3 Tips To Enjoy The Weight Loss Journey No Matter How Tough It Gets
I’ve worked for almost a decade helping women lose weight and I have to tell you something I’ve learned, getting started is not the hardest part. I know everyone says once you get started it’s all so much easier, but, from what I’ve seen the beginning is fairly easy. You’re still full of excitement and hope and it pushes you to keep going. But about 2-3 months in, things start to slow down, it gets a little bit harder to stick to and you want to give up.
And honestly, I don’t blame you, Mama! After a few months of a new diet, it loses its excitement and the real work kicks in. But that doesn’t mean you should give up! It just means you need more tools to help you navigate the roadblocks you’re facing.
Lifestyle changes are hard. Especially changes that involve food because everyone has an opinion on what you should do. And a lot of people mock or doubt that what you’re doing could actually work.
This is why I don’t just give my clients lists of foods to eat or avoid. Instead, I teach them nutrition principles and help them along the journey so that they don’t get burnt out or frustrated when they hit a bump in the road.
There’s a quote from James Clear’s book Atomic Habits that I love. It says, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
What I love about this quote is that it reminds us that even if we’re not seeing the exact results we want in the moment, we still have to show up and take action. The healthiest version of you isn’t going to be built in a few weeks. She’s going to take a while.
That being said, you don’t have to be miserable in the process! I’m going to give you three simple tips that will help you keep taking action toward your weight loss goals, even when you feel like you’re hitting a wall.
Change your perspective
How many times during a diet have you thought, “This is too hard. I don’t want to do this anymore,” or “I can’t do this.” What about “I don’t think this is working anymore. It’s not worth it.”
I’ve had these thoughts hundreds of thousands of times! But here’s the secret: these thoughts aren’t necessarily true. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t listen to your instincts, but you should question your thoughts to see if they’re true.
Because not every thought we have is true. Sometimes it’s our brain’s way of trying to get us to do the easier thing, the path of least resistance. Because the brain’s job is to keep us safe. Safe means comfortable, provided for in times of stress and most importantly alive.
But being alive doesn’t mean being healthy! And the path of least resistance doesn’t always lead where we want.
Sitting on the couch is probably one of the safest things you could do. You probably won’t get hurt sitting on the couch. You’re safe from predators there. And it takes very little energy. All of these things will make your brain happy.
But is sitting on the couch 24/7 healthy for you? Absolutely not! We know that sitting too long can lead to health problems. Plus you’re not burning calories so it causes weight gain, not to mention muscle loss!
Just because our brain feels safe doing the easy thing doesn’t mean it’s the right thing. This is why you have to work on your thoughts and change them to ones that serve you.
What if you replaced your “I have to” thoughts with “I get to” thoughts? What would that change for you?
What if you changed “I have to eat this chicken breast because I need to hit my protein goal.” to “I get to eat this chicken breast to hit my protein goal!” Or, “I have to go for a walk so I don’t gain weight.” to “I get to go on this walk and I will feel better mentally and physically from it.”
It doesn’t sound like a big shift, but it makes a huge difference, especially if you’re in a headspace where you aren’t sure if you want to give up or keep going.
I spent a month changing all of my “I have to” thoughts into “I get to” thoughts and it seriously changed everything for me. I was able to find more positivity not only in my nutrition but in my whole life!
I want you to try using this trick today. And I want you to notice the difference it makes over the next few days. I promise you’re going to see a huge difference!
Find your go-to foods/meals that make you happy
The cool thing about choosing flexible dieting over traditional restriction dieting is that you get to eat real food. Good food! The food you were eating before your diet. You just have to start learning about the nutritional cost of food to make it fit into your new way of eating.
There are two big tricks I have my clients do when they’re learning about nutritional costs.
I have them cook the same meals they would usually cook. Instead of trying to eat new food and cook new recipes, I have them eat food they’re used to and just adjust portion sizes.
I also recommend making Food Reference Guides for yourself. This isn’t a list of can and cannot haves. This is a list of foods that you love that fit into your nutritional boundaries.
What I love about Food Reference Guides is that it takes a lot of the mental load off of my clients. As busy mamas, women working in and out of the home, it’s important that we find any shortcuts that we can!
One of the biggest roadblocks my clients run into is being too exhausted to meal plan or to think of healthy meals and snacks. And this is the solution! Having a go-to list of meals or snacks that will easily fit into your nutritional boundaries takes a huge mental load off.
One last point I want to make, anytime you’re struggling with the “what should I eat?” question, remember that feeling stuck is temporary. I know it feels like an impossible hurdle to jump over, but once you start taking action (like pulling out your list of foods) it will feel so much easier to make a decision.
Celebrate every single win
You know that feeling when you’ve been doing everything right, eating nutritious food, working out, getting enough sleep, and then you step on the scale and it hasn’t budged; it’s infuriating, right?
I know how that feeling can knock the wind out of your sails, but it doesn’t mean things aren’t moving. I’m going to say the most coachy thing right now; the scale is important but it’s not always the best indicator of change.
There are so many other ways we have success and we have to learn to celebrate those just as much as we do scale victories!
I always say, “What we celebrate, we replicate.” If you don’t acknowledge and celebrate the little wins along your journey, it makes it much harder to accomplish that big goal.
Here are a few different ways you can look for success along your journey.
Not gaining weight (this is HUGE! The scale staying the same is still forward progress)
You lost inches.
Your clothes fit better
You can lift heavier weights.
You don’t run out of breath as easily
Your face is thinning out
Your stomach feels better, or you’re less bloated.
You’re excited to eat “healthy” food.
You didn’t fall off track at an event or celebration.
You like the way you look in the mirror.
Just because you haven’t hit your ideal weight on the scale yet doesn’t mean you should give up. These little victories add up and when you notice them and celebrate them you build your confidence up to keep going.
Speaking of celebrating, a lot of the women I talk to are used to celebrating their progress with little treats. And I have nothing against a little treat, I’ll take Starbucks any day of the week, but sometimes using food as a reward can make it harder to see results.
I have an amazing list of non-food rewards available in my free Facebook group, Busy Mom Simple Nutrition. Head over there to grab it, especially if you’re a “little treat” lady too.
Mama, if you’re starting to feel stuck in your weight loss goals, or if you’re at the point where you aren’t sure if this is even working anymore, then let’s chat! Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to partner up with another mama who gets it and can help you push through these tough spots.
I've helped so many women shed 40-65 lbs without resorting to shakes, pills, shots, or sacrificing their love for food; all while letting go of food guilt and shame and achieving their weight loss goals. If that’s what you’re looking for schedule a Healthy Mama Blueprint Call. It’s totally free and gives us a chance to chat one-on-one about where you’re at in your nutrition and where you want to go. Talk to you soon, Mama!
