When you want to lose weight but life is getting in the way

The alarm blares and you open your eyes with contempt. The day is packed full of commitments, appointments and tasks. In fact, every day is full as if it were playing to a template that is unchangeable (it’s Groundhog Day). Each part of the day is scheduled and almost micromanaged to accommodate your time needs. You want to lose weight but this is a dream that never seems to turn to reality.

“Today is the day”, you tell yourself. Your commitment is only rivalled by your passion. You have the food ready in the fridge and cupboard, you have the new gym gear ready to put on, you even have your iPod stacked with tunes to entice you into exercise. Nothing can go wrong this time!

The day starts with a burst of energy, you think to yourself “this is refreshing, this time I’m going to lose weight”. You have your meal all set for taking on your travels today. You have 2 litres of water in bottles and you have scheduled half an hour of ‘you time’. This is it, you’re on a roll.

As the day progresses, each task on your list seems to gobble up extra time. The shopping took an extra 10 minutes because everyone was going through the check-outs at a snail’s pace. You got held up in the school run shambles and it seemed that the local traffic doubled just as you needed to get through. You got to work and set your alarm on the phone to remind you that you planned a walk on your lunch break. Hour by hour, minute by minute, the day dwindled away and your hopes were dashed. There was no time for lunch, let alone the walk you planned.

Not all is lost. You can go for a walk when you finish work, fear not. On your travels home, you find yourself parked in the ‘fast lane’. Roadworks have held up the traffic and you’re stuck behind a procession of vehicles. The light of the day is starting to fade. Another day has evaporated along with your weight loss hopes.

How many times has this day repeated itself? Maybe there were some slight variances in your ‘Groundhog Day’? The good news is that weight loss is still attainable, no matter what your day looks like. It’s simply a matter of using the 3S formula.

Strict, Serious, Simple.

Be strict with yourself and those around you. Value yourself enough to make your weight loss intentions a reality. Say no to that last meeting or that last load of washing. No matter what is required of you, if it’s not ‘life threatening’- it can wait. The more you value yourself, the more others will value you.

Take weight loss seriously. We live in the age of obesity. Weight related diseases are preventable for the most oar and cost governments around the globe more than infrastructure does. Weight related diseases devour more of a budget than emergency services costs do. Does that drive home the reality of the situation? If you don;t take it seriously- nobody else will. Star a trend. Show your passion for your life and inspire others to do the same. Productivity will increase, you will be healthier and happier.

Make your schedule simple to stick to. Prepare what you can ahead of time and eliminate stressors in your life. Making your life more simple will only enhance your dreams. Those dreams will morph into reality in no time.

Another day starts. The alarm blares and bleats again. You have the 3S formula down pat now. Victory is yours. The weight certainly will fall away. You are happier, healthier, stronger and your values are aligned. Those around you are inspired and seek to join you on your metamorphosis. Who know where this could lead? A promotion? A mire fulfilling relationship? A higher level of self-respect? The sky’s the limit. All you have to do is reach up and touch it.

Tell us, have you tried to lose weight before? Did it work for you?