Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The hare got off to a zippy pace and seemed sure to win. But he didn't, did he? The tortoise, while naturally much slower than the hare, kept moving steadily toward the finish line and was able to cross first.
What's the take-home message of this fable? Slow and steady wins the race. To reach your weight-loss goals, you need to switch from the hare's mind-set to that of the tortoise. In other words, you must break the "all or nothing" mentality.
Do you start diets with superhuman resolve — determined to eschew temptation and work out seven days a week — only to fall off the wagon and give up hope?
Such an approach to anything — especially to your health — can be very appealing, even motivating. But I'm telling you right now that overreaching the most dangerous way to set out. Human beings are imperfect. When you do skip a workout or give in to temptation (something we all do), you're more likely to throw in the towel.
So start thinking like a tortoise. Pace yourself. Have a slice of pizza and take a day off now and then, but don't stray too far from the path that will lead you to your goals.
If You Don't Like the Daily Weigh
When you're just starting out, the road to losing 20 pounds or more seems to stretch out forever. Checking for incremental signs of progress along the way — like weighing yourself every day, looking for ounces lost — isn't going to make that road seem any shorter. Instead of measuring your journey in feet, set your sights on mileposts. Weigh yourself just once a week. You'll see steady progress over time, not discouraging daily ups and downs.
Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The hare got off to a zippy pace and seemed sure to win. But he didn't, did he? The tortoise, while naturally much slower than the hare, kept moving steadily toward the finish line and was able to cross first.
What's the take-home message of this fable? Slow and steady wins the race. To reach your weight-loss goals, you need to switch from the hare's mind-set to that of the tortoise. In other words, you must break the "all or nothing" mentality.
Do you start diets with superhuman resolve — determined to eschew temptation and work out seven days a week — only to fall off the wagon and give up hope?
Such an approach to anything — especially to your health — can be very appealing, even motivating. But I'm telling you right now that overreaching the most dangerous way to set out. Human beings are imperfect. When you do skip a workout or give in to temptation (something we all do), you're more likely to throw in the towel.
So start thinking like a tortoise. Pace yourself. Have a slice of pizza and take a day off now and then, but don't stray too far from the path that will lead you to your goals.
If You Don't Like the Daily Weigh
When you're just starting out, the road to losing 20 pounds or more seems to stretch out forever. Checking for incremental signs of progress along the way — like weighing yourself every day, looking for ounces lost — isn't going to make that road seem any shorter. Instead of measuring your journey in feet, set your sights on mileposts. Weigh yourself just once a week. You'll see steady progress over time, not discouraging daily ups and downs.
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