In simplest terms, ‘diets’ don’t work in weight-loss efforts for more than short-term results. Yes, there are pros and cons, but for any weight loss process to really work, you’ve got to get your head out of the diet mentality and get your mind right and focus your behaviors on permanent Lifestyle changes, not short-term food modifications.
Shifting mindset is critical and the first step to “lose weight” and moreover, changing your entire concept of “losing weight” to one of fitness and reducing body fat percentage and BMI is actually the most critical shift for long-term results. Lastly, you can’t transform your weight without making the inner mental and self-awareness shifts through the optimal personal resolve and intention.”
Most attempt to lose weight with a negative mindset from the beginning, not realizing that they must “fix” their thinking and mental state before they can transform their body and fitness. Those who jump from diet to diet, fad to fad and the newest shiny toy program or app out of lack of taking the time to really understand themselves, have a 98% chance of failure – and repeat this again and again, never really learning the lesson required to make real and lasting change. All the while they complain, blame the diet, their body type, and they label themselves as “fat” and tell themselves that they’ll never have the body they want. They become obsessed with results only, focusing on a quick fix, temporary changes and lose sight of sustainable health and Lifestyle wellness.
“This type of thinking is simply destructive and will never result in anything more than the same vicious cycle again and again. Rather than focusing on the good that is the result of “fitness” and not weight loss – which includes improved health, longer lifespan, enjoyment in daily activities and the prevention of many illnesses to include diabetes and heart disease – those who participate in this repetitious nightmare of loss, gain, pain, improvement…and negative thoughts and feelings, just churn in this cycle, again, and again, and again and again. Ultimately, short term ‘weight loss’ as the focus along with negative mental state of mind and behaviors lead to failure and disappointment.
Shifting your attitude from weight loss to fitness isn’t just about words and naming convention; it’s about long-term beliefs and results. In fact, research from Syracuse University shows that the more dissatisfied women are with their bodies, the more likely they are to avoid exercise – try that on for a self-limiting belief that prevents positive long-term change! Additionally, simply thinking that you’re overweight predicts future weight gain, according to a 2015 research study published in the International Journal of Obesity.
And though psychologists stress that how you see yourself and your core identity predicts your actions (see yourself as fat, averse to exercise or unworthy, and you’ll realize this reality), biology also plays a role the research say. Research published in Psychosomatic Medicine shows that the stress hormone cortisol, which our adrenal glands secrete every time you’re down on yourself and worry about how you measure up on the scale, increases distribution of fat around your waist.
As luck would have it, the mind is a very flexible organ. The principles at purehealthandholistic.com assure you that if you follow these expert tips to change your mental state first, and allow these principles to drive your weight loss goals and create a healthier, happier and way more effective approach to live your best and fittest life:
Transition from Goals to Results Thinking
Losing weight isn’t a result, or a goal; fitness on the other hand is a powerful result that not only makes you stronger but adds muscle which burns more fat simply through your resting metabolic rate. Daily targets and milestones along the way should be small and measurable, and sustainable keys over which you have full control. Did you walk for 30-minutes today and avoid all processed foods as you planned in writing? There’s one target met. What about getting enough sleep, did you get the six to seven hours of complete rest you planned? If so, check it off today’s list and create new results required for tomorrow!
Power & Positivity
One of the most critical steps in creating the most effective results is to limit your time and exposure to only positive and encouraging people! You are the equivalent of the five people you hang out with most, and there are those who will celebrate, support and celebrate your efforts and new mental approach and activation, and those who will naysay you and tell you that they tried this and it doesn’t work and give you every reason to give up – most often because they don’t want to see you succeed where they’ve failed or never tried!
Shift Your Thinking to Rewards – Not Punishment or Failure
Think of everything your doing in your efforts as a means of self-love and an appreciation for who you are becoming through this transformational process. Don’t think of food as a reward, not exercise as labor or an inconvenience. The mental shift that is required here is one of long-term changes in values! Flip the script of the past and think of food as nourishment and purpose and exercise as a path to improved health, youthfulness and fun! When you make food about the benefit (nutrition) that you receive from eating, and you think of exercise as a privilege to activate your body to improve health and wellness, everything changes!
Don’t Make it About the Calendar or Weight Scale
99% of those who create a short-term desire to lose weight and get fit, jump into the process and hyper-focus on the numbers (date & weight) rather than the process of positive focused thinking, the daily steps required to realize incremental progress, and the change in shape, feeling and energy. This is the real measure of success, and this focus provides the means to practice patience, trust and the willingness to stick with the changes that lead to permanent lifestyle changes that last a lifetime!
Make Meditative Mindfulness Your Superpower
Taking the time to slow down, expressing gratitude and appreciation for all that’s right in your life and in the world provides the power of practicing purposeful intention and connects mind, body and spirit, and supports the reduction of stress, negative thinking, doubt and a wandering mind. Learn to practice healthy breathing techniques, add meditative principles to your thinking, and belief systems.
Self-Awareness & the Power of Understanding Your Subconscious Triggers & Limiting Beliefs
Self-awareness is the first step to identifying the subconscious (and often limiting) beliefs that tend to control your thoughts, decisions and ultimately your actions, which lead to your results, positive or negative. Your internal dialogue is often ‘under your radar’ and it is the determining factor as to whether you believe something to be possible or not. When you begin practicing the art of self-awareness, you can then identify why and in what circumstances you make poor decisions, where you have limiting beliefs that have caused you to self-sabotage and have held you back from realizing your potential. When you identify these limiting thoughts, you can then create an “anchor” and use this to stop the limiting patterns of thinking through the use of a word “ALAMO”, or the use of a physical cue (snap your fingers or tap your temple) to trigger an immediate reversal of that feeling or thought.
What most don’t understand is that these triggered actions quite often begin as a feeling rather than words. If for example you think about losing weight but immediately feel embarrassed, a victim or a feeling of loss because ‘you’ve tried this before’ and it didn’t work for you, your feeling will result in you giving up or self sabotaging again, rather than trying a new method and instilling positive beliefs and actions to try again.
Approach Your Efforts as The Instructor (Teacher)
You’ve heard the saying “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear” – we tend to learn best when we take on the role of the teacher rather than the one to be taught. It’s often easier to believe a thing to work when we’re teaching it in ‘second person’ rather than yourself being the student.
Don’t Judge Foods or Your Use of Them
Too many base their decisions on the foods they eat by whether they deem them ‘good or bad’ – which in and of itself creates false positives in what we eat and what we decide they mean to our desired results. Foods are nutrition, that’s all. Are some healthier and more nutritious than others, yes – so what. Are some more natural than others, of course – again, don’t focus on this. What you DO want to consider is are you getting the balance in nutrition from the foods you choose and are you ingesting ideally 500 fewer calories that you burn through daily activities, exercise and activities. Can’t cook, no problem. You can order food kits from a number of providers or you can join our sister brand at Modern Food Arts for recipes, menu ideas and easy ways to eat well and nutritious foods on a budget!
Focus on What’s Realistic & Attainable in Your Physical Activity
Don’t have a gym in your area, or have the money to join one? No problem. Physical activity and fitness have been around far longer than gyms have. Cardio can be achieved through regular brisk walks, ‘up and downs’ on home or office stairs and taking bike rides outside or inside using a bike conversion kit that is available and deliverable in 24-hours. Weight training can be mimicked through the use of your own body weight and/or in using simple 25-pound dumbbells in quick and easy home gym workouts!
Have you struggled to lose or maintain your optimal weight? What is your weight story? Please leave your comments below and reach out to us at www.purehealthandholistic.com – you can also join our Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/healthandholistic .
“First they will laugh. Then they will copy. Don’t give up.”
