1. Set a goal. A small one. Don't go into this thinking "I need to lose 50lbs" Baby steps, people. Start with 10 pounds..or if you really mean it, 20 pounds.
2. EAT! Wait wait what?? You want us to eat? Yup. If you are working out and doing some serious cardio your body is going to shut down on you if you don't get your calories in. I use http://www.fitday.com/ to try and figure the right calories that I need to make my body keep working. If you skip meals or cut your calories to less than 1000 a day your body will go into freak out mode. Trust me.
3. Eat your carbs in the morning. I LOVE CARBS. For real. I could eat a bucket of mashed potatoes with gravy and biscuits right now. I learned from Bob on the Biggest Loser that I can eat carbs but I should eat them in the morning or as a mid day snack. I am currently working on banishing carbs 4 hours before bed time. Wish me luck
4. If it goes in your mouth, write it down. At least until you figure out how many calories you are eating in a day. It's the only way you will know if you are eating enough or eating too much. You will be surprised when you see those numbers.
5. Be consistent. It will never work if you just diet 3 days a week or 6 days a week. If you skip your workout one day you need to make it up the next. This year I slacked off and on for a few months and put 15 lbs back on.
6. Realize that this is not going to happen overnight. Without plastic surgery you will not lose weight and keep it off if you crash diet. It doesn't take long to put that weight on but it's a pain in the rear to get it off. If you have more than 50 lbs to lose I can say that this is a lifelong journey for you. You will have to keep eating healthy, keep working out even after you have lost the weight. Once the weight is off those workouts won't be so bad.
7. Find someone...ANYONE to support you through this. I would never have made this journey if I didn't have my Tony right beside me every step of the way telling me that he believed in me. If you feel like you are on that island alone, send me a message and I will be on that island with you. Everyone needs someone to believe in them.
8. Water. Just drink it. A lot of it. Don't argue.
9. Leave your excuses at the front door. If I don't come home and change right into my workout clothes I will find a million reasons not to work out. I am the queen of "But I'm tired, busy, pmsing, sick, a mommy...etc" Those excuses will do nothing but keep you shopping in the "big girl/boy" section.
10. Reward yourself. Nothing feels better than a new pair of jeans when you have gone down a size or start putting a dollar away for every pound you lost and then spend it on whatever you want when you are done.
At the end of the day. It all comes down to you. If you are not ready to put in the effort than you are just not ready. All you can do is hope that someday you will have the will to save your own life.
