Everyone says patience is a virue.  A virtue I sure don't have.  I've never been patient, I always assume that when I want something to happen, it happens, just like that, POOF.  I blame this on being an only child.  When I wanted something from my parents when I was little I pretty much never had to wait very long...But I'd say 99% of things in life you need to wait for.  Meeting the perfect person, finishing college, getting that perfect job, and weight loss.  Everyone out there is looking for the magic pill, potion, or diet to instantly get rid of unwanted pounds like it's that easy.  If it was that easy we wouldn't have the obesity problem we have and everyone would be doped out on weight loss drugs.

These pills, potions and diets may work, but in time, when you go back to eating 'normally', the weight slowly inches back on.  Now, this can happen with every weight loss strategy, but when you come to the conclusion (it 'clicks' like it has for so many of us) that you need to completely change the way you look at food and exercise, the weight comes off naturally.  No gimmics, no drastic change in diet, no pills that may or may not affect your body negatively later in life.  Now, I understand the natural approach to weight loss takes FOREVER.  I for one know that.  It took a year and 1/2 for me to lose 35 pounds.  But I know I have learned strategies to keep the weight off for life.  I've learned what I can eat, if I exercise I can eat more, and that I feel soooo much better thinner.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to trip up once in a while.  That doesn't mean I won't have days where I want to eat everything in sight and not workout.  Days I won't pick sitting on a bar patio with beer and pizza than spending 45 minutes on the elliptical and weight training.  But the tools I now have has taught me that when I want to be lazy I have to restrict myself early in the day so I can have fun later in the day.  I went over yesterday by 65 calories.  I changed one of my beers and it had way more calories than the original one I was going to drink.  I had an extra slice of pizza.  Oh well.  I had more than 250 calories left from most days this week, carry over.  Done.

I have so many friends that have adopted the paleo, low carb or no carb diets over the years.  I'm not saying they don't work.  I have seen people have success with them.  But no one person has stuck to that diet long term.  They follow it for weeks, lose the pounds, then the very next day they are eating donuts and cakes.  Sorry, folks.  Your body got used to you not stuffing processed carbs in your piehole and that cake and/or donut is going straight to your hips, gut, etc.  So, over time the weight builds back on, people get frusterated and start the craziness all over again.

Giving up carbs doesn't sound like a picnic to me.  I tried South Beach years ago.  I lasted 1 1/2 weeks and after not even losing 3 pounds I gave up.  Any diet that says you can't have something will make you want it even more.  Or it least it did me.

So, for all of you who are starting out and not seeing results right away (instant gratification), take a step back and remind yourself you changed the way you life because you want to be happy and healthy, weight loss is just a perk.  If the weight comes off slow, so what.  What are you in such a rush for?  The reward is great a the end of the tunnel.  Hang on.  For those of you who are in the middle of your transformation and the numbers on the scale aren't moving in the downward direction as fast as they used to, keep up the good work.  Your diligence and persistance will pay off at the end.  And for those of you with those last 5 or so pounds to lose.  What's 5 pounds?  You've come so far, keep working.  Don't give up!