So much conflicting information about weight loss, isn't there!? From popping a pill to vigorous workouts to living on oats and kale. It's hard to know where to begin.
Losing weight can feel overwhelming, which can stop us from even trying. A pint of Häagen Dazs goes down so much easier! My aversion and lack of motivation to lose weight inspired me to get creative. Here's what I discovered and some emotionally intelligent ways to launch yourself mindfully toward a healthier and happier you.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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Table of Contents - jump to section
How to Jumpstart Our Motivation for Weight Loss
A Healthy Mindset for Greater Motivation and Easier Lifestyle Changes
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off! A Mindset Makeover
Mindsets for a New Weight Loss Strategy
Mindset 1: Try Mindful Munching
Mindset 2: Listen to Your Body
Mindset 3: Hug the Journey: Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Mindset 4: Set Goals that Stick Around, Not Ghost Away
Mindset 5: From Ugh to Aha Moments of Triumph
Examples of Mindset Shifts
Frequently Asked Questions
Reducing weight does not have to be a challenge filled with strict diets, calorie counting, and denying ourselves foods we enjoy.
Instead, what if you focused on a positive mindset? Small changes that have big results.
Making wiser decisions and promoting healthy habits for a vibrant lifestyle creates joy along the way. When my mindset shifted, here’s what I discovered that worked.
How to Jumpstart Your Motivation to Lose Weight
When we "deprive" ourselves, we often begrudge it. A sense of entitlement builds. Short-term solutions or trendy diets keep us secretly hoping we won't have to live like this much longer.
Sometimes, these diets make us feel like we're giving up life's pleasures, so we stay home from social gatherings to avoid being tempted!
What’s the fun in that!?
What if you committed to forming new but small, healthier habits?
Doable, right?
Think about creating the best version of yourself, leading to a momentum of success in looking and feeling your best!
These shifts invoke a totally different response. You begin to experience something delectable—far more pleasurable than the Double Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ganache Glaze you might have eyed at your favorite restaurant.
What could be more enjoyable than fine eating? You will enjoy—not just occasionally, but daily—the immense satisfaction of taking care of yourself, which leads to self-love!
This kind of motivation taps into internal motivation—a much more reliable driver.
A Healthy Mindset for Greater Motivation and Easier Lifestyle Changes
What does “dieting” look like in this new mindset? You won’t find it in the latest “Lose Weight Fast” books, such as Fat to Skinny in 15 Days!
This path is about breaking bad habits and replacing them with healthy habits.
Sound too hard?
Not when you know HOW!
Make micro-changes BEFORE trying to diet.
We can make slight tweaks to our day or behaviors, but the thought of a massive overhaul of our diet and exercise creates resistance.
When we make micro-changes, it’s easy, and it eliminates resistance that is often created by too big of changes. Each new action primes the pump for more action.
For instance, while I wait for my coffee to drip through the filter in the morning, I do three sets of ten squats with weights. This small action only takes 5 minutes! And it links to a pleasurable daily ritual making it more readily memorable and giving it sticking power!
Weight loss isn't all about hitting numbers but creating a happier you through a healthier lifestyle. Training ourselves to think differently in tiny ways has HUGE advantages!
Are you ready?
Get support and a program that empowers you to build the right habits for weight loss!
Let's dig into some often overlooked but highly beneficial practices that facilitate weight loss—while transforming bad habits.
No deprivation. No calorie counting. Just a dash of gratitude to go with it!
Related reading: "How to Internal and External Motivation to Catapult You to Your Goals."
How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off! The Mindset Makeover
Weight loss is no easy feat, yet a positive attitude can provide the uplift needed to stay focused on your goals.
Dietary changes are essential to any successful weight-loss plan—from understanding physical hunger versus emotional cravings to choosing healthy breakfast options each day down to savoring every meal.
Understanding and embracing a healthy lifestyle allows for sustainable results while gaining a deeper appreciation of healthier food choices.
Related reading: "5 Ways Brain Fitness and Behavioral Health Are Optimized by Healthy Habits."
Mindsets for a New Weight Loss Strategy
MINDSET 1: Try Mindful Munching
Shift your thinking from a frantic eating pattern with emotional flooding like 'panic munching' to mindful munching.
This tiny shift involves being fully present when eating—that’s it!
Be aware of WHAT you eat, savoring each bite, and chewing thoroughly. Get off devices, stop working, and be present. Instead of getting distracted by daily demands, pay attention to your thoughts or feelings as you eat your food.
Research reveals that slow eating is a powerful tool for weight loss. Individuals who eat slowly have 42% lower odds of obesity. So next time, try unplugging from electronics, relish every morsel, and savor each flavor.
MINDSET 2: Listen to Your Body
One of the most helpful shifts to make when you want to drop pounds is to LISTEN to your body, not the cravings.
Our bodies are highly intelligent and know precisely what they need. Many people overeat because they’ve trained themselves to ignore those promptings. One way to practice listening is to pay attention when your body tells you that you’re full. Even if you followed this one tip, you'd already be feeling better!
This simple yet powerful tactic prevents overindulging and unhealthy eating habits.
MINDSET 3: Hug the Journey—Slow and Steady Wins the Race
The tortoise who beat the hare in Aesop’s famous story applied consistency, not speed. Practice steady, not sporadic attempts. Achieving weight loss is more like a relaxed five-mile hike than a sprint.
Developing a healthy lifestyle to ensure long-term success takes time and patience. It’s a process that requires delayed gratification initially until we slow the old habits and replace them with good ones.
We gradually modify our behaviors over time, which enables positive changes to take root.
To reach your weight goals, add incidental exercise to your routine. This approach focuses on making minor adjustments that will give you greater rewards later down the line, such as opting to take the stairs instead of elevators. Or park farther away from your destination to walk a little more.
Although these changes may sound too simple or inconsequential, they add up and support dropping those extra pounds! When they become habits, now you've impacted a lifetime of weight management.
MINDSET 4: Set Goals that Stick Around, Not Ghost Away
The pathway to successful weight loss is setting realistic goals to inspire and propel you to take the right actions. These objectives become beacons of light during challenging times, providing direction and staying power when dedication fades.
Plan and develop manageable steps that make reaching your ambition more achievable. Whether it's losing a single pound or exercising for half an hour daily, each goal supports the accomplishment of ultimate aspirations regarding shedding those pounds!
Related reading: "Ways Brain Fitness and Behavioral Health Are Optimized by Healthy Habits."
MINDSET 5: From "Ugh" to "Aha" Moments of Triumph
Humor is a great way to boost morale, help us find clarity, and foster a positive attitude, all essential for effective weight loss.
Our 'aha' moments from these inspiring perspectives allow us to access more sustainable lifestyle choices instead of restrictive diets or one-off solutions.
You know the feeling, right!? You intend to eat a healthy salad for dinner with a lean protein, but then you spot those potato chips staring you down in the pantry and that quick packaged meal, so you give in. Ugh! That's the Ugh Moments you want to convert to Aha Moments.
Examples of Mindset Shifts: from Ugh to Aha!
Ugh – “Drag, I got busy and didn’t exercise. I’ll never lose this extra weight.”
versus
Aha – “I’m so pleased that I exercised seven days in a row. I’ll start again tomorrow.’
Ugh – “I can’t believe I ate that brownie. I have zero self-control.”
versus
Aha – “My visit with my friend energized me. It made me so happy to surprise her with freshly baked brownies as a housewarming gift. Buying your first home is a big deal, and I'm glad to have celebrated with her.”
Ugh – “I’m so fat and unmotivated. It’s no use. I’m never going to change.”
versus
Aha – “Gosh, I’m feeling fat. I’m going for a walk instead of moping.”
Applying self-compassion to our strategies is an essential part of our self-care.
Finding joy in growing new habits is a way of encouraging ourselves. There is always a way to glean the good and celebrate the minor steps toward wholeness.
A big part of keeping ourselves encouraged lies in capturing the positives and highlighting the milestones of our progress.
Just yesterday, a client told me she was feeling much better. When I inquired what was different, she shrugged her shoulders.
However, after nudging her further to identify what might have been encouraging, she named several things. What surprised her was that she had entirely discredited these small actions as progress. She needed to realize the forward movement of taking better care of herself.
Hmm… it was connected! "I feel better by taking action on my own behalf."
A smile sneaked out, and her demeanor lightened while she rattled off a few more successes. She shared that she had just booked a flight to visit her family over the holidays. Typically, it would have been a lonely time at home alone.
The above experience was an example of ahas and the power of compassionate thinking to replace the inner critic.
The goal of weight loss requires the same mindset. By intentionally placing our attention on our successes, we instantly feel encouraged, hope is fueled, and, sometimes, we're even inspired.
Related reading: "5 Ways to Build Healthy Habits for Fitness and Weight Loss."
Tried to Lose Weight? Laugh at Your Oops Moments
Achieving your weight goals is possible with the right mindset, which requires you to be positive and have determination through the journey.
Such a disposition can help you stay focused, develop healthier habits, and make better choices for successful weight loss. On top of that, it provides relief from stress while boosting self-confidence!
Staying positive is essential when trying to let go of unwanted pounds. This positivity brings with it motivation, determination, and self-assurance. These emotions also help ensure that we continue to build healthy habits in our daily life without interruption.
Laughter in moments of challenge or when you have a misstep will help you regroup quickly and build resilience. And celebrating your progress is crucial for success.
Interrupt discouragement.
Focus on progress, not perfection.
Discover how satisfying it is to progress steadily and create a life—and body—you love.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I increase my metabolism to help lose weight?
Metabolism is a set point for most people. However, there are lifestyle habits, foods, drinks with turmeric, supplements, and specific exercises that affect metabolism.
Vitamins such as B and D and minerals like iron and calcium can assist metabolism. However, it's usually recommended to increase foods that are rich in these elements instead of stuffing ourselves with pills. Increasing proteins and cutting out packaged foods is recommended.
Another effective way is using weights to complement cardio exercise. Weightlifting naturally speeds up metabolism, specifically our resting metabolism. By converting fat to muscle, lean muscle tissue is more metabolically active, thus burning more calories.
If we are regularly sedentary, our metabolism will adjust and slow. Stay active and make exercise a daily routine.
Would you like coaching support to reach your goals? Heartmanity's holistic approach gets results! Learn to apply emotional intelligence to optimal health!
Reach out at support@heartmanity.com.
