I’ve said it before. This is hard. When you boil it all down, the only thing that works is work. There’s no simple way to do lose weight. You have got to put in the work. I can say this, if you do the work, it will work. You’ve probably heard my mantra, “Eat less, move more, pray always.” Let’s break that down a little bit.
Eat less
Diet is the key ingredient to weight loss. People talk about working out all the time, but the truth is working is the smallest part of the weight loss journey. Where you will get the most return on your effort is simply eating fewer calories.
The key to eating less is actually knowing how much you are eating. It’s important that you don’t just try to keep track of it. You have to write it down. You have to keep a record of everything you put in your mouth. Even the piece of candy that only has 20 calories. Twenty extra calories every day could end up adding 1-2 pounds of fat at the end of the year.
Next, ignore the label when it says a serving is 5 chips. Get a scale and weigh everything. If the bag says a serving is 42 grams, then weigh out 42 grams. You may find that a real serving is 4 chips. You could get lucky and find that a real serving is 6 chips. The key is actually knowing which one you are eating.
Move more
I hear so many different excuses for exercise. They are all excuses. Exercise doesn’t mean you ran 5 miles. It just means you moved enough to elevate your heart rate. If your knees can’t handle running, walk. If you are unable to walk, do some chair exercises. You can get your heart rate going using a couple of small weights and just your arms. All you need is 10-15 minutes and the drive to find an exercise that works for you. After a while, you will be able to do other exercises. You’ll be able to walk, run, bike, dance or anything else. You have to work your way to a healthier you. It takes time. It took time to gain weight and it takes time to lose weight.
Pray always
If you ask me, this is the most important step of them all. I’ve already said losing weight is hard. You have to have strength and drive to succeed. I know I don’t have enough to do it alone. I get my strength from a higher source. I pray for my strength every chance I can. If I’m craving a twinkie, I pray for strength to resist. If I’m in the middle of a workout, I pray for strength to finish the drill. When I just don’t feel like I can go any further, I beg God to help me, push me, pull me or carry me. I need help and prayer connects me to God, the strongest power I know.
So that’s my secret. That’s how I did it. There are many other things you can do along the way:
- Set goals
- Challenge yourself
- Find accountability partners
- Experiment with different eating habits
- Balance your fat/carb/protein ratio
- Try intermittent fasting
- Mix your exercise routines
- Have a custom training plan created
- Take supplements
All of those things might help, and they are all things you will probably do as you navigate your journey. At the end of everything, eat less, move more, and pray always.