Can changing your mindset help you achieve weight loss?

If your goal is to lose weight but your method to do so is by under-eating and overtraining, let me assure you that you will fail and be right back where you started. I am not trying to be mean. I just want to be real with you and help you build habits that will actually stick and move the needle in the right direction of reaching your goal. 

So if dieting and overtraining aren't the answer, what is? I want to help you see how shifting your mindset around weight loss can help you achieve small wins that will lead to big results. Some of the most meaningful progress is made by lots of tiny, imperfect steps taken daily. Building momentum is more important than worrying about the speed you are moving at. So let’s talk about some common thoughts towards how we can achieve weight loss and break them down to focus on smaller wins that will promote healthy behaviors. 

If your goal is weight loss and you think you need to workout 5 days per week to achieve this goal but you have not been working out for months, this may feel unattainable. Instead of focusing on the big goal of working out 5x per week, start with trying to complement 10 minutes of movement each day into your routine. To your mind, this is going to feel more attainable. On top of that, once you get started with your 10 minutes of movement, you might find that you have more motivation (action comes before motivation) and you can go longer. Once you feel like this habit has been formed, you can increase the goal to 15 minutes a day (or 5 days a week). See how gaining momentum, even though the action seems small, can lead you in the right direction of your goals. 

If your goal is weight loss and your first thought is to go on a restrictive diet and cut all the foods you have been eating, this is not going to be sustainable and can lead to you having a negative relationship with food. Instead, start by focusing on adding more nutrient dense foods into your meals. Think, how can I add color to the meal that I am having? Maybe this means you add veggies into your omelette or you have a side salad with your dinner. As this becomes more attainable, start swapping some more meals for more nutrient dense foods and notice how the body feels when you fuel it with these foods. If you want to lose weight, you do need to be in a calorie deficit. However, this does not mean that you have to starve yourself. This puts a lot of stress on your body and you will eventually binge. Dropping 100-200 calories from your maintenance will allow your metabolism to stay revved up while also slowly helping you reach your goal. And remember, your body cannot stay in a diet forever. You must move back into a recovery phase (eat at your maintenance calories) to allow the body to heal. 

If your goal is weight loss and your goal is to get 10k steps in every day but you have been living a very sedentary life and don’t walk much at all, this is not going to feel attainable. Instead, focus on walking 10 minutes everyday. This is going to feel more doable to your brain and you will be more likely to keep this habit up. Once you feel like you can do 10 minutes per day, start increasing the time by 5 minutes until you reach your goal. 

If your goal is weight loss and you are counting the calories you are burning in workouts, this will likely lead to high inflammation and burnout in the body. When we focus on high calorie burning workouts (from our watches), we tend to focus on cardio only. What you need to understand is that a mix of weight training will be more beneficial as more muscle will lead to a higher BMR (you burn more calories throughout the day). Instead, focus on finding a mix of weight training and cardio that you like! If you hate the workouts you are doing, you are less likely to stick with it long term. This is going to allow you to find a balance in your workouts that feel attainable. 

If your goal is to lose weight so you think over exerting your body through workouts and under-eating is the answer, I can assure you this will lead to burn out and it will not be sustainable in the long term. Think about it, if you cut calories and workout more, that means your body NEEDS more fuel. Instead, focus on eating more nutrient dense foods, finding a balance in your workout routine (you don't need to workout everyday!), and prioritizing rest and recovery. A good place to start is getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night. When you workout, your muscle fibers break down. In order to allow your muscles to grow back bigger and stronger they have to heal. If you aren’t fueling your body enough or allowing your body to rest, your muscles won’t be able to heal. Focus on getting enough protein in your diet and taking at least 2 rest days a week. 

Can you see from the above how shifting the mindset around our goals can help move us in the right direction? All of the shifts above are going to be more sustainable and that means that habits can form and you can continue with these behaviors long term. Try applying this theory to any goals you have in life and I can assure you, you will reach your goals! Lastly, always remember that progress is more important than perfection! Progress is going to feel and look sloppy sometimes and that does not mean you failed. If you miss a workout, had a binge, ate more than you thought you should, or laid on the couch all day and didn’t get your steps in, it is okay! Don’t let those moments bring you down. Regretting the past doesn’t allow us to live in the present. Use it as feedback and continue on with the goal. I promise, I am here to cheer you on!

And if you are looking for more guidance in your journey, click HERE to work with me!