Tell me if you relate to this story:
You used to be active in college. Weight and fitness were never really a problem. Then you got married/ got responsible/ had children and piled on a few pounds. It wasn’t a big worry; you still could fit in those pants. Parties with friends meant a few extra glasses of drink and maybe a tub or two of dessert, you needed new clothes anyway. Life went on, you got older and suddenly you notice that there is a fat person in every one of your pictures.

What do you do now? Run like the wind till you no longer feel guilty about eating? Hire a nutritionist? Join every class listed at the gym near your place? Starve?
If you think you need to do any of these, let me kill the suspense and tell you how it end- in more weight gain, more unhappiness and a vicious binge-eating cycle that will ruin your chances at fitness all together.

Why?

Because the reason you’re unhappy with your weight in the first place is because you didn’t keep it simple. Your life is complicated, your job is complicated, having kids is complicated and you cannot really control these factors much. But you can keep your fitness simple. Complicating that will only set you up for failure.

When things get difficult, simplify, but stay consistent. Here’s how

1) Set goals which are achievable.
Baby steps. Promise to run/walk a mile a week. If you do more, great, if not, no problem, 1.6 km only takes 20 minutes and you have a week to get it done. Sounds too simple? Yes, that’s sort of the point. Start there. Add slowly

2) Strength train for 10 minutes a day
You don’t need a gym to do this. Set a clock to count down for ten minutes and repeat this sequence as many times as you can in that time:
10 Squats
10 Push-ups
10 crunches
It’s that simple.

3) Keep your nutrition simple.
You already know that cookies and fries are junk. Start by eliminating only the obvious stuff. The more complex macros can come after you’ve successfully simplified your life for at least 4 weeks.

That’s all. Some of us may have a longer journey ahead than others and we all need to start somewhere. So start by simplifying. We can complicate things slowly, when you’re ready, in the weeks to come.

The Author, Jyotsna John, is a fitness enthusiast who turned her passion for fitness into a full time career. She has travelled to UK and the US and studied a lot about fitness while she was there. She has a list of certifications, and is currently a trainer at The Unit, in Chennai.

Picture Courtesy : http://s.wsj.net/