You’ve set the same goal every year now for as long as you can remember — to lose weight. You’ve dieted, exercised, done protein shakes and low carbs; you’ve even started! But why doesn’t any of this seem to be working? Will you ever lose weight? As one who has fought the weight loss battle and won, please permit me to advance one possible reason for your failure so far — could it be that you are not yet actually ready to do what weight loss takes?

Knowing what it takes is one thing; doing it is another. Why do some people succeed in life while others struggle and fail? Simply stated, the successful know what to do and do it. The strugglers don’t. That is true for weight loss too.

Doing what weight loss takes involves planning for weight loss. You must prepare your mind to do what it takes. Here are four things you must bear in mind to be prepared and win this fight:

✅ You need to have an inspiring reason to lose weight, one that inspires you to keep at it, despite the odds. My reason was my health. I have read of the 30+ medical conditions you could attract by remaining obese or overweight, and I want none of them, now or ever! I was also tired of the fatigue and aching knee that being fat had brought me. That kept me working on my goals. Today I am energetic, and my knee no longer aches! Added to that, I feel and look better than I have in years!

✅ You’ve got to prepare for the challenges ahead. There will be plenty, from start to finish! Weight loss is not going to be easy. Please don’t kid yourself that it will. I’ve had to exercise when others were having fun. I’ve had to give up some foods and eat others I hardly ever used to. I’ve even had to give up certain companies or activities because they “led me into temptation!” You know your weaknesses in this area. Make a list of them. Draw up a plan to prevent or handle each one. Ask God, family, and friends to help you. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Plan your way. Follow through each day!

✅ You’ll need to make PERMANENT lifestyle changes. You can’t quit when you get “there,” or it’s back to where you came from! These changes include healthy eating (consuming fewer calories, less food, using healthy cooking methods) and healthy moving (burning more calories via regular exercise). There is NO other way to permanent weight loss without side effects. This way, the natural way, also has a high long-term success rate. And exercise benefits you in many other ways besides weight loss.

✅ You’ve got to love yourself enough to do it, for you, not anyone else. You are unique; there could never be another you. And your body is where you live, so it’s special too! Considering that you can’t change bodies should yours become worn, doesn’t it make sense to take care of the only body you have? A healthy body is an asset; it will help you to be more effective in many ways. Lose weight to become better and more effective. Lose weight because you love yourself.

Taking these points into consideration will help you prepare to do what it takes to lose weight. Remember, you get what you attract. You reap what you sow. To reap the effect, you must plant the cause.

Losing weight is within your power if you will do what it takes. You do not need to make drastic changes; attempting this is where most people fall out. The changes you need are gradual; tackling one thing at a time – 10 minutes of exercise, a little less food, one less soft drink – and then stick with it. Consistency is essential to your success❗ Asking a friend or relation to hold you accountable can help you here.

If you were expecting some complicated formula, discovered in the ruins of Egyptian pyramids, once used by Queen Cleopatra, or a system derived by some cutting-edge technology in a Swiss clinic, I am happy to disappoint you!

Losing weight is simply about burning up more calories than you consume. This article aims to prepare you to do so. With this mental preparation, I lost 10 kg in 2016. This way, I have kept it off ever since.

This simple, natural way has helped many others succeed at weight loss, and it will continue to work for all who apply it. Forget the fads. You can lose weight. But you must really and truly be ready to do what it takes. There are no shortcuts. No one else is to blame for your success or failure but you. Take it one day, one step at a time. Keep doing what it takes, and in no time, you’ll be there!