"It's simple, but it's not easy." Of course, I'm referring to the issue of fat loss and getting in great shape. It's simple, but it's not easy. It's an odd statement, but it's true. Let me clarify a bit....

Conceptually it's simple - meaning the 'how to' is pretty straight forward. Practically, it's not so easy. Meaning the application, discipline, self control, etc., isn't easy. So we could say that physiologically it's simple and psychologically it's not easy. Now I'm making sense.

I want to focus for a minute on the 'not easy' part. More people simply MUST accept this. There is a reason ... many actually ... for why more people aren't walking around with enviable physiques. It's not easy. There's a reason so many people are yo-yo dieters, gaining and losing the same 10 pounds year in and year out. It's not easy. There's a reason why people start a diet, and then quit, only to restart. It's not easy.  You have to accept this if you want to have long-term success in taking control of your physique ... and even your health for that matter. You have to understand that it's difficult and challenging, because let's face it- if everyone could do it- everyone would be thin, and America would not be the nation of obesity it is today.

There is a price to pay for getting in shape. It's not free. It has a cost associated with it; whether that's not being able to eat 8 cookies whenever you THINK your body is specifically telling you it needs cookies (it's not by the way), or having to get to the gym when you don't feel like it. Actually, the gym tends to be the easy part for most people. It's the nutritional discipline that is the issue for most. 

The question you have to ask yourself is, 'once you realize there's a cost, are you willing to pay it'? It's another way of saying you're going to have to make some sacrifices if you're serious. If you're not willing to, then stop complaining about not making any progress and looking the same all the time.  If you want to adopt an attitude that it's always okay to cheat or be lax with your eating, then you're going to look the same. Food will always be there. You want it today? It'll be there tomorrow. The next day too. 

It's a mistake to have this 'tolerance attitude' that says 'hey, you cheated again; it's okay. It's not a big deal". And you're right, it's not a big deal ... UNLESS you start complaining about not making any progress.  Look yourself in the mirror. Remind yourself how important it is to see changes in your physique. Remind yourself that you have only yourself to blame if you let cookies or candy or the doughnuts at the office get the best of you.

This is supposed to be hard. The sooner you accept that reality, the better off your chances of being successful. However, 'hard', isn't a bad thing. It's all in your outlook. Similarly, hunger isn't a bad thing - unless you think it's a bad thing. If you always associate hunger with bad feelings, whining, moaning, whoa-is-me complaining, than yes, you're not going to be so happy are you? However, what if you shift your thinking? What if you decide to welcome the hunger? What if you decide to associate hunger with good things - like perhaps the fact that eating in a deficit is necessary for fat loss and clearly eating less than your body wants is going to make you hungry. So two plus two equals hunger being a possible indicator that you're on the right track. 

Again, it's all in the mindset. Choose to enjoy the process and you can't fail. Choose to whine and complain, justify and excuse, and you can't succeed. Getting lean isn't supposed to be easy. If it were, everyone would be. Accept it. 

Read that all again. And again if need be. Bookmark it and read it when you're struggling. Read it as often as you need to.