How to act consistently and lose weight
If you want to consistently lose weight, you need to act consistently. Extraordinary results require extraordinary effort. Talking and planning is not enough to make progress on most tasks. This will include losing weight. Don’t waste your time dreaming or planning how you would lose weight after the holidays or next year. Today is a great time to start losing weight, as long as you start taking action.
If you have the best ideas, but don’t take action, it will be a waste of time and mental energy. It is important to spend most of your time doing something that will help you achieve the desired results. Constant action is the key. You can’t lose weight by exercising once a week or cutting down on your food portion once a month. Consistent daily action required
The first thing to realize is that nothing will change until you change your behavior. Visualization and positive self-talk have their place, but they are only effective if your behavior changes. You can try to wish your way into a new Rolls Royce, or win a million dollars by aligning your chakras with the universe, but it won’t happen unless you’re actually doing something different. You can’t lose weight by reading about weight loss without taking action. You must understand that a constant change in your behavior is the key to real change.
The second thing you need to know is the outcome you want and have it determine your actions. It’s not easy to take action if you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. Be clear on your intent. Take the time to determine what you want to achieve. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What actions can you take today to move in that direction? What action can you take today? How much weight do you expect to lose in the next six months?
While it’s important to begin with the end in mind, you must remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Start by taking small steps. Do you want to jog for 60 minutes every day? Start by jogging for five minutes each day. You won’t get fit by exercising for just five minutes, but you will develop the habit of walking out the door every day. After a week, increase the time by another minute or two. Usually after about 3-6 weeks you will have developed a habit of exercise and it can start to make a difference for you.
Don’t spend too much time planning to start taking action. Limit your planning time. Slow movers love to plan, but the best plans are worth nothing until they are executed. While you’re trying to work out the fine details, everyone else is already taking care of business. Don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the possible. One way to act quickly is to start early. Start early in the day. If you can accomplish something worthwhile before 9 am, you’ll be motivated to do even more for the rest of the day. Don’t get in the habit of putting off your actions until tomorrow. Take action today and don’t try to bail yourself out by telling yourself you’ll do twice as much tomorrow. This is particularly important if you want to lose weight steadily by taking daily action.