Like many, when I was struggling with my weight, I went looking for short cuts, the quick solutions that would accomplish what I longed for - my younger, leaner body.
It's hard to admit this, but I tried a lot of hyped-up, quick-hit solutions. One time as I found myself in search of instant beauty and increased self confidence without the work, I spent more than I'd like to admit on a fat freezing service.
I traveled an hour and a half for the first in a series of three appointments. When I got to the location, I was met by an incredibly kind woman who swore by the effectiveness of this technology. She showed me pictures of her clients, and I was convinced I had come to the right place!
She got to work, slathering my stomach with some clear gel and then hooked me up to a device that looked like a vacuum hose attached to three sided lunch box. The box was placed on my stomach and the machine was turned on. It proceeded to suck a good portion of my mid-section fat into this clear box. There's nothing stranger than seeing part of your body take on the form of a cube. That is not a shape God used on our bodies! The box acted as a makeshift freezer my fat was placed into, in hopes it would go there to die a pain-free death. When the time was up, the suction released and my skin slowly melded back to what looked like a stomach again.
Pictures were taken and this well-intending woman tried to show me some before and afters of my stomach to convince me that I hadn't just lit hundreds of dollars on fire for some extra cold fat.
This is an example of one of my failed attempts to eliminate the weight that took years to put on, in hopes it would take about an hour to take off. Unfortunately, the now colder-than-normal fat came home with me, still attached to my body.
I'm not alone. A lot of people struggle with weight issues and body image. With the
myriad of resources, materials and solutions for weight loss spilled all over the place, it's no wonder so many are more than a little confused about which method to follow to shed those extra pounds.
The Three Rs of Weight Management Goals
The first basic step towards success is what I call the three R's of setting weight management goals. Goals need to be reasonable, realistic, and reachable. When setting a goal to manage weight, it is good to not only identify the outcome you're looking for, but to understand the changes and tradeoffs you are willing to make to accomplish those goals. This kind of self reflection helps you set the right types of goals for weight management.
Reasonable - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s reasonable to expect to shed 1 to 2 pounds per week. That means, on average, aiming for 4 to 8 pounds of weight loss per month can be considered a reasonable goal. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint!
Realistic - As uncovered in my very vulnerable story, gradual weight loss is realistic and, just as important - sustainable. Socially hyped, quick-fix solutions are not only unrealistic, but many times an enormous waste of money, time and hope. Attaining your goals takes good old fashioned work! Be realistic in setting goals and in what it takes to achieve them.
Reachable - Charting the path to reach your goals includes an assessment, and understanding of your specific life factors including environmental, psychological (i.e. your relationship with food and exercise), mental, social, and biological. Each of these areas need to be considered so you can set appropriate expectations and make the progress you need to reach your goals. Sure, we all want to look like (enter super model's name here), but none of us have access to personal trainers, chefs and extravagant vacations to unwind and relax. Set goals that make sense for your life.
Weight management is best achieved, and maintained with the right type of goals. Setting unrealistic expectations will only lead to disappointment and discouragement.
Need help in your weight management? Set up some time to connect with me to see how I can help you.
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