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Writer's pictureGymima

Tackling Obesity



First of all...if you are looking at making positive changes to your health then give yourself a pat on the back because the getting started is the hard bit - once you've started you've started!


Secondly...be prepared to be in it for the long haul - results don't (annoyingly) happen overnight, they happen by being consistent and committed to a plan that will make the changes you want to see.


Thirdly...please don't go in all guns blazing saying that your'e going to do 15,000 steps a day and only eat "clean" food and never have chips or cake or chocolate again EVER! You want to make changes that you can sustain, you want to make changes to a lifestyle that you have been used to for a long time. Whilst changes at the start are necessary, make sure you are doing them in a way where you aren't depriving yourself of things that you want to have. Have goals that are realistic - challenging yes, but realistic.


How to make positive changes


Set a date - put it in your diary/calendar your Day 1 and stick to it!


Take photographs - best thing I did, have your "Before" picture because over time you can look back on that and see how far you've come...and that's a pretty magical feeling


Get moving - sounds simple, if you have never done exercise or haven't in years then start slowly (and don't be embarrassed about starting slowly)...a 15 minute walk after dinner? A walk in your lunch hour (you'd be surprised how many people at work would happily get out with you), park the car a little further away than usual, start taking the stairs.


Keep a food diary - find out what your'e eating, how much you're eating, include snacks and drinks. It's not until you write things down that you realise just what you consume because I guarantee a lot of it you eat without even thinking about it.


Quick Switches - 5% beef mince instead of 20%? Full-fat milk to Semi or Skimmed? Take the sugar out of your hot drink. Have one biscuit instead of 2. Change your crisps to baked ones. That cake you have in Costa? Have a biscuit instead. There are so many things that you can switch and then you hardly notice whether you are going without what you would usually have.


Track your food - I use MyFitnessPal - I have used it now for years. I log my breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks (most of them!)...I do this because it ensure I stay mindful about what I am consuming. I might have lost 5st, but if I start eating more than I burn then it would easily go back on. It's a brilliant tool to make you aware of what you're consuming, especially some of the things you consume without even thinking. Remember we need between 1,500 and 2,500cals each day.


Lift weights - strength training is so important in terms of your physical health and if you are planning on losing fat then you want to be replacing it with muscle. Don't be worrying about suddenly becoming a tea-stained bodybuilder, that's not going to happen, but adding muscle to the areas where fat is disappearing is what gives you the nice strong and toned look.


Find what works for you - some people do really well when making a big change by doing it with someone else - support, company, motivation, yet others prefer to go it alone. There is no right or wrong, it comes down to what will work for you.


Keep going - you'll have good days and bad days and days that are easier than others. You'll have days when you just don't want to do anything and some days you won't do anything and other days you'll be able to get yourself up and out and moving and feel all the better for it!


Ask for help - don't be embarrassed to need or want help or advice. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do, ask for help, but if it is going to help you get to where you want to be, it's worth it.


I have my before and after photos, I had my day 1 (eventually), I genuinely understand how hard it is to get going because it's just easier to carry on as you have been doing for so long. But you don't need to settle if you don't want to. The feeling is amazing when you get to somewhere you didn't think you'd ever get to, a real buzz. The most satisfying bit is knowing that you will have done the hard work and that you won't go back to where you were because the "after" feels too good.


Personal Training Sessions can help with weightloss, finding a constructive way to make positive changes based on where you are and where you want to be. If you are interested in training with me then feel free to email info@gymima.com and we can take it from there. x



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