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Take your health seriously. Milkias Bayne

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ABOUT

My name is Milkias Bayne and I wanted to share some of the methods and techniques I used during my weight loss journey to stay consistent and motivated. Although I am not a personal trainer or a health guru, I had my fair share of the struggle that people just starting their weight loss journey might experience. This blog is not for you if you’re looking for nutrition plans or advice on how to work out. This blog is mainly for those who need help staying consistent to their diet and those who are afraid to take their first step into dieting because they are afraid of failure. I will explain how and what steps I took to lose 22 lbs in 1 month and also mention some of the obstacles I faced in my journey, which you most likely will encounter. I hope my posts are helpful to you and that they satisfy any questions you might have.

GOOD LUCK!

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HEALTH IS WEALTH.

You’ve been hearing the statement “Health is wealth” since your childhood. However, not everyone is familiar with its meaning. You have been led to believe that money is the most important part of life, and once you have acquired enough money and success, all of your problems and worries would magically disappear. In most cases people don't even live long enough to enjoy their wealth. So the real meaning of “health is wealth” is that no matter how wealthy you are, if you are not healthy, there is nothing you can cherish in life.

The obesity rate in America is an estimate of 36.5% and is considered a major health issue. Obesity as we all know leads to life threatening diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. I have lost several family members and relatives to diabetes and other diseases which could have been avoided, which sometimes makes me wonder if the government considers the diabetes epidemic to be a major health problem. The one reason why the government hasn’t pulled all its resources together to eradicate diabetes and other diseases is because they continue to make a huge profit from the pharmaceutical drugs doctors prescribe for said diseases.

So now that we got over the fact that the government doesn't really care about your health and well-being, we should talk about the person who actually should care about your well-being; which is you.

Now more than ever more modernized weight loss programs and agendas are being pushed by big companies and personal trainers to turn in more profit, which in my opinion has nothing to do with being healthy. There are several ways to lose weight and stay healthy without purchasing expensive nutrition programs which doesn’t benefit you greatly.

I understand that any kind of habits aren’t formed easily and sometimes you might wonder if you are even on the right track to begin with. My purpose is to introduce you to some simple techniques which can help improve your daily habits, so you can be more consistent and determined in your journey to a healthier lifestyle.  

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EXERCISE IN THE MORNING.

There are several benefits to working out in the morning. I found exercising in the morning to be very helpful because of many reasons. I am an early person, I prefer to go to sleep moderately late and wake up early in the morning. 

Here are some reasons why I think you should try exercising in the morning.

1. Hormones are working towards your advantage.

In the early morning hours, crucial hormones that help lose weight or build muscle mass are elevated in the body. By exercising in the morning, you are taking advantage of the hormones while they are elevated, rather than later in the day when they are lower. The morning is therefore the best time to exercise.

2. Time for other priorities.

Exercising in the morning leaves your day wide open for other priorities such as work and school. Going to the gym is very important, but it is not the number one priority. I am a college student, classes and homework are at the top of my priorities. Think about how many other things you can accomplish if you were done with your obligations in the morning. 

3. Improves your mood 

Needless to say, exercising in the morning also improves your mood significantly. You are probably familiar with the notion that some workouts release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that are released after intensive workouts.

4. Less crowd in the morning.

Gyms tend to be less crowded in the morning. From my experience, most of the gyms I went to during rush hours or after work hours were very overcrowded. It becomes very hard to navigate through the gym and get a workout in if all the machines are being used by other people.

5. More focus. 

Another great benefit to working out in the morning is increased focus and abundance of energy when you reach work or school. I was amazed by the amount of energy I had after working out in the morning, I felt good going to work and class, which was very surprising to say the least.

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THINK ABOUT WHAT REALLY MOTIVATES YOU.

Find out what really motivates you beside having a summer body or getting a six pack. Setting unrealistic goals often lead to unsatisfying results. Focus on your true source of motivation. Once you have figured out what it is that really motivates you, you will have more control over your emotions and won’t easily give in to temptation.

There are times when you are going to think that there are forces working against you. Regardless of the amounts of hours you spent at the gym or how many times you skipped breakfast, your body does not usually give you the results you were hoping for. Once you have reached the next level in your diet, you will notice you are losing weight at a way slower pace than you did when you began to lose weight. Understand that this is very normal and that your body conserves fat that it needs for energy. You might want to consider increasing your cardio and drinking more water if you find yourself not able to lose weight as fast as you did before.

It is during this stage that many people fail to continue with their diet. I almost gave up with my diet as well after 2 months of hard work. It was after I lost over 30lbs that my body suddenly decided not to lose any more weight and stayed about the same weight for a week straight. I was very frustrated and ready to ditch my diet and order pizza. Luckily I had written down my goals and expectations on a paper and taped the paper on top of my dresser. One quick glance at the paper reminded me to stay committed to changing my life. I would advise anybody who want to lose weight to write down their goals and their motivation to remind them stay consistent and not to give in to temptation.

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ORGANIZE YOUR DAILY ROUTINE.

Organizing your daily activities is very important when you are attempting to losing weight. Most people find it difficult to stick to their diet because due to the excessive amounts of thought and energy wasted on irrelevant decisions, which does not benefit them mentally and physically. Try a simplistic route for a change. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you woke up every day and didn’t have to worry about what you are going to do today?

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Here are some new habits I integrated in my daily routine when I was on my weight loss journey, which I admit made my life a whole lot easier.

1. Follow a quick morning routine.

Making your bed right after you wake up should be your first priority of the day. Accomplishing this small task everyday will only help you feel more confident and in tackling down the rest of the tasks set for the day. You will soon realize that once you finished making your bed every morning, you start looking around eager to find something else to do.

2.  Declutter your zone.

Your zone is your environment of peace and quiet. Remove any bad influence from your environment. Reduce your commitments and reconsider new routines that benefit you in the long run. We often place needless stress on ourselves because of the amounts of obligations we commit to before giving it enough thought.

3.  Stop wasting time making unnecessary decisions

It is scientifically proven that we as humans can only make so many good decisions in a day. Wasting your time and energy on decisions such as what you are going to eat for lunch or what you are going to wear to school is an example of unnecessary stress. Start writing down and scheduling things such as your weekly meal plans, your daily gym hours, your fasting and non-fasting period, and your sleep hours to reduce stress to your decision making process.

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TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING

Thanks to the advancement of technology and science, you have access to more information. Several weight loss diets that have been around for generations have either been proven right or debunked using science based facts to support the conclusion. World renowned doctors and expert scientists have proven that fasting intermittently helps you lose weight dramatically and found it to have long term health benefits as well.

Intermittent fasting is a form of diet which cycles between a period of fasting and non-fasting during a defined period. People who practice intermittent fasting eat during their chosen non-fasting period, which can last up to 8 hours, and refrain from consuming anything except water for the reminder of their defined period. Expert scientists in dieting believe that our daily eating habits are making us vulnerable to obesity and age faster, because we do not give our body and our metabolism enough time to digest food thoroughly. Therefore giving yourself enough time to consume your daily calories within a reasonable period and giving your body all the time it needs to digest all the food in your system can benefit you greatly.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon an intermittent fasting video on YouTube and it has changed my view on a lot of things since then. I was able to lose 22lbs in the first month I ever tried intermittent fasting. I was a college student at the time and I pretty much had a lot of time on my hands. I would allow myself to eat between the hours of 10am – 6pm and restrict my body from consuming any food till 10am the next day. I will admit the first 3 days were the hardest because my body was not used to fasting regularly. But once my body got accustomed to my new diet, I realized I was more active and energetic than ever.

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TRY YOUR BEST TO BE CONSISTENT.

Consistency is a very important skill to possess in life. Every action you take that positively impacts your life requires you to be tenacious. Despite the peer pressure and bad influences in your environment, you must remain consistent to your beliefs and in your journey to improve your life.

Temptation is a desire to do something, most likely something wrong and taking a course of action that is not in your best interest. Temptation in my opinion is the reason most people quit. You have to choose who you hang out and stay close to the people that encourage and support you on your new mission. Choose environments that will enhance your self-control and can help you Refocus your attention. Most importantly use willpower. You will be surprised by how much you can endure, if you believe in yourself.

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Here are some examples of ways to stay true and remain consistent towards your goals.

1. Build your self confidence.

It takes you to believe in you.

2. Make it a habit.

It takes 21 days to form or break a habit. Believe in yourself that you are going to stick with your plan till it becomes part of you and won't need a reminder to be consistent.

3. Track your daily accomplishments. 

Motivation is momentarily, but it is the drive to change your life that keeps you consistent. Keeping a record of the pounds you lost and the amount of hours you spent at the gym helps you stay committed.

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You can confuse emotional impulsive decisions with pure motivation. You are a human being and can often be momentarily motivated by an experience or something you witnessed in a moment without the drive you need to succeed. You might find it difficult to stick to your plan after a few days because you lacked the drive you needed to be consistent.  

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COME UP WITH A PLAN/GOAL.

Making a plan is a very important part of your journey to losing weight. Without a realistic and doable plan, having a dream can only get you so far. Your plan doesn’t have to be super hard or a complex one. Just sit down and write in a blank piece of paper the steps you are going to take to achieve your goal.

I personally would advise you to come up with plans that lasts 30 to 60 days. From experience, I find it easier to stick with my plan and develop good habits after I have achieved a small victory. I learned that change is all about discipline and how hard it is to eliminate bad habits that are intervening with your ability to reach your full potential.

Here are some examples of some plans you might find helpful in your journey to lose weight.

1.       Drink up to 1 gallon of water every day.

2.       Avoid processed foods.

3.       Limit your intake of processed sugar.

4.       Don’t eat anything after 8pm.

5.       Go to the gym or exercise in your home 3 – 5 days a week.

6.       Add more healthy protein and different varieties of vegetables to your diet.

7.       Fast intermittently.

8.       Get enough sleep.

9.       Do cardio.

10.     Eat fruits.

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The examples above are some of the basic and most known simple ways to get in the habit of losing weight. If you do all those things I mentioned above for 60 days straight, I guarantee you will not need any more motivation or incentive to lose weight. Instead you will be completely obsessed with the results and you will find it easier to tackle down any goals you set.

I will admit I was very surprised and had this feeling of nothing is impossible after I completed my first ever plan to lose weight. I came up with a diet and exercise plan for 30 days and ended up losing 22lbs. I believe that was the moment I was convinced anything can be achieved through planning and dedication.

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VISUALIZE YOUR SUCCESS.

It is well within your right to want to change your life. Change is inevitable but what counts is the direction you are heading to. We often dream of future successes and accomplishments, but we tend to discard those signs as lucid dreams that happen once in a blue moon. A dream is a succession of images, ideas and visions that occur when you rest. It is well within your right to want to change your life. Regardless of your dreams of being a millionaire or owning several mansions and cars, no measure of wealth will bring you the kind of joy being mentally and physically fit does.

I bring up the word “dream” to emphasize the fact that any kind of success is achieved through visualizing your victory first. My blog is about losing weight and understanding the importance of discipline while doing so. If your dream is to lose 20lbs, you have to visualize yourself losing those 20lbs. Trust and convince yourself those 20lbs you want to lose are standing in the way of your success and that you need to act fast in order to move further in life. Believe that once you have achieved your goal you will be happier than ever and never go to sleep without visualizing tomorrow’s hard work. Those continuous visions will start to overcrowd your thoughts and force you to cut out and replace your bad habits with good ones. You will wake up every day thinking about your goals and find a way to carry out the mission you set out to accomplish.

In order to get what you want in life, you have to be able to root out and sacrifice those repetitive habits that are not in your best interest. You might not be addicted to drugs or alcohol, but you are subconsciously addicted to your repetitive habits and you might not know it yet. A lot of people find it hard to write down what it is they do wrong and ways to fix them, because it means they are admitting they do things willingly which negatively impacts their well being. There is absolutely nothing wrong with admitting to yourself of your shortcoming and taking a step back to reconsider how you want to change your life.