Losing weight and getting fit seems simple enough: eat fewer calories than you burn, and the weight will fall off. But, as you surely know, it is so much easier said than done. Getting in shape is hard. It takes a lot of dedication, motivation, and effort, so it’s no surprise that a lot of people struggle with it—and it seems like a lot of people struggle for the same reasons. By learning about the obstacles standing in your way, you can finally break through your weight loss and fitness barriers and reach your goal.
Challenge 1: You Don’t Have Enough Time
For a lot of people, there just isn’t enough time in the day to get everything on their to-do list done, let alone fit in exercising or cooking healthy meals. At first, this may seem like justification for you, but the fact of the matter is it all comes down to shortcuts and priorities.
Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. Do short bursts of 3-5 minutes workouts on your lunch break. Wake up 30 minutes earlier to fit in a workout to start your day. If you don’t have time to cook every meal, do some meal prep once per weak, or find some healthy grab-and-go options you can keep on hand. If you prioritize your goals, you will find the time you need to reach them. Maybe it means cutting back on your television watching or social media perusing—the control is in your hands.
Challenge 2: You Think Exercise Is Enough
Maybe you do make time for your daily exercise, and you are really consistent at doing it several times per week. While that is a good start, exercise alone is not enough if you truly want to get fit. Most experts agree that getting in shape is only 40% exercise. The other 60% comes down to what you eat. You need to be making smart food choices throughout the day. Start with a healthy, protein-rich breakfast to kickstart your metabolism, and continue with a good mix of lean proteins, veggies, and healthy carbs in smaller portions to keep your metabolism going.
Challenge 3: You Don’t Get Enough Sleep
You may be surprised to learn that how much sleep you get has a direct impact on how successful your weight loss journey is. This is for a few reasons. First, if you don’t get enough sleep, you just won’t have the energy necessary to complete your workout and stay active. More than that, if your body is lacking sleep, your cortisol production goes into overdrive. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, and it is also known for causing weight gain—particularly in the abdomen area. If you can get enough sleep, you can make sure you have enough energy, and you can keep your cortisol levels in check.
While losing weight and getting fit can be challenging, once you learn how to overcome your biggest obstacles, all that is left is consistency and patience.