Whenever starting the journey with weight and health, people look to sustained motivation to keep them focused on their goals. It’s important to keep a healthy mindset as a core feature of this journey because when stressful or emotional situations arise, there needs to be key components in place to stay on-track!
Here are 5 Key Mindset and Motivation Tips for Reaching and Sustaining Long-term Success:
— > Focus on What You Gain
Focus on what you gain from your hard work rather than what you’re losing. Most people look to what they are deprived of instead of seeing what they are going to gain in their lives.
Quick Tip: Write down all of the things that will improve in your life with weight management. How will you feel? What will you be able to do? What will be easier?
—> Practice on Active Awareness
Practice on active awareness of your feelings and how this may affect your behaviors. Are you bored, angry, tired, sad or uncomfortable? Check-in with those emotions and this will help you to redirect yourself to healthier actions. Maybe it’s time to go for a walk, call a friend or listen to some music.
—> Eat for Health First, Pleasure Second
Many people think “What would be tasty today?” instead of focusing on “What will give my body fuel today?” The good news is that you CAN do both! It’s about finding balance. Instead of looking at deprivation, start looking at what will be nutritionally sound and sufficient for your body.
Having a steak? Pair it with veggies. Making some fajitas? Perhaps you can skip the chips and tortillas. Go for fulfilling and nutritionally sound – the best of both worlds leaves us feeling satisfied and smart!
—> Record Your Action Steps to Stay Accountable
Write down your workouts or keep a food log to help you stay on track. Recording your action steps will help you to see if you are on the right track, or if there is room for improvement. This will also help you feel good when you see that your efforts are paying off!
—> Celebrate Your Short-term and Long-term Successes
Many people forget their successes because our brains naturally gravitate toward the negative. To avoid this, it’s important to record, remember, and celebrate successes to stay on track.
When you celebrate your scale and non-scale victories, you are on your way to staying on track for long-term weight loss. It’s good to remember how far you’ve come and remember the little things add up to big things!
About the Author:
Kristin Lloyd, MS, LPC/LMHC, PhD-c has been creating outstanding results for individuals, couples and organizations for over 10 years as a highly-accomplished psychotherapist, transformational mindset mentor, college educator and consultant. She is now leading bariatric patients and candidates through massive mindset shifts to help them create lasting behavioral changes and emotional adjustments for happy and healthy lives. You can find out more about Kristin at www.bariatricmindset.com.
