I have had times in my life, and I still do, when I am not in my best shape. I'm forced to admit that my therapy regimen of red wine, ice cream and the workouts I skipped from the sluggish aftereffects have kept me from getting anywhere in terms of getting where I want to be physically.
I put on my skinny jeans one day (I usually live in sweat pants) and realized they do not fit. There is no escaping that it is time to get real with myself. No one is perfect, but being honest with yourself is about as close as anyone can hope to come.
There are the legitimate reasons for not losing weight, like thyroid conditions, hormone issues, genetic factors, stress, unrealistic goals and, for some people, not taking in enough calories to keep their metabolism at a healthy level.
The answer to why most people cannot lose weight is not the answer you want to hear. I urge you to carefully consider my answer before getting angry or defensive because I am not trying to be negative, but create awareness and personal responsibility. Most people simply are not honest with themselves and are completely ignorant when it comes to what a workout truly is and what foods are truly good for you.
A lot of the people that fail at weight loss are people whose idea of a workout really isn't strenuous, and the type of people who think eating healthy is giving up the French fries in their value meal. They think that walking their dog around the block every day constitutes a workout.
They go to the gym and read their book while they are on the recumbent bike at a pace that wouldn't generate enough energy to light up a dollhouse. These people do the machines or free weights, randomly performing exercises with no method or balance of muscle groups.
After all of this, they feel cheated and say they can't lose weight. If this describes you, then laugh, admit it, and move forward. Being honest with yourself will help you move in a direction that will generate results and a feeling of strength and achievement instead of a feeling of denial and failure.
Results may be slow to come, but they will come. You may even find that the greater reward is the person you become on the inside along the way.
My advice: If you have not worked out at all and are trying to start out and lose weight is to set small realistic goals that are attainable.
You first want to learn to be aware and consistent in your mind and in your actions. If this seems simple enough, then look at the plan above.
Start with being honest about what you are putting in your mouth - no fast food.
• Colleen Bannister is a personal trainer and owner of 6 Week Workout. Contact her at info@6weekworkout.com.