If you have ever set out to achieve a worthy goal at some point you are going to hit a wall. BAM!
Sometimes it may be that you don’t begin to lose weight and transform your body as quickly as anticipated. Other times the weight and fat fall fast in the early weeks then suddenly there is a plateau.
Hit a wall on your weight loss journey?
When faced with big obstacles you can think its the end of the line because you feel you have reached a situation from which you cannot recover or progress. Or sometime you just do more of the same thing that got you stuck inthe first place thinking that more effort or will power will see you through.
The last thing you want to do when you hit a wall is to begin pounding your head against it.
Here are my five ninja strategies to escape the wall and move you along your weight loss and body transformation journey.
Stare it down
No movement on the scale, is not the only indicator of your progress towards your goals. Check in with the other indicators. Is your body composition (fat to lean muscle) changing are you r clothes fitting more loosely, do you have your eating under control, are you feeling more energized. Refocus on what you have achieved so far and on where you are committed to go. You will find that this wall of seeming lack of progress – is just an illusion that fades away when you shine the light of the real truth of your situation on it. Focus on the fact and don’t be the one to blink
Dance around it
Increase your efforts to be lighter on your feet. More than likely eating for your metabolism and exercising regularly were not part of your routine before. It does not take long before you become more energized by the way of eating how I suggest in the body transformation program. In addition it will not be long before you upper body, core and lower body begin to feel stronger based on the exercise regime in my program.
If you are just starting out, the fitness days will definitely make you more agile. If you have hit a plateau, step up your activity including using the stairs instead of escalators, getting off a one stop earlier or parking the car in further away parking lots and briskly walking a short distance to your destination. The energy of the food and the additional exercise will lift your spirits, get your heart dancing and get you around or through that wall.
‘Weight’ it out
Even if you are a fitness newbie take up some weights. Weight or strength training is a great antidote if you are feeling powerless and intimidated. It will boost metabolism, help prevent bone loss, improve posture, build strength, transform your state of mind and leave you feeling like a super hero. Using dumb bells or body weight exercises such as squat, lunges, plank can do wonders for your legs, arms, butt, shoulders, and abs.
Yoga can also give you similar effect of total body strength training.
Back away from it
Often The more stress you feel about your lack of or inability to progress the more you are likely to start eating the foods you’ve been working so hard to limit. Your stress will trigger fat storing hormone and impact other performance areas in your life.
So make a conscious decision to relax. In fact if it does not feel too weird, ‘talk’ to the wall. For example say …’Ok so you have finally turned up. I was told to expect you. But today I will not battle with you, that would give you too much power and satisfaction. Today I will ignore you into oblivion.
Tomorrow I will be back on my course and you will be nothing but a peeled zero. Take the day off. Chill, do something that rejuvenates and cheers you up.
Tomorrow renew your resolve.
Learn how to see a wall coming
Your wall can come in many forms. One of the biggest wall is the naysayer.
Naysayers – family or friends who tell you that your goals aren’t realistic, that you aren’t capable of being slim because they have always known you to be chubby, or the voice in year head that say aha – who do you think you are fooling?
The weaker your commitment and resolve the stronger the wall of naysayers
Here are three of the biggest signs that you are about to hit a wall
1) If your goals were overly optimistic – you set an ideal knowing you were unwilling or unable to take the actions needed to accomplish this
2) If you had lost focus on your why, your desire to lose weight, Specifically what not losing the weight costing you, what can you not do now that you will be abler to do have or be when the weight is gone
3) if you did not begin the program with integrity – telling yourself that it’s ok to change your portions slightly not note the extra snacks or nibbles from other people’s plates, beverages or slack off on your fitness commitment because your day was just too full to fit in exercise.
Instead of focusing on the doom and gloom of a wall look at it as an opportunity-an opportunity to congratulate yourself on what you’ve achieved so far accept the challenge of figuring out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.