 When you have a goal of losing weight, your mindset is everything. Unfortunately, it is often the last thing on people’s minds (pun intended). When you start losing weight, you might be so fixated on calories or macros, what you can eat, what you can’t, and how often you exercise, that you don’t consider the emotional and mental changes.
By fixing your mindset to one that focuses more on health and not restrictions, you are setting yourself up for success, especially because we must protect our hormone health above all else. Here are some things to know about developing the right kind of weight loss mindset. DITCH THE DIET MINDSET DURING PERIMENOPAUSE WHY HAVING A DIET MINDSET IS A BAD THING Losing weight is on many people’s minds but wanting to lose weight and actually doing it effectively are two entirely different things. There is so much information out there, that it becomes overwhelming. Different diets, workout plans, structured plans like WW or Keto, just counting calories or carbs, and so much more. It also goes beyond just figuring out which method of weight loss to go with, but the obsession and unhealthy habits that having a diet mindset can create. In this article, you will learn a little more about why you should ditch the typical diet mindset and work on developing a healthy mindset about weight loss instead. WHAT IS A DIET MINDSET? When you have a diet mindset, you are focusing on your diet alone. But it is not usually just eating a more balanced diet, but restricting your calories, cutting out carbs, ditching entire food groups. You try to eat as little as possible in order to lose as much weight as you can. These extremes create an obsession with counting calories, burning fat, and trying to “win” at weight loss. It can lead to unhealthy habits, starvation, over-exercising, and so much more. A BETTER SOLUTION: Instead of developing this extreme diet mindset, take it slow, one habit at a time. Make a lot of what you deem your unhealthy habits, then gradually improve one habit at a time. Do you drink a lot of soda? Replace it with sparkling water. Is your diet high in refined sugar? Try more natural ways to get in sugar, such as fresh fruit. Do you snack throughout the day? Try adding more protein and fiber to your meals, and you won’t feel the need for this. You want to think about weight loss in longevity. Sure, you could follow a strict diet and lose weight quickly, but will you keep it off? Probably not. TAKE IS SLOW: It will take time for your body to adapt to this new lifestyle. Think of it this way: it took time to put the weight on your body. Therefore, it will take time to take the weight off. So, don't go on a diet and obsess over your weight. Simply begin to eat healthier and move around every day and your weight will naturally regulate to a healthy level. Dieting is not a natural way for you to live. Therefore, get rid of the "diet mindset" and begin to permanently change the way you eat. Before you know it, you will trade in your overweight and unhealthy body for a stronger, fitter and healthier you. “In the midst of the darkness, grab a flashlight.” ― Gabrielle Bernstein YO-YO DIETING IS WRECKING YOUR BODY If you have ever tried to lose weight, you probably have some experience with yo-yo dieting. It is extremely rare for someone to pick one method of weight loss and get it right the first time. And while there is nothing wrong with experimenting and trying new things, yo-yo dieting can do a lot of damage to your body, and actually make it harder to lose weight. WHAT IS YO-YO DIETING? Yo-yo dieting is essentially when you continue making changes to your diet and/or fitness routine, often to the extreme. Many yo-yo dieters don’t just start and stop the same “Diet” or method of losing weight, but often bounce from one diet to the next. This is most commonly seen with different fad diets and trends, such as trying low calorie, then WW, then Keto or Paleo, then back to low calorie, only to go to a juice fast next. You tend to stick to each one very short-term, then either stop dieting for a while before starting the next one, or jump immediately into a different eating plan. YO-YO DIETING IS WORSE THAN NOT DIETING AT ALL Yes, it’s true. You might think that even if you’re bouncing around between different diet plans, that at least you’re losing or maintaining your weight it’s a good thing, but it definitely isn’t. Underneath the surface, you are doing way more damage to your body and mental health than if you never attempted to change your eating at all. First of all, yo-yo dieting does a number on your metabolism. Your metabolism is smart, but it can’t handle constantly restricting calories, then over-eating calories, then restricting, then over-eating. If your yo-yo dieting includes changing up your macros in between big binge sessions over and over again, your metabolism will likely slow way down to compensate. It is also really hard on your hormone levels. When you have dietary restrictions, especially extreme ones, you tend to increase the amount of cortisol that your body produces. This can be bad for your heart health, among other things. WHEN YOU GET STUCK IN THE FAD DIET LOOP It is easy to get caught up in diets you see on the news, social media, and what all your friends are doing. This makes it hard to stick to just one method, without wondering what else is out there. If you keep getting stuck in this loop where you want to bounce from one diet to the next, try these tips instead: Take your time to research the diet or lifestyle beforehand. Before you consider starting any type of weight loss method, diet, or lifestyle change, do your research! This alone can often deter you from fad diets that just aren’t for you, or not really based on any scientific studies. Realize that you are an individual with individual needs. Just because your friend, sister, co-worker, or social media buddy are doing a specific diet and being successful with it, does NOT mean you have to. What works for one person is not going to work for everyone. When you find something that works for you, just keep on going. Consider your preferences and food allergies. A common mistake made with yo-yo dieters is that they go to these extreme diets without really understanding what it will be like. Remember to look at what foods are or aren’t allowed, what restrictions there are, and what you will actually be eating. If you can’t have dairy because of lactose intolerance, then going on Keto where you would be eating quite a bit of cream, butter and cheese, is maybe not your best option. “Keep your vitality. A life without health is like a river without water.” -Maxime Lagacé RESTRICTIVE DIETS HARM YOUR WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS In hopes of losing weight, some people are turning to restrictive diets, where the list of what you CAN’T have is much longer than what you CAN have. Unfortunately, these fad diets can actually jeopardize your health. Let’s take a closer look at the potential dangers. WHAT IS A RESTRICTIVE DIET?A restrictive diet essentially limits you from eating certain foods. While some restrictive diets may require you to abstain from eating meat, others may frown upon consuming carbohydrates. Regardless, the overall goal is usually to consume fewer calories than normal. WHY ARE OVERLY RESTRICTIVE DIETS SO BAD?So, what’s the problem? Here are some reasons why you want to avoid restrictive diets as much as possible – unless it is needed for a health issue or food allergy. Triggers Overeating The overwhelming majority of restrictive diets fail to work. In fact, they often cause people to overeat. When deprived of food, your body naturally starts to go into hunger mode. It doesn’t take long before most people hit their breaking point. Causes You to Miss Out on Important Nutrients In order to maintain optimum health, your body needs to receive all of the required nutrients. When eating a restrictive diet, you’ll definitely be missing out on some key vitamins and minerals. Not only will can a nutrient deficiency weaken the immune system, but it may also lead to muscle loss. Of course, the likelihood of you developing certain diseases increases dramatically. Negatively Impacts Your Metabolism Restrictive diets can cause your metabolism to slow down. This means you won’t be burning calories nearly as quickly. Instead of losing weight, you may actually end up packing on more pounds. Your energy level is bound to take a big hit as well. SIGNS YOUR DIET IT TOO RESTRICTIVE: you’re constantly stressing over every single calorie, this is a tell-tale sign your diet is too restrictive. You should also consider your personal happiness. When simply eating a meal becomes a source of a source of anxiety, it’s time to seek a healthier way of life. WAYS TO AVOID RESTRICTIVE DIETSOne of the best ways to avoid a restrictive diet is to abide by focusing on balance of nutrients. This will help you to eat a wide range of wholesome foods. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. While there is nothing wrong with treating yourself every so often, try to avoid consuming too many sugary snacks and high-fat dishes. To maintain an ideal weight, you should stay active. Exercising regularly is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. However, you don’t have to perform any seriously intense activities. Some recommended low-impact exercises include swimming, circuit training, power yoga, and cycling. “A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought – they must be earned.” -Naval Ravikant STOP DIETING AND INCORPORATE HEALTHY EATING HABITS When you are ready to lose weight, you might receive advice from others about strange crash diets that require eating only cabbage soup or bananas. To lose weight in a safer way, change your diet habits slowly by following one tip at a time. Here are some of the best ways to change to healthy eating habits while also changing your mindset about foods.NOURISH YOUR BODYTo change your mindset about food and health, focus on nourishing your body, not restricting. Don’t focus so much on calories and carbs, and instead look at what vitamins and minerals are in your food. Each meal should have a good balance of carbs, protein, and fat, with a good amount of fiber as well. When you fill up on these nutritious foods, you have less hunger and cravings for the unhealthy stuff. “Your health is what you make of it. Everything you do and think either adds to the vitality, energy and spirit you possess or takes away from it.” -Ann Wigmore ACCEPTING THAT WEIGHT LOSS WON’T SOLVE ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS Losing weight can often be a very positive experience. It can help to improve your overall health and potentially prevent various conditions. It can also be a great way to boost your self-esteem. However, many people assume that losing weight will fix all of their problems. While it has many benefits, you need to ensure that you are losing weight for the correct reasons. The following information provides a closer look at the importance of being realistic about your weight loss goals and how it will impact your life overall as well as realistic ways it can change you for the better. IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEMAs previously mentioned, losing weight can help to boost your overall level of self-confidence. Many people are treated poorly at some point in their lives due to being overweight. This can negatively impact the image you have of yourself. This is because being overweight is often viewed in a negative light within our society. It is usually associated with laziness and over-indulgence. Many people struggle to break free from a cycle of overeating and inactivity but find it difficult because it is ingrained within their lifestyle. Trying repeatedly and failing to finally lose the weight can create a vicious cycle, which can be difficult to break free from and can also negatively impact your self-confidence. It is important to remember that losing weight will likely have a positive impact on how you view yourself but it will not be a cure for all of the underlying issues that likely lead you to overeat in the first place. Therefore, it is important to be realistic about any changes that will occur. DEVELOPING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS MINDSET COMPARISONS DURING WEIGHT LOSS ARE TOXICWeight loss is a challenging process, and one that can be taxing on your body and your emotional health. One of the issues people often face is in comparisons. Comparing yourself to other people, how much weight they have lost, their fitness routine, and the type of diet they follow. But you are a unique individual, and you are going to have a different weight loss journey that most other people. This is going to explore some reasons why comparisons during your weight loss journey can hurt your progress. WHY THEY ARE UNHEALTHY Let’s get this out of the way up to: We’ve all done it. We’ve all made comparisons. We’ve all wondered what they were doing that we weren’t, why we don’t measure up. There’s no judgment, but please understand that this is an unhealthy mindset. Comparing your diet, your exercise, or your body to other peoples’ is a recipe for depression and self-loathing. You don’t deserve that kind of pain in your life. BE KIND TO YOURSELFConsider this: Would you go up to somebody and ask them why their diet is so bad? Why they don’t exercise enough? You wouldn’t, right? That would be rude! Well, if you wouldn’t treat another person that way, why would you treat yourself that way? It's easy to be critical of yourself. It's hard to be kind, especially when it comes to weight loss. Still, try your best to be compassionate with yourself. Self-criticism and comparison can only lead to bitterness. YOUR JOURNEY IS YOUR OWNThere’s something that you should consider when you start comparing your weight loss to other peoples’. Why are you losing weight? Is it for them, or is it for you? Hopefully, it’s the latter. Weight loss is an individual journey. It has nothing to do with other peoples’ expectations, ideas, or thoughts. You’re losing weight for you and you alone. It’s not for anybody else. Don’t lose sight of that. The best friend you have on your weight loss journey is yourself. You’re the one making the decisions and putting in the work. In the end, you’re losing weight because you want to. Comparisons are easy to make, but they’re not healthy and they’re not helpful. Just remember to be kind to yourself and show yourself the same compassion that you would show to anyone else. You deserve it. “Prevention is better than cure.” -Desiderius Erasmus HOW TO REFRAME YOUR THOUGHTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS Weight loss isn’t the easiest thing to do, and even harder when you consider the mental and emotional struggles. But people lose weight every day – so how do they do it successfully? For the people who not only lose the weight, but keep it off, it takes more than just diet and exercise. They also work a lot on their mental health and have the right type of mindset for success. Here are some things you can do to develop a healthy weight loss mindset. FIND LONG-TERM REASONS TO LOSE WEIGHTYou might have some reasons about losing weight in more of the short-term, like fitting in to your favorite outfit, wearing a bikini over the summer, or attending a wedding later in the year. These are perfectly good reasons, but won’t help with long-term success. For a mindset shift, make a list of as many benefits as you can see, years down the road. Things like improving your physical and mental health, boosting your confidence and self-esteem, preventing diseases like diabetes, having the stamina to keep up with your kids and grandkids. These are still healthy reasons to lose weight, but are more something to look forward to in the long-term. ACCEPT YOUR BODY AS IT IS NOWThis might seem counterintuitive, but if you hate the way you look and are just desperate to change your body, it is going to make it really hard to lose weight. This tends to mess with your mind You start negative self-talk, which destroys your self-esteem, which can then wreak havoc on your motivation. Hating your body’s size might get you started with weight loss, but it won’t keep you going. Instead, be positive and optimistic, but appreciate the body you have now. Thank it for getting you this far, for allowing you to do your daily activities. Appreciate your body for everything it does for you, and compliment your body every single day. When you get to a place of acceptance, it is amazing how much easier weight loss actually becomes. FOCUS ON HABITS NOT DIETSA diet is simply a way of eating, but a crash diet is one where you make a lot of restrictions that ultimately lead you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. That is the type of diet to stay away from. How you lose weight should be how you want to live the rest of your life, so keep that in mind. This is why changing your habits is the way to go. This is going to help you reframe your thoughts and your mindset, but also make long-term weight loss more attainable. “Health is the first muse, comprising the magical benefits of air, landscape, and bodily exercise on the mind.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson AFFIRMATIONS FOR A POSTIVE WEIGHT LOSS MINDSET Affirmations encourage self-change when you use them. They act as reminders and inspiration to help you focus on your weight loss goals during your day. The most significant benefit gained from using affirmations is that they focus attention on your goals and promote positive thoughts through a considerable change in your life. FINDING YOUR WEIGHT LOSS AFFIRMATIONS When you look for a weight loss affirmation, seek out a positive statement about your weight loss process. Always use first person tense when creating a powerful affirmation. Also, apply the statement directly to you and your situation. It should be full of positive, emotional comments about your weight loss and your body. A strong connection exists between mind-body experiences and words of emotion. So, instead of saying, “I only eat healthy food,” try saying something like “I feel much healthier and happier when I eat healthy food. Weight loss affirmations should also be written in the present tense. Even though you don’t feel a certain way about your weight loss yet, you speak towards a goal. EXAMPLES OF AFFIRMATIONSHere are some weight loss affirmations that can get you started. Please feel free to rewrite these for your body or personal situation.
Try using affirmations in your weight loss journey today. Use these simple, encouraging statements to change the way you think and feel. You can write them daily in your journal, have sticky notes on your mirror, or have reminders in your phone to repeat the affirmations each day. “Eat to live, not live to eat.” -Socrates ENVISION A HEALTHIER LIFE AFTER WEIGHT LOSS If you’re someone who has hit their weight loss goal, you might be tempted to ease up on your regiment and lose consciousness of your healthy choices. By all means, when you achieve a weight loss goal, you should celebrate and indulge within moderation. How do you continue to be cognizant about your success and how do you prevent yourself from slipping back into your old habits? EMBRACING A MINDSET OF MINDFULNESSThink about the way you feel right now. Briefly close your eyes and open them and listen to the sounds around you. Take a deep breath and repeat this process until your anxieties are dulled and cravings are muted. Once you’ve calmed down from your hunger pains, drink some water and take big deep breathes. It’s important to be mindful of how you feel and check in with yourself and your surroundings. No one is making you eat but yourself. Think about how hard you worked to achieve your success and use that as motivation to encourage yourself to continue to make good decisions. INPUT=OUTPUT What you put into your body is usually what you get out of your body. If you put junk into your body, you’ll likely get junk results. You’ve lost the weight by developing healthy habits. If you somehow lost weight with unhealthy habits, there’s no better time to commit a healthy lifestyle than right now. I understand that weight loss during Peri-menopause can be challenging. Once we balance our plates and our hormones, weight loss will come naturally. When we can have a healthier outlook on weight loss, then the weight will stay off. We must also look at our gut health when it comes to weight loss also. Having an unhealthy gut microbiome can be cause for unwanted weight gain. Be sure to grab The Hormone Tool Kit to learn more about how you can loss weight during Perimenopause naturally. Best Of Health Tania xox
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