3 big Problems While Trying to Lose Weight

It's no secret that America is fat. Losing that fat does seem to be a secret, though. Every diet, pill, drink, program, and piece of exercise equipment screams that it can help you melt away those pounds, but how often has that been found true? If there really was one that worked as well as it claimed, don't you think everyone would be using it already? Truth is, many of these products will HELP you get results, but none of them will do it alone. They all need to be coupled with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, just as the doctor ordered. Unfortunately it is usually a few simple mistakes that make our efforts unsuccessful. Here are three common problems:
1."I'll start tomorrow". This mentality can sabotage our efforts in two different ways. First, the obvious, is procrastination. How often do we really start something "tomorrow"? Does tomorrow ever really come? The more damaging effect of this idea is that we often decide that since we are starting a new diet tomorrow, we should eat as much as possible today. We often eat more than we normally would in a day, thinking we will miss out on all these wonderful foods tomorrow.
2.We ask too much of ourselves at once. We think, "This week I will go to the gym 5 days, eat only salad for lunch, and drink 10 cups of water a day." Well, if until that point all we have been doing is eating potato chips and watching reruns, this lifestyle change is asking way too much. It needs to be broken down into much smaller steps. Realistic goals.
3.Accountability and motivation. These problems walk hand in hand and most often come when we don't tell anyone we are starting our new lifestyle change, so the only person holding us to it is ourselves. We are rarely enough motivation for ourselves. Even someone with the greatest willpower often can not keep themselves on track with no system. Accountability can come in many forms. It can be through a friend, a weight loss program such as Jenny Craig, a doctor, or an online forum.
I have found that online support works very well, for many reasons. The main one being that with so many people to support you, all you need to do is log in to find your motivation. Often just 5 minutes of reading about other people working out, staying on track, losing weight, etc. is enough to counteract the 5 burger commercials you just saw and the apple pie leering at you from the fridge. It's just enough of a push to get you onto a treadmill, or even better, outside for a walk. While relying on someone you know personally can be a great help, that person isn't usually there when you have a 3am craving. The accessibility of an online forum and the range of available resources can really push you to make the change. It did for me.