How You Can Be A Healthy Living Success Story

Most of the time when we read about diet and weight-loss success stories, we hear how “easy” it was and how “anyone” can do it.   But the reality is, for most of us, it’s far from easy. In fact sometimes it’s so not easy that we just give up. Believe me, I get it. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve worked hard at eating healthy or exercising with little to no results.

Of course, I’m still inspired when I hear success stories of women like Valerie Bertinelli and Marie Osmond.  But what do we do when we are giving it all we got, and we are still not getting the results we’re looking for?

Should we throw in the towel?  Consider ourselves a failure?  Give up?

No, absolutely not.

Rather than looking at where we’ve gone wrong and just giving-up, it’s time to look at what we’ve done right.  That’s what I’ve been trying to do.  Instead of focusing on the fact that I haven’t lost any weight in the last six weeks (even though I’ve been eating healthy), I’m trying to focus on the positive…And you can do it too.

For me, it all started in May, when I decided to get serious about making healthy lifestyle changes.  Not just because I want to lose weight, but also because I know it will make a difference in my overall health and wellness.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to make all the changes I wanted to over night, but I did want to make the commitment to gradually eliminate the unhealthy foods from my diet, while incorporating more nutritious foods.

And now I find myself in the classic half-full or half-empty mark in my healthy eating plan.  I can choose to see my plan as half-empty, because I haven’t even lost one pound yet.   Or I can choose to see my plan as half-full, because I have had success in eating healthier foods and avoiding sugar.  In other words, I can choose to feel good about myself, or choose to feel like a failure.  It’s totally up to me.  And I’ve decided to try something new, and “choose” to feel good about myself and take a closer look at all the ways I’ve been successful.

Although I haven’t lost any weight yet, I have had the strength and to maintain healthy eating habits (and give-up sugar) for over six weeks…In my book, that’s success.

One of the most important life lessons I ever learned, was realizing that I may not be in control of the ups and downs in my life (or weight), but I am in control of how I react and perceive all of it.

Are you trying to lose weight and even though you are doing everything right the numbers on the scale are still not changing?

That’s okay.  The eating healthy part is more important than the losing weight part.

Are you exercising regularly but you still feel out of shape?

That’s okay.  You may not be able to see it on the outside, but in the inside you are doing your body good.

Whether you are taking steps to eat healthy, reduce stress, get more sleep, or improve your life in any way…

• Do it because it’s what’s best for you, and let go of your expectations of what the results should be.
• Focus on the positive and all the things you are doing right.
• See your glass as half-full (and getting fuller).
• Don’t let other people’s judgments bring you down, it’s a reflection on them not you.
• Don’t let your personal judgments bring you down, treat yourself with kindness.
• Allow yourself to see all the ways you are being successful, even if that means you have to change you perception of what success is.

I think if you do these things, you will find that making healthy lifestyle changes will be a little bit easier.  Let me know what you think in comments.

Also See:

10 Dieting Tips To Help You Get Swimsuit Ready

Dieting:  Confessions of an Emotional Eater

4 Tips to Help Your Dieting & Weight-Loss Willpower