Change Your Weight Loss Mindset

The #1 reason (among others, this wasn't the ONLY reason) why I gained close to 50 lbs and continued to do NOTHING about it was because my mindset was just sooooo wrong.

Our minds are a powerful thing. Mine, was being an asshole, and telling me that I just could not do it. How could I lose FIFTY pounds??? It took me about two years to pack that on.. which is crazy, that seems like a short amount of time to pack on that many pounds, so why doesn't it seem like a short amount of time to lose all of that in half the time?

I just could not get past the long, dreadful, exhausting, and hungry journey ahead of me. And because of that, I started and stopped working out and following a meal plan likely around 10 times in the past year. The whole time my "old" clothes were hanging in my closet taunting me, and I knew that I had to make a change.

So here's the thing. I finally hit my rock bottom, which was just being fed up for SO long that I forced myself to change my mindset. So how do you do that?

#1) You HAVE to understand that everyone is different. What works for me may or may not work for you. In fact, you may want to stop reading this right now! Just kidding. It might help you, but the point is, that is also might not.

#2) Because everyone is different, you have to find a plan that works for you with your fitness and your nutrition. It's so key to ENJOY the process, whatever that may mean to you. I can help you with this if you'd like, but there are tons of options out there as far as nutrition plans, workouts, ect. While one person is vegan, another is paleo, and then there is me.. making meatza's and drinking Chocolate superfood shakes like a madman because I can't handle not having pizza and chocolate in my life. There ARE healthier ways to do EVERYTHING.. I promise!

#3) Find a success partner. It can be a friend, your spouse, me as your Coach, your personal trainer... whatever. But you DO need someone on your side. It will help to be able to call someone when you are about to devour 78 cookies just because Titanic is on and you can't cry without cookies.

#4) Make fitness your JOB. What I mean by that is schedule it out, and don't miss it. Just like an important meeting. You wouldn't miss a meeting with your boss, would you? Good, then don't miss your meeting with yourself.. the most important meeting of all, for your HEALTH. And if you really want to make fitness your job, just apply here. It is easier to motivate yourself to workout when you know your paycheck is relying on it!

#5) Break up your big goal into small, more manageable goals. It's so much easier to lose 5 lbs than 50 lbs. So take it 5 lbs at a time, and get excited when you reach each mark. You deserve it!

#6) Make a playlist. Music motivates.

#7) Take a before picture. DO NOT step on the scale for at least a month after you start. I am not kidding.. I should of put this as #1 now that I think of it. Take a picture every two weeks to see your progress, it will show you so much more than that evil number. And you'll be surprised.

#8) Count your reps. When you are doing more after a couple of weeks, you will start getting excited about pushing yourself further.

#9) DROP the negative self-talk, and replace it with positive affirmations. I would constantly talk about how far I had to go. How hard it was to get through a full week of workouts. How "fat" I looked in my shirt. ect ect ect. When I stopped talking badly about myself, and started saying things like "I've done so well on my workouts this week", "I'm so proud that I stuck to my meal plan", "This shirt feels loose on me and I can tell that my stomach isn't sticking out as much in it", "I know that I can get through this. I am strong, and I WANT IT!", my attitude completely changed!

#10) If you want to have a "cheat" or take a day off, DO IT. Remember that weight loss is about getting to that end result in a doable way. If doing that by eating nothing but chicken, broccoli and brown rice every day for six months is doable for you, then more power to you! For me, it's not. I have to have Taco Bell once a month, and I don't feel bad for it. I know that I will still reach my goal. The worst thing you can do is give yourself a guilt trip because you went out to dinner on your birthday and ordered the worst thing on the menu and had a few too many beers. Just remember, 80%/20%. Do good 5 days per week, and cut yourself some slack (not too much that it ruins your week... but some) 2 days per week.

Halfway through my journey, these are the things have have helped me the most so far. I'll make sure to update the list as I go.

What is the biggest mindset change that you've had to make to reach your goals? Sound off below, Hopefully it will help someone else!

#motivation