Obesity is becoming a serious problem for people all over the world, and Australia is not an exception. It’s estimated that over 1 million adults are clinically obese, and the fat acceptance movement isn’t helping. I’m all for accepting yourself as you are in terms of looks because let’s face it – being a little chubby shouldn’t be cause for depression and becoming overly self-aware. However, the matter of fact is – being fat is not something to be proud of, and that’s not because fat is ugly, but because fat is extremely unhealthy! Obesity leads to health complications that may not impact you at this moment of time, but it will all catch up to you.
That being said, trying to lead a healthy lifestyle is something every obese person should consider doing. I understand that it may seem hard or impossible, and you might get demotivated after failing to run for even 5 minutes or do a single push-up in the gym, but the key to losing weight is to be persistent and disciplined. If you’re considering hitting up the gym and starting your weight loss journey – good for you! It means you’re at least acknowledging the problem, and that puts you at an advantage. In fact, acknowledging the problem is the first step of the weight loss process.
Before you start your weight-loss journey, weigh yourself. Buy a weight scale, step on it and write down the number you get. This is your starting point, and your goal is to get that number to an amount you set for yourself. Don’t aim too low and set realistic expectations in order to avoid disappointment. The weight scale might not change as fast as you’d like, but the numbers will decrease, I promise you that.
Set some goals for yourself, and hit the gym. A lot of people are intimidated by the thought of going to the gym, and many come up with excuses as to why not actually go. The truth is, nobody can force you to go but yourself. Just go. It’s honestly as simple as that. You don’t need fancy clothes, you don’t need to diet for months before you hit the gym. You don’t need to avoid going to certain areas and be ashamed that you can’t lift as much as that kid that frequents there. Everybody is a work in progress, that kid had a starting point and he’s worked his butt to get where he is. He understands your struggles, he won’t judge.
Sometimes you won’t feel like going but just go. Show up, run on the treadmill for a few minutes, pack up and go back home. That way, at least you showed up. Next day, show up again, as hard as it may be. Just show up. It’s similar to washing your teeth – sometimes you don’t feel like doing it, but you know you gotta do it because it’s good for you. Motivation can only take you so far, discipline is key. Get yourself on the scale every week, you’ll see progress, I promise. If you don’t, it’s not a big deal, work harder and adjust your diet better, and do it next week again.
