The basic fomula for weight loss is simple, says personal trainer, Pilates instructor and life coach Jacqui McKeown. Eat less and exercise more. But if it's that easy then why do so many people fall at the first hurdle? "It's less to do with genes and more to do with how we see ourselves and having the right mindset," she explains in her five-stage health and fitness plan.
STAGE 1 – Believe in yourself!
Visualise the best possible version of yourself. It could be a memory of a time when you were your ideal weight, a dress size you long to fit or an image of you wearing your dream wedding dress. Make the picture in your mind as compelling as possible then try to conjure it up first thing in the morning and last thing at night. This sends positive messages to your unconscious mind that you are becoming this person; you're rewriting your script!
STAGE 2 – Make a plan
To be successful on any weight loss programme, you need a realistic and achievable fitness plan. See what you have available at home or are you willing to join a gym? Maybe you already have a membership that you never use... If not, see if you have any exercise equipment or fitness DVDs lurking in a corner and get ready to start burning some calories!
STAGE 3 – Write a schedule
Get a lovely new diary and every Sunday write down exactly what exercise you will be doing each day. Aim to exercise five days out of seven. You want results, so the faster you get them the more motivated you'll be. Stick to your schedule, eat healthily and your results will keep you going through the tough times.
STAGE 4 – Know your enemy
What are your weaknesses? Is it a takeaway and a bottle of wine on a Friday night? Or do you find the biscuit tin in work all too tempting? Now's the time to identify you bad habits and write down replacement good habits (again in your fab new diary). Remember replacing one bad habit makes two positive changes so you'll be on the right road sooner than you think!
STAGE 5 – Make a commitment
Today make the decision to commit to your healthy new lifestyle. Stay postive and stay focused. Rope in bridesmaids, friends or work colleagues and make a commitment to exercise with them on a regular basis. Try to do a sport that you can do in any weather (like swimming) so that you've no excuses not to go! Then each week when you're writing up your exercise diary, congratulate yourself on a job well done the previous week.
Jacqui McKeown runs a Pilates and life-coaching business called Body Coach Pilates from a studio in Langbank, Renfewshire. For information on her bridal boot camps visit www.bodycoachpilates.co.uk or tel: 07971 719 414
