time to "Heal-thy heart, hea-lthy lungs, slim, fit, heal-thy bo-dy" – every syllable in time with a step. This tip kept me going on a 20 minute jog yesterday and the time seemed to pass quicker than ever.

If you don't like that one you can make up whatever sounds good to you - it can be a different one each time.

Recommendation: Low Carb Meals in Minutes

I've never liked the low carb diet craze – I think it's unhealthy and unbalanced if you take it to extremes but "Low Carb Meals in Minutes" by Linda Gassenheimer is full of great food which works whether you're on a low carb diet or not.

I've made quite a few dishes from it and they've been healthy, fast to make and delicious to eat – not the slightest feeling of deprivation. Linda has a newer version out too "Low Carb diet for life" which I've also bought and use a lot. Check them out on amazon.co.uk or amazon.com.

Wishing you a fantastic month, looking and feeling great

Janice Elizabeth Small

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions for future issues, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this ezine.

P.P.S.Know anyone else who might enjoy it? Please pass it on. If you received this from a friend you can sign up for your own copy at....

www.weight-loss-motivation-program.com

copyright © 2004, J. Small. All Rights reserved.

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