5 Thought Patterns that Sabotage Your Weight Loss Success
Hey Angels and Alphas,
You know losing weight (and keeping it off for good) is a goal that requires creating a lot of sustainable, healthy habits in your life that are related to nutrition, movement, and wellness.
And regardless of how much weight you’re looking to lose, the one critical component that can make or break your journey is your self-talk.
Weight loss is often an emotional roller coaster, with the number on the scale serving as only one of the triggers for feeling well or feeling poor. But in reality, it’s your mindset that can serve as your most powerful tool for getting you through the ups and downs of your weight loss journey.
And there’s the research to support this. Experts have long known that people who use positive self-talk are way more successful at shedding pounds and losing weight – and they’re also better at getting back on track after setbacks.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can just switch up happy thoughts and have way more success in your journey all of a sudden – it doesn’t work that day.
It’s completely natural for you to have some thought patterns that are actually sabotaging your progress but re-educating yourself and busting a few of the myths behind weight loss will help those thought patterns go away and be replaced by much more productive and healthy ways of thinking.
Today, we’ve compiled 5 of the most common forms of negative self-talk we’ve encountered among clients, and how to handle each of them:
#1 “I CAN’T EAT X UNLESS I DO Y.”
Look – rewarding yourself for a job well done is one thing. But if you’re thinking about what you’re eating based on your body’s reward system, you could be walking on very thin ice. The thinking of “I can have whatever I want as long as I work out” will only lead you to feel disappointed and resentful when you eventually don’t live up to your own expectations.
Have some grace when it comes to yourself. You don’t need to be perfect all the time to achieve your goal and you don’t need to reward yourself for every run with a spoon full of nut butter.
#2 “EATING LATE AT NIGHT MEANS I’LL GAIN WEIGHT.”
That’s only true to some extent. A calorie is a calorie. But if you consume most of your calories during the day, you will likely end the cycle of overeating in the evening that so many people fall victim to. We tend to overeat in the evenings and that’s where the problem lies with this misconception.
But as long as you maintain a caloric deficit, that’s what’s important for weight loss. Think of food as a way to fuel your body. If you’re hungry – your body needs fuel. Listen to your body instead of assuming.
#3 “THE SCALE ISN’T MOVING SO THIS ISN’T WORKING.”
There’s not an expert under the sun that won’t agree the scale itself is an incomplete metric. Countless measurements aside from that number on the scale can help you realize how far you have actually come and help you create a new set of goals. Many people get frustrated with how the number isn’t moving so they throw in the towel thinking they’re doing something wrong.
But the scale can be deceptive. Checking it daily can make or break your motivation, but it’s most often the latter. Instead, you should be tracking how well your clothes fit, how strong you’re becoming, and how you’re able to perform during workouts. That’s a much better way to realize your progress and boost your self-confidence.
#4 “CARBS ARE THE ENEMY”
Carbs get a bad rap but they’re a vital part of your diet. Carbs fuel your brain, your red blood cells, your central nervous system, everything. If you deprive your body of this essential fuel, you are likely going to do more harm than good.
Eating the right kinds of carbs will not only skyrocket your weight loss progress but it will also help you maintain your desired weight once you get it. Focusing on whole grains, legumes, fruits, and tubers is one of the most sustainable ways to eat well since people can naturally gravitate toward carb-rich foods.
#5 “I HAD A COOKIE THIS MORNING, SO THE DAY IS RUINED.”
Balance is all about being able to incorporate different types of foods into your regular routine without setbacks. This thought pattern is prevalent amongst people who have that all-or-nothing mindset. And sure, it may be easy for you to look at foods as good and bad, but that’s not always the case if you’re spending the majority of your time eating non-processed, healthy food.
The truth is, many of us will likely stick to a diet as long as we’re able to follow it thoroughly. Don’t let that one day, one morning, or one cookie, turn into a cycle of bad behaviors. Don’t sabotage yourself and you will bounce back stronger than before.
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