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Losing weight is such a hard and complicated journey. It takes a lot of willpower and strategy. However, as simple as it sounds to watch what you eat and be active, it’s never that easy. We all have had our moments of weakness. When we just can’t seem to get our heads on straight. Those moments when you find yourself eating something that you know you shouldn’t. I have had moments that I feel so guilty for showing weakness in what I eat. Or at least I used to feel that all the time. I have a lot more of a sense of peace. It’s okay to have weak moments and struggles. No one is perfect. The real test is how we pick ourselves back up again and keep going. We have to mentally reset ourselves, but how to do that?
1. Know Your Why
You need to know what you’re trying to do and why. This is where everyone goes, I know why, to lose weight! But why? Why do you want to lose weight? Do you want to be healthier? Do you want to have more energy? Do you just want to look sexy? Then take it a step further with those answers. Why do you want more energy? Is it because you want to do a sport, or you want to be more active with your kids? Find the root of what you want. Don’t tell yourself you need to do better because you need to lose weight. Tell yourself you are going to do better because you are going to play the sport. Focus on the end goal and not the journey to get there.
2. Mistakes Aren’t Quitting
I won’t spend a lot of time on this because I’ve written a whole article on “mistakes aren’t quitting“. However, I’ll say that it’s pretty much about still trying. We all are going to stumble. The important thing is not the bumps along the way, but the end goal. You will have a day or days, or even weeks sometimes that you stop trying or lose sight of your goal. That doesn’t mean it’s over, get back up and start again.
3. Know how Strong you Are
What are the trials that you have overcome in your life? What horrible jobs or bosses have you had to deal with? What is the biggest accomplishment you have done that you are proud of? Find your strength! You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. Write a list of the best things about you, your strongest moments, your best traits. Keep writing until you fill up an entire page. That list describes a strong a** person! You can do it, and you need to know you can do it to.
4. Find Moment to Treat Yourself
I like to say that you need to find the joy. When I first started really getting serious about becoming healthier, I struggled with having some joy. I was stressed about work, and home, and food. I remember vividly thinking there was no joy in anything! When your mind is struggling with the change in food and calories, you can become depressive, or easily irritated. If you need to portion out a treat once a day to give yourself a little joy in food. Or take time to yourself to go do something fun with the guys. Or do you need to go get a pedicure and relax? Find some joy!!!
5. Start with a Reset
When you’ve had a bad couple of days. Help your mind and body mentally reset by doing a fast. Drink lots of water, and let your body flush all the sodium and clogged up parts of your body. If fasting is too much of a struggle than do a light eating day. lighter calories, lots of water, light proteins, and lots of veggies.
6. Make Short term Goals
Instead of focusing on the one end goal that could take months or years to accomplish, make some short-term ones. Give yourself a reward for meeting the short-term goals. Maybe every 10-20 pounds you lose you get to buy yourself a new outfit. Maybe your goal is something similar to a monthly challenge like I’ve started holding.
7. Switch it up
Sometimes, we struggle when our routine gets a little to tedious. If you need to change up what you are eating and get some new flavors, then do it. Maybe you need to stop weighing yourself so much. I actually had some weeks that if I weighed myself every day then I was much less likely to give in. I didn’t want to have to face the scale if I did something regrettable. I definitely didn’t do this long-term but when needed.
8. How Would you Help Someone in Your Position?
This is actually a great technique. If you sit down and pretend that a friend has come to you with some of the same problems, write them a letter. Tell them why they can do it and come up with ideas to help them get through it. Or you can write an article about how to overcome that very thing. Be your own motivational speaker.
9. Have an Accountability Buddy
If you need to have a friend or family member that you check-in with every day, then do it. Tell them what you’re eating and how many calories you’re at. it can help you to overcome those moments of temptation if you know you’re going to have to admit to it later. Tell them what exercise you do, what supplements your taking (and seriously, buy a good supplement!), and how much water you’re drinking. Make sure you follow all the steps. And above all, remember that you can do this!
Mel's Health and Fitness 