Most people think that for them to lose weight, they have to be careful on what they eat (even avoid some foods to some extent) and exercise regularly. This can work at the start but if you only focus on these things, you won’t have the motivation to stick to your plan in the long run. You might even see yourself clueless of what you’re doing in the middle of your weight loss journey. When this happens, it won’t be long before you’ll return to your old ways and everything you’ve worked for will be useless. For your weight loss attempts to be successful, you have to be mentally prepared first. Everything on your mind can make or break the success of your weight loss journey. And here are ways on how you can do it:
- State your weight loss goals: Whenever people feel they need to lose weight, they would immediately jump to another diet fad or exercise routine. This is something you shouldn’t do if you want to lose weight. Your weight loss journey should always start with a reason why you’re doing all of these in the first place. Do you want to lose weight so you can fit nice clothes again? Or are you doing it for your health needs? Regardless of the reason, state what these are and always keep these in mind. These will serve as your rewards for weight loss which can also give you the motivation you need. If you want to take it up a notch, place notes in different areas of your home to remind you why you want to lose weight.
- Work with a dietician: The internet is a goldmine of information on how you can lose weight. You’ll be provided with diet plans, exercise routines and even tools which can help you lose weight. And while it can be tempting to copy all of these and use it as your own, keep in mind that these aren’t made especially for you. This means that a certain diet plan might work for some, but not for you. If you want your weight loss journey to end with positive results, work with a dietician. They will provide you with a weight-loss plan which is perfect for your lifestyle and dietary needs. They will consider your medical conditions so your weight loss attempts will not put your health at risk.
- Invest in a personal trainer: Regardless of where you’re living right now, there will be local gyms nearby. You can always visit these gyms and perform exercises on your own. However, if you want to maximize your time and efforts at the gym, invest in a personal trainer. Similar to a dietician, they will give you exercises based from your preference. And since you’ll be doing physical activities which you love, exercising will not feel like exercise at all – you’re actually having fun while sweating! Additionally, a personal trainer will also make sure that these exercises complement your lifestyle, and not disrupt it in any way.
- Prepare a log for your food and exercise activities: It’s common for people to want to lose weight but fail several times. These people would usually see themselves in the never-ending cycle of wanting to lose weight but never achieved anything in the long run. And you could probably one of them. To ensure that this won’t happen again, take the time to prepare a log for your food and exercise activities. This is where you’ll indicate in detail what you’re eating every meal and what you’re doing during your exercise routines. Once this information is in front of you, you can quickly determine what went wrong in your previous attempts. You can make better decisions from the lapses you’ve made in the past.
- Set a realistic timetable for weight loss: No, you can’t possibly lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Having a goal like this doesn’t only pose serious health risks but it can also demotivate you once this isn’t achieved. Stray away from this direction by coming up with a realistic timetable for your weight loss. For example, you can start by losing one to two pounds every week, and maintain the same rate of weight loss in the next months. Losing weight takes time and this fact should be considered in your timetable.
The same approach also works for your exercise goals. Just because you saw your favorite celebrity use battle ropes for twenty minutes straight, doesn’t mean you should do the same. If this is still your first time to enroll in a gym, start with small exercises and gradually increase the intensity. You’ll be assisted with your personal trainer with these.
- Believe in yourself: If you have been attempting to lose weight in the past, you’d know how challenging this journey is. You’ll be tempted to eat more than you should and skip exercise because yes, life happens. When you experience these, don’t lose hope and think that you failed. For your weight loss attempt to be successful this time, believe in yourself. If you overeat one day, forgive yourself and continue with your attempts on your next meal. Weight loss is never a straight line and takes time to achieve.
- Pick on motivating rewards: When you checked the weighing scale and notice that you lose a few pounds after a month, reward yourself. No, not by buying your favorite pastry from your local bakery – you shouldn’t repeat old patterns and consider it as a reward. Instead, consider other favorites. You can spend a day at the spa or buy yourself a concert ticket. When you include rewards in your master plan, you’ll be fueled up to lose weight because you know something is in store for you (aside from looking good after losing extra pounds, of course).
- Tell yourself you can have anything: When people want to lose weight, they would immediately cross off certain food off their list. This is especially true for people who have a sweet tooth. They think that deserts are the reason why they’re gaining pounds. However, this kind of mindset is wrong. If you deprive yourself from the food you love, you’ll only end up binge eating. You’ll be consuming more calories when this happens. When you want to eat something, go ahead and eat it. If you want to order a sundae after your brunch, enjoy your dessert and don’t feel guilty about it. You can still lose weight just as long as you keep your proportions in check.
- Create a weight loss support network: Losing weight can be a struggle if you’re friends are always eating out at buffets. Because you spend most of your time with them, you can easily be tempted and you’ll be back to square one again. For you to achieve your weight goals easier, surround yourself with people who supports you. This doesn’t mean that you have to announce to the world about your healthy lifestyle but you can confide this information to people who are close to you. You can start by telling your family members and your lunch group at work. Once they know what you’re doing, they’ll be understanding of your choices and they’ll even help you in every way that they can.
Your Mental Health Can Help
The notions going in your mind play a significant role in your weight loss journey. If you keep on telling yourself that you can’t do it, chances are, you’ll fail with your attempts once again. This is the reason why you should always talk to yourself, and tell “you” that you can get through this phase. Additionally, you should make sure that your goals are in place before doing anything. You should motivate yourself so you can be consistent with your attempts. But if you want to guarantee that this weight loss will be fool-proof, consider tapping the help of professionals like TG Psychology. They can help improve your mental state so you can lose weight easier!
Todd Griffin
Todd is the Director and Principal Psychologist at TG Psychology, in Penrith, NSW. He has over 14 years of experience working with adults and young people in both public health and private practice settings. He has treated people from diverse cultural backgrounds, with a variety of emotional health and behavioural issues, including: depression, anxiety, relationship issues, anger, addictions, trauma and grief. He has also facilitated a number of group programs, treating a wide range of issues: from quitting cannabis, to social skills training, self-esteem development and deliberate self-harm behaviours.
