By Hugo Elliot
Are you trying to lose weight and belly fat? Are you aware of the hurdles you are facing for shredding pounds and belly fat? To help you, listed below are some of these hurdles you need to overcome.
Hurdle #1. Getting Gratification Through Food
May be, you are one with a sweet tooth. So, when an opportunity presents itself for you to eat a rich piece of cake containing lots of calories you jump for it. You say to yourself; I’ll just double the time for my regular cardio workout. That should neutralize all those calories. However, it is more likely than not that the cardio workout won’t be enough to burn those calories. In fact, it is a lot easier to skip eating the cake than it is to eat the cake and then needing to burn the calories by cardio workouts.
As another example, some people eat more when they work out as a reward for working out. They figure that the workout will negate the calories in whatever they eat. This is rarely the case.
So, it’s important to try not to eat foods that give you gratification. Unfortunately, this requires a significant amount of willpower and commitment on your part.
Hurdle #2. Not having a Regular Workout Schedule
Some of the benefits of working out include burning calories, improving mood, getting better sleep, reducing stress, and lowering blood sugar levels. Incidentally, all these benefits also help you lose weight.
Now, working out helps counteract some of the biological mechanisms that begin when you lose weight. Incidentally, some examples of these unhelpful biological mechanism include decreased metabolism and increased hunger signals. Regrettably, both of these body mechanisms cause you to gain weight.
Hurdle #3. Wanting Fast Results
Everyone wants to see weight loss, fat loss, and muscles quickly from all your dieting and workout efforts. Now, it’s possible that a fasting diet and/or intense cardio can see you lose 10 to 15 pounds in two to three weeks. However, it’s unreasonable for you to keep it up. In fact, short-term diets and intense workouts are hard to keep up.
Indeed, to be successful, think in the long term (months or even years). However, if you need to see immediate results, look for weight loss of one or two pounds a week. In fact, studies show this is an effective way to lose weight without losing too much water or lean tissue like muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Hurdle #4. Losing Motivation
Losing weight takes time and perseverance. Unfortunately, in today’s day and age of instant gratification, this is very hard to overcome. And one of the ways to overcome this is to take frequent short breaks from the regimentation needed to lose weight and fat.
Or find a fitness class whose participants are all trying to lose weight. In this situation, the participants can encourage each other to strive towards the desired goal. Also, these days there are many types of diets out there. So, switch from one diet to another to keep up your motivation as you strive to lose weight and fat.
Similarly, instead of working out by yourself, join a health club. The novelty will keep you motivated, and you achieve the same goal of losing weight. Or, if you like working out by yourself, switch to different kind of workouts to keep you motivated. For example, if you use a treadmill most of the time, switch to ellipticals, stationary bikes, road bikes, climbers. In fact, there are countless workout possibilities to keep your motivation up.
Hurdle #5. Looking for a Magic Potion
If you are looking for a magic potion, look at weight-loss supplements. Now, they can help but you still need to work to make them help you. For example, a daily protein shake taken for breakfast can make you feel fuller all day long. As a result, you may be able to cut back on junk foods. Which, in turn, may help you lose weight and fat.
Hurdle #6. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Too much work, chronic stress, and not getting enough sleep all work against losing weight. So, if you are in this situation, its best for these conditions to subside before changing your focus on losing weight and shredding fat.
Hurdle #7. Inconsistent Workouts
You are not working out consistently. While working out helps with weight loss, don’t overdo it. Instead, focus on a consistent workout schedule and a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Hurdle #8. Inability to Stay on a Diet
You are not following a diet consistently. Regrettably, this hurdle will make it hard to lose weight or fat in the long run.
Hurdle #9. Not Enough Time
You don’t have the time to do your daily chores like eating regular meals, working out, sleeping, and so on. This is also a difficult hurdle to overcome. The only option is to make time available for activities that help your health.
Hurdle #10. Eating Junk Foods
This hurdle is easy to overcome if you have the will to do so. Simply, go through your pantry and get rid of all junk foods. Out of sight is out of mind. Furthermore, go back on a healthy diet and regular workouts.
Hurdle #11. No Exercise Gear to Workout at Home
Not having exercise equipment at home, forces you to take time out to visit a health club several days a week. While there are benefits to working out with others, the travel takes up time. And if time is precious, it is worth your while to get some essential workout gear for the home. Also, having this equipment in the home, means you can work out anytime of the day.
Hurdle #12. Being a Perfectionist
Being a perfectionist simply creates unhealthy stress. For example, there are days when you get so busy that you don’t have time to work out. So instead of getting all stressed out, just accept it and do your workout when you do get the time.
Or you wake up late because you slept late. As a result, you may have to skip your morning workout. Instead of getting all upset, see if you can get in your workout later in the day. However, if you still don’t have the time, just skip the workout and do it the next day.
Or you eat a large piece of cake than you normally do. In fact, it’s OK to splurge, occasionally. Just don’t make it a habit.
The bottom line is to develop flexibility and go with back up options to get your workouts and healthy foods.
