Things to Do Before You Lose that Extra Weight

It's a familiar refrain, "Once I lose this weight I'm going to (insert various activities here)". With so many diets failing it's a wonder anyone gets to do anything. Your life shouldn't revolve around what the scale says. Losing weight should be something you are doing to better yourself not a start point for living your life. Quit putting your life on hold and just do whatever it is you want to do. Happier people love themselves and if you love yourself, you may find it so much easier to get that extra weight off.

Buy That Outfit

That dress looks incredible hanging there in that cleverly lit store doesn't it? So buy it already! What's stopping you? Maybe you think it'll look better if you can buy a smaller size or there's no way you'll look good in it now. So what are you wearing right now? Sweats and an oversized tee shirt? Every woman should feel good about what she's wearing no matter what her size. If you really love something get it.

Join a Gym

I know what you are thinking; gyms are for skinny people. That's not really true but if you've ever seen an advertisement for Bally's I can understand why you may think that is true. Gyms are great places to meet new people and work on your fitness goals. No diet will work without exercise and a gym is a great place for a structured workout. You don't have to wear the skimpy little outfits you see on television. The gym is the one place you should be wearing those sweats.

Take a Trip

Are you afraid to wear your bathing suit while vacationing in the exotic locale of your dreams? So don't go swimming. There are many other exciting things to do while you visit even if it's just watching a magnificent sunset or lounging in the shade enjoying the summer breezes. Don't deprive yourself of exploring the world because of your weight. The world is a very big place and we only have so much time to explore it. What will happen if you never lose the weight? You may miss out on half of your life.

Meet the Man or Woman of Your Dreams

Single guys and girls who are carrying around extra weight tend to shy away from social activities. This is a huge mistake. Looks and body size will only take you so far. In the end it's who you are inside that makes or breaks a relationship. I can't count then number of good-looking men I've met who have nothing going on but their reflection in the mirror. They get boring fast.

The people I'll remember for the rest of my life are the ones that are beautiful inside. Besides, you don't want a partner that is completely hung up on how you look. Good looks are great but they are a bonus, not the real prize. Go out into the world and meet people no matter how you feel about your body size. You may find the world to be a friendlier place then you ever imagined.

Go Back To School

If you are past traditional school age you may think you'll have a harder time fitting in if you wish to return to college. You may feel even more insecure showing up on your first day carrying a few extra pounds. Don't let this stand in the way of doing something to better your life. Go get your education and focus on where you want to go with your life and not what someone may think when you walk into the classroom for the first time. You'll make friends, good friends even, if you really want to. Don't hold yourself back.

Let Go of Negative Relationships

Set the dead weight in your life free. I'm not talking about the weight around your hips I'm talking about friends that are no good for you. Are you hanging onto a friendship with someone because you fear loneliness? Take a close look at your friendships and weed out the ones that cause you nothing but grief. Fear of rejection can hold you back from making new friends and will make you hold on to the friends you have, even if they are just plain rotten. Clean out your life and let the trash go.

I'm not condoning divorce here but we all know sometimes it's necessary. If you are holding back from going on your own due to weight issues you are doing yourself a disservice. This is especially important if you are in an abusive relationship. If your self esteem is low due to the combined issues of abuse and your weight you may really have to push yourself to get out. 'No one else will want me' is a thought you need to erase from your mind permanently.

Ask For That Promotion

Perhaps you think thinner people seem more competent and put together. Take a good look at your job performance. Is it good? Don't be afraid to toot your own horn and ask for that promotion you want so badly and so obviously deserve. The opportunity might not be there by the time you get that skinny body you think will be a huge confidence booster. Go for it now.

Audition For an Acting Role

Acting ability has nothing to do with the number on your scale. Yes, movie stars are excessively thin but not all of them can squeeze into a size two. I'm not saying you should run to Hollywood if you have a bit of a dramatic streak but you should be up for trying out for a local play if you really want to.

Get Happy

This one stumps many people. They think "I'll be happier when I'm thinner" or "I'll have more friends and people will pay attention to me when I'm skinny". Do yourself a favor and get over that type of thinking. You might want to make a list of your good traits and your bad traits. You will be surprised how long the list of good traits will be. Take to bad things and turn them into positives. Being happy before you start will help you along your weight loss journey.