I’ve been putting off these post for about six weeks now. It has pretty much written itself in my head many times, but I keep procrastinating. You see, about 2 years ago I embarked on a weight loss journey and lost over 100 lbs rather quickly. Yay! Unfortunately, I gradually gained almost all of it back. Boo!

I have been overweight or obese my entire life. I’ve been on many different diets, and tried lots of different things. I’ve found that getting started is the hardest part. It really is a mental battle, much more than it is physical.  I’m going to share with you some tips that you can try to help you get started on the journey to a healthier you.

Please keep in mind, that I am not a medical professional and I am not giving medical advice. This is what has worked for me in my experience. Please consult a doctor before making major health changes. 

5 Practical Tips for Beginning Your Weight Loss Journey

1. Make a plan. Sit down and make a plan of when you’re going to start, when you’re going to make time for exercise, and what you are going to eat. Laying in bed on Sunday night and declaring, “Tomorrow I’m going to change my life!” probably won’t be successful. You really need a plan. 
2. Make changes gradually. I stopped drinking soda about 3 weeks before I really began to change my diet and start exercising. Changing everything at once sounds appealing, but you are setting yourself up to fail. Cabbage soup diet, anyone? 
3. Do something that will make you feel better about your appearance now. It takes time to see and feel changes in your body. You might feel a million times better, but it will take a while to see the difference. Get a haircut, mani-pedi, buy some new earrings, or just do something that will make you feel better about your appearance now. I chopped off eight inches of my hair on day 2. I got lots of compliments and it made me feel great about myself. It really carried me through that first week, which was challenging! 
4. Track your activity and food intake. It sounds like a lot of hassle, but it doesn’t have to be. I have a FitBit One which I love! I have found that it really pushes me to be more active. My husband got one too, and he will pace around the house to get those 10,000 steps in if he has to. FitBit also works with MyFitnessPal which tracks your calorie intake. You just have to search for the foods you ate and it can tell you the calories for almost anything. It’s really pretty amazing. You can use the MyFitnessPal app on your smart phone or just on a desk top computer. 
5. Find a weight loss buddy. You don’t have to go it alone. Find a friend or someone that can be supportive and cheer you on. It helps if they are also working on being healthier, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m really lucky to have a very supportive husband who is doing this with me. My parents and my two best friends are also committed to getting healthy and losing weight. It’s really nice to be able to swap recipes or just commiserate with someone. If you are in need of a buddy, feel free to email me. I’d be happy to hear all about your story and help support and encourage you! 

I saw this on the internet a few weeks ago and it really stuck with me. An overweight man was embarrassed about going to the gym, so his friend came along dressed in costume to distract other gym goers. I love this! I hope I would be this kind of friend to someone.

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How do you get and stay motivated to exercise and eat healthy? Please tell me about it in the comments. I could use all the help I can get!