The plain and simple fact of the matter is that it takes hard work to achieve your weight loss goals. Regardless of what you might see on television ads or what you might read in a magazine, the bottom line is that losing weight is something that’s hard to do. There are no shortcuts. There are things you can do to maximize your chances for success, but there are no easy roads to weight loss. This is especially true when you’re severely overweight.
There are three primary concerns that someone who’s severely overweight – in the “morbidly obese” category in terms of body fat: determination, safety and capability.
Determination
Any successful weight loss program begins with a decision that you’re going to do whatever it takes to lose the weight that you need to lose. What many people don’t realize, however, is that to be successful you’re going to need to make that very same decision over and over again – usually several times a day. And, rather than getting easier as it goes along, it can be harder to stay determined. The basic willpower that’s required for weight loss is something that can’t be learned and that can’t be provided through surgery or a medication of some sort. It’s something that you need to develop.
Safety
When you’re very big, one of the biggest concerns when you start an exercise or weight loss program should be your own safety. Obesity can cause specific physical problems. You might have medical conditions that will affect what kind of exercises you can do and how often. You might just have specific physical limitations that come from a sedentary lifestyle. Things like weakness, muscle pains and severe inflexibility can be major barriers to a weight loss program. Start by visiting your doctor. Your doctor can help you figure out what you can and cannot do. Find out what you should avoid, and what should work for you. Consider asking for a referral to a nutritionist, and look into the possibility of a personal trainer.
Capability
In many cases, the biggest obstacle to weight loss is knowing where to start. You look at all of the possible exercises out there, but your body doesn’t want to let you move the way that it should. You may not fit into the exercise machines at your gym. Even the treadmill or elliptical machine may have a weight limit that you surpass.
The key here is to find exercises you can do. Maybe it’s something like water aerobics. Maybe it’s simply a process of modifying exercises to meet your capabilities. Here again, getting some advice from an exercise expert is a wonderful first step.
Ultimately, you’re going to face many challenges in your weight loss journey. Knowing what they might be ahead of time will help you to create the best solution when those problems and challenges do arise.
