The Mindset Journey, Part 1

People know basically how to lose weight. What people don't always know how to do is feel confident that they will stick to it. There is a process that goes into rewiring your thoughts to be accepting of how this journey has to go.

And it has to. You won't have success in this area forever without it. People that lose weight, whether it's a little or substantial weight, and do NOT work on their mindset experience the following:

- Quick weight regain

- A few pounds off, and then a few pounds on

- Weight loss, followed by guilt

-Weight loss, followed by euphoria, followed by a complete reversal of habits

-Weight loss, followed by feelings of insecurity, since different people respond differently to your success

- A partial weight loss goal, followed by plateauing, despite adjustments being made

-Frustration with all parts of the weight loss process

-Mentally unhealthy ways of dealing with "cheating"

I could probably go on, but you're getting the idea. And seriously, who HASN'T experienced this before?

Why does it happen? Where did this type of thinking come from?

Without going totally into all of the psychology behind it, a lot of these self-sabotaging thoughts boil down to a few things:

1. Societal thoughts around weight loss being all about sacrificing everything, doing your time, and being as if you're doing time in prison.

2. Societal thoughts around weight loss being that you have to either be perfect or that most people have it easier than you, so you're going to struggle.

3. A huge emphasis on a scale number, without much knowledge into how many factors besides body fat loss and gain can affect this number.

4. Excuses. We all try to make them. In our heads, to the people we talk to, blaming something else is everywhere all of the time, and we are surrounded by it enough to have to constantly battle whether or not it's the correct way to think.

5. The fact that humans like routine and comfort. Our mind and bodies are going to want to fight any change, even though we're telling ourselves otherwise.

Rewiring your brain to lose weight in a non-stressful, emotionally graceful way takes a long time, but has to start somewhere.

So today, we're going to start by having you mull over a few things, easy things:

1. YOU are in control of this. No one else. You have the decision to change and adopt the habits to do so. No one can do it for you. People can support you, but it's up to you to ingest the food, burn the calories and have the healthy thoughts. There's no regulations, laws, referrals or anything preventing you from being healthier.

2. There are no magic pills, potions, products, shakes, or anything that is going to do this for you. Nothing replaces calories in, calories out. A couple products may aid in the ease of this concept, but nothing replaces it.

3. You are never alone with this. If you are frustrated in any way regarding your weight loss, and are worried about talking to even your closest people about it, there is always at least one person. Weight loss, changes you want to make with your body in regards to lifestyle, any of it, can be a sensitive thing to talk to with some people. But there will always be one person to use as a sounding board. Me. I'm one DM away. I'm thinking up new ways to help people daily, one may be perfect for you. And, it helps me to hear your frustrations because I can absolutely use an interaction to learn how people get frustrated, what's working, what's not, what the worst pain points are with people. I refuse to stop learning about this. So DMing me helps me too.

4. The first step to correcting any problem is to aknowledge it and agree to start changing. This is about to be a critical time of the year for binge behavior and weight gain. Think about which direction you want to go.

And that's it. I don't want to give you any more thoughts to process yet. Start with these. They are vague and superficial truths, and are perfect for starting the gradual shift toward a forever healthy lifestyle.

Because that's the goal, to be totally okay with a nutritious, active, and positive lifestyle forever.

It's not impossible, but only becomes possible with your decision.