Many people know that they have to eat right and exercise regularly to improve their health and lose weight.
But only a handful of people know that their mindset, values, and habits can determine to a large extent how successful they will be at building their ideal body.
As you likely know, weight loss is a simple and straightforward process. If you do the right thing at the right time, you are going to get the results you want.
But making yourself do the right thing (exercise, give up junk, and reduce stress) is often an issue. Many people just can’t get themselves to take the steps that will help them achieve their weight loss goals.
If you are in this boat, you are going to benefit from this article, as it unveils some mindset changes that can make your weight loss journey easier.
Trying to do everything on your own
Truth be told, weight loss isn’t easy.
Even if you have a strong will and are super disciplined, there is still going to come a time when you will be unmotivated to work out and exercise.
During such trying times, you may need some sort of support to keep pushing and working hard.
So ditch the lone wolf mentality and draw more people into your life.
You will soon come to find out that working out with a friend and loved one is fun, exciting, and will keep you accountable.
Several studies have shown that people tend to work harder and longer when they are part of a group (1) (2) (3).
If you don’t have a friend who is interested in a healthy lifestyle or working out, then you should join a workout group in the area.
Embrace positivity
Do you know that the way you think and see yourself can affect your self-esteem?
If you see yourself as a loser who will never be able to lose weight, your self-esteem will plummet. Even worse, you will unconsciously do things that will make it next to impossible for you to ever lose weight.
Embracing positivity can help you turn things around.
You see, when you have a positive mindset, you will be more inclined to take steps to improve the quality of your life.
While there are several ways to bring positivity into your life, one study shows that the most effective means for one to stay motivated and positive is through self-talk (4)(5) (6)(7).
Saying things like “I am losing weight every single day” will keep you motivated and make you more likely to take steps that will help you achieve your weight loss goals.
You can’t rely on motivation alone
Whether you want to tone up, lose weight, or bulk up, you can’t rely on motivation alone to achieve it.
The truth is that you aren’t always going to be motivated to exercise, eat right, and do key things that will help you lose weight.
So, instead of relying on motivation to get things done, try to become more disciplined.
If you can do this, you will be able to make yourself go to the gym when you don’t feel like it and eat healthy when you crave junk foods.
You will be unstoppable.
That being said, you need to keep in mind that being overly disciplined isn’t really a good idea, as you will start to crave some of the things you said no to.
So you have to strike some sort of balance here.
Create your own path
Many people looking to lose weight have the notion that they have to religiously follow the diet or exercise program everybody is following to achieve their ideal weight.
But that isn’t always a good idea, as weight loss strategies and diet plans that worked for others may not work for you.
Following a super strict diet and a rigorous exercise routine because it helped a couple of people lose weight is by no means a smart move, as you won’t be able to keep up with it in the long run.
Eventually, you will go back to your old ways and even gain more weight.
Make out time to source diet plans and exercise programs that you can comfortably keep up with.
It might surprise you to know that many of the different diets plan out there revolve around cutting-calories (8).
So, regardless of the one you pick, you are going to achieve the same result.
If you can’t find a diet plan that works for you, you should consider creating your own. Below are some research-backed dietary habits that can help you lose weight and create a healthy lifestyle (9).
- Reduce your calorie intake
- Include more fruits and vegetables to your diet
- Reduce the number of desserts and fried food you consume
- Reduce your portion size
Celebrate your wins
As you likely know, weight loss is physically and mentally challenging.
If you can motivate yourself to keep pushing, regardless of the challenges that come your way, you should pat yourself on the back.
It isn’t out of place to also celebrate your wins and achievements as you journey towards your weight loss goals.
One study found that people who celebrate their victories are usually more motivated to keep working hard than those who don’t (10).
A great way to celebrate is by sharing the details of your weight loss journey or before and after pictures on weight loss web sites or on your favorite social media platform. Getting positive comments from friends and loved ones will motivate you to keep working hard.
Remember to also celebrate when you build healthy habits or adopt a positive behavioral change.
Giving yourself some sort of reward each time you achieve a small or major milestone is also another great way to motivate yourself (11).
That said, it wise that you avoid picking an expensive reward that you know will be difficult or impossible for you to afford.
Below are some excellent rewards you should consider giving yourself each time you achieve a mini or major goal.
- Watch a movie you love
- Buy new workout clothes
- Get a massage
Preparing for failure
Your weight loss journey isn’t going to be rosy all the time.
There are inevitably going to be times when you will succumb to your cravings and feast on your favorite snack, skip a workout, or overdrink a high-calorie beverage.
You may be unable to say no to cakes and other delicious treats during the holidays or at birthday parties so that you don’t look like the odd one in the group.
If you don’t prepare for failure, you are likely going to beat yourself up or even give up on your goals each time you make a mistake.
Preparing for failure can mean everything from brainstorming possible challenges that may derail you from your weight loss goals to figuring out ways to scale through them. Doing this will go a long way in increasing the odds of achieving your dream weight (12).
If you have a habit of overindulging each time you make a mistake, you should work hard to create a coping system that will help reduce your stress levels and keep you in check.
One study shows that people who have coping strategies that will help them deal with stress, keep them focused, and prevent them from backsliding have a better chance of losing weight (13).
Below are some effective ways to cope with stress and get over setbacks.
- Ask a trusted family member or friend for help
- Get some fresh air
- Do low intensity exercise
- Take a warm bath
To prevent yourself from eating out of your diet in the first place, you should plan ahead when going to social gatherings or during the holidays.
When to get professional help
If you are new to weight loss and don’t have the time to figure things out on your own, you should seek the help of a professional.
Doing this will not only make you more accountable and focused but will also increase the odds of you achieving your fitness goals.
Consult a dietitian if you want to learn about healthy eating and an exercise physiologist to learn how to exercise correctly (14).
Be sure to consult your doctor before trying any diet and exercise program so that she can determine if they will be good for you or not.
The bottom line on mindset changes to create a healthy lifestyle
To successfully lose weight, you have to develop a healthy lifestyle, like eating healthy and working out. It is also important that you make some mind-set changes.
Applying the tips discussed will make your weight loss journey a little bit easier and help you scale some challenges you are inevitably going to face.
Keep in mind that you are going to experience a lot of setbacks and challenges as you work hard to achieve your dream body.
Try not to be too hard on yourself if you slip or make a mistake along the way. Instead, you should pick yourself up and keep working hard.
You will inevitably achieve your weight loss goals if you don’t tire out.
