5 Thoughts to Avoid on Your Fat-Loss Journey
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5 Thoughts to Avoid on Your Fat-Loss Journey
When you’re on a fat-loss journey, it’s not just what you do that affects your progress. The way that you talk to yourself or think about yourself is just as important as establishing healthy habits.
Sometimes, negative thoughts can pop up – that is perfectly normal. But if you continually focus on these thoughts around how you’ve failed or aren’t doing well enough, you’re more likely to give up. This sets up a constant cycle of restricting yourself and then relapsing, which is not a recipe for sustainable fat loss.
Let’s take a look at 5 thoughts that can set you back, and how you can turn them around.
5 thoughts around weight loss to switch out
“I’m not seeing any results”
This is one of the biggest struggles when you first start making changes. But remember that it takes longer than a week or two to really start seeing a difference. After all, you didn’t gain a huge amount of body fat in a few weeks – it likely took many months and even years to build up.
There may also be changes occurring that you’re not tracking or noticing yet. Maybe the scale is steady, but your measurements are changing and you’re fitting into your clothes better. If you have any chronic health concern, your first sign of results might be the reduction of symptoms – this is a sign that you’re addressing the root causes of your health struggles.
Haven’t figured out how to track your progress? Here are my favourite ways to assess how your fitness journey is going.
“I fell off the wagon today, so the whole day is a write-off”
One meal or snack doesn’t make a huge difference in the end, so just jump back on board with your plan at your next meal. It’s not about everything you do being perfect – it’s about consistency over the long-term.
As long as you are making more healthy choices than unhealthy, you will notice progress over time. This is an important mindset to have – you don’t want a plan that is so restrictive that when you fall ‘off track’, you can’t get back to it!
“If I eat fewer calories, I’ll lose weight faster”
This is a slippery slope that ends in nutrient deficiencies, exhaustion, stubborn fat and even a binge-eating cycle.
Your body still requires sufficient energy for everything to function properly – and if it doesn’t get that energy, it will slow your metabolism right down to keep you safe. A small deficit is always going to be more sustainable than a large one.
I also recommend tracking macros, rather than just calories. Unlike calories, where the focus is cutting down, macros are a target for you to hit each day. Getting enough of each macronutrient means you’ll get enough energy and nutrients, making it a much more sustainable and healthy approach.
“I can’t go out and socialise”
You want to set yourself up for success – and this means making your changes sustainable. If you can’t go out and catch up with friends or eat at a restaurant or café, there’s no way you’ll stick to the changes forever!
Instead of telling yourself you can’t go out at all, figure out how to make it work. Can you check the menu online ahead of time and find something that suits your plan? Is there flexibility for you to choose to have either a glass of wine or a small dessert? Find a way to make your healthy habits last for life, not just a couple of weeks.
“This is too hard!”
Whether you’re thinking about the food you’re eating or the exercise you’re incorporating, this type of thought is setting you up for failure. Your mindset plays a massive role in how successful you will be. But if you constantly tell yourself you’re bad at it or you can’t do it, you won’t want to continue.
Instead, look for the ways that you are succeeding. Did you make a healthier choice when you ate out? Have you added an extra serve of veggies to each meal? Are you moving your body more frequently than you used to? All of these are signs that you can make changes and improve your health!
Do you find negative thought patterns are throwing you off the path to progress?
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
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