The road to losing weight is rarely smooth. The reason for this is that most people who set out on this road fall into various mindset traps which derail their entire journey. The good news is that these traps can be easily avoided and have little or no impact on your overall weight loss success. This article will discuss 5 of the most common weight loss mindset traps and explain how you can sidestep them.
1 –‘Just 1 Won’t Do Any Harm’
For many people, dieting is the hardest part of their weight loss journey. Going from eating fried chicken or sweet and sour ribs regularly to eating steamed vegetables and grilled chicken breast on a consistent basis is a big change and one that can be difficult to adjust to. This results in many people using the excuse ‘just 1 won’t do any harm’.
While it’s true that the occasional treat won’t have a significant impact on your overall weight loss success, if it becomes a daily habit, it will sabotage your weight loss goals and lead to overeating.
To avoid this trap, allow yourself to eat the foods you crave in moderation. A good balance is to stick to a healthy eating plan 80% of the time and allow yourself to indulge in your favorite unhealthy foods 20% of the time. Schedule these 20% windows into your weekly routine and if the thought ‘just 1 won’t do any harm’ comes to you at any other time during the week, tell yourself that it will and stick to your healthy eating plans.
2 –‘This Isn’t Working’
When undertaking a weight loss program, many people tend to have near-sighted vision. This results in them ignoring the end goal and instead looking at what they have achieved so far.
While it can be good to assess your weight loss progress, it’s very easy to fall into a negative weight loss mindset trap when doing this and then start to feel depressed and dejected about your lack of measurable achievement. This then leads to you questioning the effectiveness of your diet and exercise routine and thinking ‘this isn’t working’.
To combat this negative mindset trap, acknowledge that losing weight takes time and requires dedication. Also, remind yourself that every positive step you have taken so far is moving you toward your weight loss goals, even if you can’t yet see any tangible results from it.
By doing this, you’ll find it easier to switch your focus from your current situation to the bigger picture. This will make you feel much more positive about your overall weight loss journey and help you remember that everything you are doing is working toward your end goal.
3 –‘This Isn’t Fun’
One of the most popular misconceptions is that losing weight is boring. If you believe this misconception, you’ll find that your attitude towards losing weight drops considerably and you’ll feel very little motivation as you continue on your weight loss journey.
The good news is that this misconception can easily be altered by accepting that you are responsible for making your weight loss journey fun. There are plenty of enjoyable exercises you can try out as well as lots of tasty and nutritious recipes that you can experiment with.
The best part is that you can find them free of charge. Just go on the Internet and search for what you want. Then experiment with the results, stick with what you enjoy the most and repeat the process to maximize your fun on your weight loss journey.
4 –‘I Don’t Have Any Willpower’
Willpower is simply the belief that you can achieve something. When someone says that they lack the willpower to complete their weight loss challenge, they are actually saying that they are too lazy or unwilling to find a way out of this mindset trap that they have found themselves in.
Fortunately, this belief is one that can be easily altered. Simply look for evidence of where you have exercised your willpower in any area of your life. This could be in relation to your career or a personal goal outside of losing weight. Once you find an example of a time or times where you have used willpower, simply use them to counter the thought ‘I don’t have any willpower’ every time it comes.
5 –‘I Don’t Have Time To Focus On Healthy Choices Today’
Time is precious and time can be made. If I asked you to make time today to meet up with an important executive or a future spouse, wouldn’t you clear out your entire schedule? How much more important is your health and wellbeing?
Most exercise routines and nutritious food preparations take very little time. If you want to achieve a healthier lifestyle, you can carve time out of your schedule to make it happen. This might mean waking up earlier or taking a shorter lunch break but if losing weight is really important to you, you will make the time.
Summary
As you can see from the 5 tips above, determination is key when avoiding the pitfalls and weight loss mindset traps that usually lure individuals seeking out a healthier lifestyle. If you follow the tips and tricks outlined in this article, I promise that you will achieve all your weight loss goals.
