Mindset Tips for Successful Weight Loss

Losing your weight takes a lot of effort, dedication and guidance. But the key that keeps you going on the path is your mindset.

In our experience, refocusing your mindset on losing weight is the primary factor because you really can’t make the difference from the outside if you do not have the correct resolve within yourself.

Let’s be honest. Weight loss calls for hard work as well as smart work. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many diets in the first place. Each and every diet and weight loss protocol is unique in their own way, but the one thing that matters in every method is the dieter’s mindset. Let’s see how you can develop a truly effective mindset that will help you progress on losing those pounds.

1. Determine Your Why

Examine your own motivation.

This is the key to making effective and lasting changes in habits in order to reach your diet goals. Everyone is unique and knowing your “WHY” can give you upper-hand against inevitable challenges and slips.

Ask yourself:

  • How do I benefit from losing weight or changing diet?
  • What good things will come from weight loss? Make a list if possible.
  • What risks am I indulging by not changing my diet?
  • What other consequences would I face if I don’t lose weight?

Concerns regarding your appearance may seem like a good motivation, but research stats it may be less robust and long-lasting. Moreover, adopting a weight loss program is often linked to possible negative results such as poor body image perception, low self-esteem, resorting to unhealthy methods, and over time, gaining weight back.

On the other hand, health-related motivations keep you more conscious and are associated with positive, long-term outcomes. This includes better weight lost, less possibility of regaining weight and perhaps the best of all – an improved body image.

Hence, we recommend exploring some health-related motivations to lose weight. It can be a bid to become more energetic, gain more mobility, reverse metabolic syndrome, improve heart health, less joint pain, better sleep quality, or discontinue certain medications.

Your “WHY” may change over time with your priorities. So re-visit — alter/update it to keep your motivations relevant and inspiring.

2. Make Short Term Goals

Big goals are great. But handling them can be overwhelming as they tend to span a longer period of time. However, this can be made easier by breaking down your big goals into smaller, attainable tasks.

Here’s a good rule of thumb to do so with SMART goals:

  • Specific.
  • Measurable.
  • Attainable.
  • Realistic.
  • Time-bound.

3. Focus on the Other Benefits 

Think about the amazing physical and emotional benefits you will gain from weight loss.

  • Increased energy levels
  • Lowered cholesterol levels
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Reduced aches, pains, and inflammation
  • Improved mobility
  • Better skin
  • Increased self esteem and confidence
  • Improved breathing
  • The ability to sleep better and wake more rested
  • Preventing type 2 diabetes
  • Improved blood sugar levels
  • Alleviating or completely withdrawing from some medications

4. Be Ready for Setbacks

Also, be prepared for setbacks along the way. Everyone loses weight differently. It’s important that you are able to manage expectations and cope with the setbacks in a positive way. It allows you to stay on your path towards making healthy changes in life.

Remember when you were first learning to walk? You didn’t fall down and think “Well that’s it. Maybe this isn’t for me.”

No. You got back up and eventually learned to walk.

Success doesn’t always happen on the first try. When you face defeat — which is more likely to happen — remember your younger self, the child inside you who didn’t know the meaning of failure. Rise up and give it a try — again and again, because the only time you truly fail is when you quit.

Good thing our younger selves never gave up or there would be a lot of crawling adults out there today!

Whenever you find yourself “cheating” or slipping on a craving, just use it as a chance to learn what happened and then start again.

5. Rethink Punishment and Deprivation

Punishment

An important shift in weight loss mindset is to recognize that your diet is not a punishment. These healthy choices you are adopting is a way of practicing self-care, which is commendable.

No matter how much you want to lose weight and get fit, if you’re always resenting how hard the process is, you will struggle to progress. Eventually, you will end up cheating on your diet to escape the difficulties and find some comfort in food.

The result? A higher possibility of being derailed from your diet which obviously costs you more. Nothing kills the motivation faster or opens ground for self-sabotage than doing something you think is miserable.

Deprivation

Deprivation is the lack or denial of something that is considered a necessity.

Weight loss calls for some obvious restrictions and disciplines. This may feel like you are having to withdraw from certain habits or foods that were part of your life.

This feeling of deprivation can be a big trigger for some dieters. This idea gets in our heads when we don’t get to eat what we want at the moment or can’t have what everyone else is having.

Your brain creates this thought and emotions that you think that by not eating that donut, you will somehow feel less happy or joyful.

The next time that feeling of deprivation comes up, take a minute and assess whether it is a realistic interpretation of the facts.

Are you honestly being denied something you need or is it something you want? Will your life actually be better by eating that donut? Especially when losing weight is an important goal for you?

6. Examine the Underlying Reasons as to Why You May Self-sabotage Your Weight Loss Goals

According to Psychology Today, your behavior becomes self-sabotaging when it creates problems in daily life and starts interfering with long-term goals. When it comes to weight loss, self-sabotage is where you engage in self-defeating behaviors like overeating or binging on junk food.

The question that comes after self-sabotaging behaviors is, “Why?” You might ask yourself,

Why do I do great for a while and then sabotage all the hard work I’ve put in?

Here are some of the reasons people engage in self-sabotaging behavior on their weight loss journey:

  • Not feeling worthy
  • Fear of success
  • Fear of getting in an intimate relationship
  • Fear of always having to be deprived
  • Not feeling like it is possible
  • Fear of judgment

What Causes Self-sabotaging Behavior?

When we have deeply held beliefs (often even unknown to us), we deceive our goals by engaging in behaviors that don’t work for us. This can be overeating, binging, not working out, and more.

So how do you stop self-sabotage?

The first step is awareness. Think back to the times when you engaged in self-sabotaging behaviors during the last year. Since you are acquainted with the act, keep a plan ready for the next time you feel tempted to engage in this behavior pattern.

Thankfully, you can defeat these self-sabotaging behaviors with some simple lifestyle changes that help with weight loss.

Conclusion

Your mindset plays a key role in the success of your weight loss journey. A healthy mindset helps you win over the cravings, deprivation and start anew after a setback.

At BioIntelligent Wellness, we offer proper weight loss guidance and education along with developing a healthy lifestyle that guarantees long-lasting benefits. If you are planning to embark on a weight loss journey, schedule a FREE consultation and see how our coaches can help.

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