Success Walking to Lose Weight.

Successful weight loss comes via layer after layer of little behaviour changes, each one a tiny bit better than the last. Success through walking to lose weight is like compound interest-it has more than a simple multiplier effect and is powerful enough to influence many areas of your life.

Qualifications for Success Using the Walking to Lose Weight Program:

You are more likely to find this program suits you if you are  or have been-

overweight in the long term
doing little to no exercise
are puzzled by how to “do” weight loss
wanting to make a permanent change.

Self confidence comes by doing it. Start from what you know how to do, walking, and build an exercise support structure which is always available for you.  These multiple support layers include a network of walking friends or acquaintances- this may include or exclude online- an environment for commenting and questioning which is comfortable, a variety of exercise options and measurement systems so you’re always having fun and see the results you want.

Start from the first step. Make changes as you go. Improve a little. Improve a lot. Counteract difficulties. Check on results. Make any necessary changes. Keep going.

This is the easy way to walk.

Join from Day 1 of the 31 Days of Losing Weight Walking.

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Often we try to isolate change-I’ll just make this change over here and get that specific result and it will be something I do only related to that goal.

For example, when Christmas is coming: for eleven months you don’t have to think about it or alter your behavior in any way. During the month of December much thought is required to be ready and also to make it a happy day for yourself and your family or friends. The rest of the year your attitude to Christmas is not relevant and doesn’t affect your behavior. (I hope!)

The gifts received at Christmas will bless our lives but it’s the joyous approach to shopping, festivities, decorating which give us a very special feeling, which isn’t the same when it’s not Christmas.

Similarly a diet or exercise program done with short term thinking will bring success which will be wonderful until the strong reason for it is gone and so is the weight loss. How serious are you about losing weight? Serious enough to alter your life?

Starting just to get started, is part of the learning process which ultimately delivers what you want. Changes can be made to the steps over time until the resulting process is one you like and enjoy, and is effective.

Even the exact nature of the attitude required is specific to the individual. What motivates one person may not encourage another at all. Our bodies are an intimate part of ourselves which we cannot separate from for the purposes of adopting a one size fits all approach. We may try to do what has worked for someone else but often it doesn’t feel right, or have the same affect. Effective weight loss and maintenance requires paying attention to your body without becoming a critic.

The ‘average’ number of steps per day of most people, i.e. 5000-6000, would be a busy day for some. There is a reason for this inactivity whether job, family or lifestyle related, and often some believe that they are active in the sense of ‘busy’ walking, during their normal day-until they start counting daily steps with a pedometer. This average figure of 6000 steps is considered a low activity lifestyle. A person who does 10000 steps a day is considered active.

I have had a time during my life where doing 2000-3000 steps a day, was a good day. If you have ever been through this you will know that to start a program of walking from this point is a major change.

In this case, yes, every step is important.

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Making it easy is the first way to trick yourself into losing weight with exercise and controlled eating. Whatever activity you are already doing, make it easy and fun to do more, and more, and more…

Make a list of the foods you like which are also going to give you the results you want. Be conscious of burning calories while you’re walking.

2. Be Creative-Loose Your Inner Athlete.

Use creativity to make this decision into something interesting and relevant to you. We put our creativity to use all the time. Now use it to make walking to lose weight successful. Let it be a ‘something wonderful’ in you life.

Use natural parts of your day to support this:
Do you like to party? Make a perfect evening out by combining fun, socializing and being seen with standing, dancing, moving-a lot, even all the time. Eat sparingly and small amounts. (Eat before going out, something lite.) Limit sugary drinks (which includes alcohol). Dilute drinks which otherwise would be high in calories with low energy soft drinks or water. Watch out for energy boosters with high sugar content. Have a cup of unsweetened coffee as an appetite suppressant. Drink lots of water.

In any way you normally enjoy yourself, integrate walking into it, in a way that shifts your approach from hardship to joy. Express yourself through this activity. Make it a part of you, an extension.

3. Use Walking Support Systems.

Be dedicated to attracting friends, tools, inspiration which are also focused on walking to lose weight. Take only those with you, on this particular journey, who support what is positive about walking and weight loss for you. Sometimes walkers like to do it on their own. It can be used as a time to listen to music, a book, a study tutorial, an uplifting lecture. It can be a social opportunity if this is what you prefer, by joining a walking group, gym or a friend. In addition there are many ‘support’ tools, different from devices such as pedometers and of a motivational nature, which are not necessarily social. These include magazines, online clubs, forums, blogs, corporate sites, etc. I like the About.com walking forum, and for example, have set a walking target for November, there. Also I’ve started a FriendFeed room for anyone interested in asking questions or making comments, posting interesting websites, etc.

4. Attitude to Walking is Everything!

Shift from a fear of losing out. Instead of seeing this choice as giving something up, see it as adding to your life. Healthy weight loss is a good feeling part of life. Allow evolution from fear to joyful appreciation of this additional focus. Everyone changes constantly. This is normal. Often we feel at the receiving end so this is an opportunity to be at the focal point. If a friendship seems threatened it is commonly the friend’s fear of losing something they enjoy from your relationship. Find another way of being in their life which also allows you to change and satisfies them. If a healthy life is incompatible with your friendship, end it.

5. Maintain balance.

Emotional balance is what will help you the most. It’s not so much a trick, as an awareness: Drastically changing by cutting down food will affect you emotionally; Increasing exercise vigorously beyond what is normal for you, continued to over tiredness, will affect your emotions. Aim for emotional balance and ask for support on forums etc. if a new approach isn’t working out. Allowing emotional over balance to get out of hand in an attempt to lose weight quickly may negate any positive changes which you have made and produce a defeatist attitude. Focus on fun. Reward yourself constantly, with something you like at the end of the day. Perhaps one small glass of white wine, diluted with ice. Don’t finish the glass until the ice has melted. If you are thirsty have a glass of water before the wine. Also find other ways of rewarding yourself which don’t involve food or drink. Time to relax with a good book, outside enjoying the sun, with nothing to do for an hour, might be your idea of a reward.

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