For Fast Results Dedicate Yourself to Being Dedicated!

By Alisa Daglio  Body Makeover Expert

Most of us serve our ideals by fits and starts. The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.

                                                                                                                  -Cecil B. De Mille

     If you are in Arizona and ask me how to get to California, I will not send you via New Mexico, through Colorado, past Utah, and bisecting Nevada. Simple math tells us that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.  To arrive at a desired destination the fastest, no one in their right mind would opt for the route that sends them zigzagging all over the place. The same straight line principle applies to weight loss.  The more you deviate, the slower your results will be.

     There are several reasons that dedication to weight loss and overall health will benefit you.  Some of the most obvious are feeling better and obtaining faster results!  Apart from the speed of the outcome is the positive benefit of the "mental muscle" you will acquire along the way.  Success tends to breed success.  People striving for weight loss and overall health are motivated strongly by results.  Often when the results are not dramatic, people get sidetracked and may abandon their journey altogether.  The more dedicated you become to your program the more you reinforce a sense of self worth, mental determination, and the prospect of a positive outcome.  Dedication requires practice and passion.  Do not be afraid of the learning process but also do not allow yourself to slide into half-hearted attempts.

     Back and forth behavior can lead to weakness, depression, and overall failure to achieve and maintain your goal.  Yo-yo dieting can be taxing on your body and can wreak havoc on your metabolism as well as your will.  Absolute diet and cardio perfection are unrealistic, but obtaining a strong dedication to yourself, your program, and your goal is completely within your grasp.  People who demand absolute dietary perfection of themselves are often disappointed when life shows them that they are mortal.  These "Type A" personalities can be extremely hard on themselves when they suffer a setback and may quit completely if they feel that they cannot be perfect on a program.  The key to success in the weight loss arena is to learn to be dedicated and determined without being perfect.

     One way you can help yourself stay on the road to achieving a healthy weight is to decide that this lifestyle change is a priority. Be sure to check in with your Tools To Life program regularly, troubleshoot your problem areas, honor the commitment that you made to yourself, and keep moving forward.  Accept that everyone is human and everyone is also capable of great achievement.  In the words of Tommy Lasorda: The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.