 Patience and consistency key to weight loss
Weight loss is the one thing in life for which I have little patience. It seems so unfair that I can go on vacation for a week, gain 10 pounds and spend the next three months losing it. I know exactly why it happens, but that doesn't make it feel any better.
We all know how maddeningly slow weight loss can be. But patience is truly a key to success.
That darned needle on the scale doesn't seem to move with any relevance to how hard we work, does it? And what happens when that scale stubbornly sticks even after a week or two of diligent calorie counting and exercise? We get angry and depressed and the cravings get stronger and harder to resist and, all too often, we give in to them.
It's hard, isn't it?
And then there are the times when the weight is coming off, but not fast enough. One pound or so per week is a safe, healthy rate but it can seem so insignificant. I've seen a lot of people start cutting calories or exercising a lot more to get the weight loss moving faster. But after a week or two, they are exhausted and starving. Weakened by this, those temptations become almost impossible to resist.
Consistency and patience are key to success. If you stick to a healthy weight loss plan, you will see an average 1 to 2 pound per week loss. Remember, just 1 pound per week will add up to 52 pounds per year. That time is going to go by no matter what you do with it. If you spend that year following a healthy, livable weight loss plan, you are more likely to stick to it consistently and find yourself with significant success on the scale.
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