5 Actions Which Prevented Me From Losing 25 kgs
#1 Quitting junk
Aren’t you tired of reading advice on the internet which promises you quick weight loss?
Aren’t you angry with all these diet fads which start trending?
Aren’t you disappointed with trying various types of workouts and diets, only to see little or no results?
If you whispered yes to any of the above questions, I have been where you are many times. I have tried and tested various diets and methods to lose weight, only for them to not workout or for my weight to come back.
Nah, I tried nothing unhealthy. No crash diets or any other diet which was #trending. But in my weight loss journey, there are many things I did which delayed my process.
Some of them are what you’re doing right now, and this could be one reason you’re not getting the results you desire.
1. Quitting junk food
I’m talking about chips, doughnuts, pastries, fries, beer — and everything else you enjoy. I know its high in calories, carbs, yada yada. And I’m not promoting junk food here.
However, moderation is the key. You may refrain from eating a bar of chocolate every day, but it’s okay to eat a piece of chocolate every other day.
Similarly, eating your heart out during festivals is completely alright. It’s not the calories you take back with you after Christmas, but the memories. It took me a long time to be okay with this, but trust me — a few weeks of holiday and festival eating aren’t worth the stress.
2. Following a diet
I’m Indian. If you take curry and roti (Indian flatbread) out of my diet and tell me I’ll lose 10kgs with a different diet, chances are, I will. But unhappily.
My cousin did keto with a lot of struggles because she wanted to lose weight desperately. After a year, her tummy was saggy, and she gained her weight back.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t do a diet, but do what suits you. There is no one-size-fits-all in diets. What I suggest is to never discontinue your cuisine as that’s what your mind and body are used to.
3. Compensating by overdoing
I remember doing an extra workout because I ate too much during the day. Embarrassingly, I’ve even skipped a meal because I overate in the meal before.
It’s weird how we feel that if we overeat today, we must burn it out or eat less to compensate. But it’s our body, not a machine.
It needs to be nourished with food for our brain and other organs to function well. We often forget that our body has more to do than just aesthetics. Pushing it to skip a meal or working out extra put it under a lot of pressure to resume bodily functions.
We underrate mindset shifts in achieving our fitness goals!
4. Working out to lose weight
For the longest time, I wanted to work out to lose weight and get a flat tummy.
Today, I work out so my body is healthy and can prevent hundreds of diseases, my brain functions better, and my mental health improves.
Working out to lose weight is one goal, but when you focus on the bigger picture, which could be anything from preventing hypertension to being fit enough to play with your kids or living longer, it holds a deeper value.
When you focus on those benefits, you’ll be more motivated to workout as opposed to just jumping on the scale and being number-obsessed.
5. Not setting any goals
2020 was the year I got my fittest body. I reached my goal weight, I could finally do 10 pushups without stopping, and I got abs. I also got more flexible as I started yoga.
Do you know what I did differently? I set goals at the beginning of the year. The format was something like:
- One major goal
- A new goal each month which helps reach the primary goal
- Weekly goals to assist monthly goals
You can check out the detailed process here.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” — Tony Robbins
For 4 years I ate healthily and worked out 6 times a week, but I didn’t get the results I got a few months into 2020. Try it?
Summarising
These are the 5 most common things we do in our fitness journeys which prevent us from reaching our goals. I have done them all myself, which prevented me from losing weight, and I constantly see people around me indulging in them.
These 5 actions are:
- Quitting junk food: Have a balanced diet instead and eat junk in moderation
- Following a diet: one size doesn’t fit all so find what suits your body and makes you happy
- Compensating for junk food: your body needs to be nourished and deserves respect as opposed to being treated like a machine
- Working out to lose weight: there are hundreds of other benefits which will put the picture of your goals into perspective and will motivate you
- Not setting any goals: they don’t just make the journey less monotonous but help you achieve the results you dream of
Most importantly, enjoy the journey. I can tell you sitting at the top that the results aren’t half as fun as the journey of reaching here!
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