Importance of Behavior Modification
Research shows that many women who lose a significant amount of weight in a very short period of time will gain the weigth back. One of the hallmarks of women who have successfully lost weight and kept it off is that they actually changed they way they acted and reacted. Women who are successful at losing weight or reaching any fitness goal have used the process of losing weight or getting in shape not as a means to an end, but as an opportunity to change they way they think about food and exercise and have learned to substitute more appropriate activities for eating. Women who modify their behavior for the long term are more likely to remain in good shape after an intense period of diet and weight loss is over.
Keeping Yourself Motivated
Get your friends involved! One sure-fire method for staying motivated through a long-term workout plan is incorporating your friends into the routine. Having friends to work out with and share information with about diets and exercise regimes is important because it eases some of the stress that can accompany a fitness routine. Furthermore, fitness friends are also great sounding boards for ideas, will partner with you to try new activities and will have a better understanding of your accomplishments because they too are putting in lots of hard work.
Journaling Your Way to Good Health
Whether you want to lose a lot of weight, get into better shape, or change some unhealthy patterns, experts agree that journaling is one of the most important elements for success. Many women overeat or partake in other unhealthy activities as a result of too much stress. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that stress in and of itself may cause weight gain, high blood pressure, and insomnia, among other ailments. Women can release some of that stress through journaling. Keeping a diary or a journal helps women think more clearly about their eating and fitness habits, identify the bad influences, and come up with better solutions to achieve her goal(s).
Making Your Family Your Fitness Allies
Instead of guilting, manipulating and cajoling your family into your fitness scheme, make them your allies by setting goals and rewards together. For example, you can make it a goal to run a 5K charity race as a family, and have a reward night for the family with a movie and dessert night. Not only will you lessen your family's resistance to eating right and exercising, you will help your kids develop good eating habits themselves.
Setting Goals You Can Live With
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, women who set high goals in terms of physical fitness or weight loss do just as well as women who set more moderate goals. When it comes to getting in shape and staying healthy over the long term, research suggests that most women will do better to make changes that they can incorporate into their lives long-term.