That little voice in your head sure has a lot to say. But is it helping or hurting your weight loss goals and live your life to the fullest? Find out which mind game from the 9 below might be holding you back.
You’ll be surprised!
To learn how this works, let’s get in the heads of six women who were participating in our Altered! Wedding Weight Loss Challenge to lose weight in time for their big day.
All of them had been doing really well.
But…then there was this one week…
They Couldn’t Lose Weight
Everyone’s weight loss had slowed down– stopped, even. During their weekly check-in meeting, their conversations had changed, too. Our Weight Loss Coaches noted the weird shift. After the meeting, the coaches wrote down all the things the brides had said.
The following week, the brides came in as usual, but this time they sat down in front of a white board filled with post-it notes. On each note, a quote was written.
They were confused. Why were those nasty comments on that board?
Eventually, our team explained that these were the things that the brides had said last week. The coaches then asked each of the brides to claim their comments.
What happened next surprised everyone…
What’s Your Weight Loss Mind Game?
A few of them shyly approached the board and took their quote down. But MOST of them had to be reminded which was theirs. They had completely FORGOTTEN what they said and were shocked to learn that those horrid words belonged to them.
They each sat quietly with their comments in hand. And broke down crying. It was devastating to realize the different mind games they had been playing.
The following week, the brides came in with a fresh perspective and weighed in…
…and the results were double what they were the previous weeks!
Sonay (above) lost 42 pounds in 8 weeks and WON the 2014 Altered challenge after our Weight Loss Coaches worked with her to develop a more positive mind-set and attitude towards food.
So… do any of the quotes below sound familiar to you?
1. “I’m sorry”
Listen in to any conversation between someone who is trying to eat healthier and someone who is not, and you will hear the strangest thing. An apology.
Even if you aren’t directly saying the words “I’m sorry” in the examples below, you can still hear it:
I’m sorry to ask, but could you serve broccoli instead of fries with my steak?
Sorry, I can’t have any alcohol on my program.”
I’m the one who brought the veggie platter, I just wanted to make sure I had something to eat at the party.
Why are you apologizing? There is nothing wrong with eating well and taking care of your health.
The apology mind game is unnecessary– you never have to say you’re sorry about improving your life. Drop it and you will sound more committed and direct about your goals –and exactly how you are going to reach them.
2. “I’m so fat”
Walk into any fitting room, and from behind the doors you can hear this murmured by women as they talk to each other:
…“oh, I’m so fat today.”
You’ve heard “I’m so fat” a million times from your friends. You have even said it yourself.
This mind game not only damages your self-esteem– it damages your relationships as well. Instead, find a new phrase or compliment you can issue that is not body-centric.
I like this dress, but the cut is not right for me.
Thank you for saying that, it means a lot, coming from someone who has an appreciation for color.
3. “Do I look fat in this?”
We are all familiar with this notorious joke. It’s funny to talk about because it’s the most impossible question to answer.
Dayna from our Altered Wedding Weight Loss challenge stopped asking that silly question…
And now she feels like this when she’s getting ready for a night on the town:
Click on her image to get the results you really want — with the same meal plan she used!
Why ask this question at all? It isn’t honest, it’s a mind game.
You are pinning your self-esteem on whether they think you look ‘fat’ or not. Yes, we all love to look great- but that isn’t determined by our ‘fatness.’
Why aren’t you asking if you look fashionable? Regal? Confident? Ready for a night out?
Those questions CAN be honestly answered. And wouldn’t the answers to these questions be more revealing about how you look in your outfit?
If you really do need to ask this question, get your barometer jeans out and try them on. Rather than defaulting to “do I look fat in these jeans?,” make an objective judgment of how tight or loose they are fitting.
4. “I can’t do it”
Life has a way of throwing us curveballs, stressing us out and making us believe that everything is so damn difficult. The “I can’t do it” mind game is a trap.
Chantal had a ton of curveballs thrown at her during her Altered! challenge. She was diagnosed with lupus and told that her medications would make her GAIN weight.
Look what she did instead…
When you focus on how far away your goal is, you start to forget the pathway right under your feet.
But there is no reason to quit. The big rewards are often just around the corner. You are here, this far along. You can make it a little bit further right now, today.
All you need to do is move one step closer. Stay focused on small, daily routines. That’s what makes this lifestyle easier than other, more complicated programs on the market.
20-minute walk done? Check.
Is your Personal Trainer Food or healthy, low-carb lunch packed in your cooler for work? Check.
Stocked up on mixed greens and full-fat dressings? Check.
Those are dead easy things to do no matter what else is going on in your life. Even if you can’t quite see the summit, keep following the trail and you will get there.
5. “I’m not good enough for ___”
This toxic mind game sits at the root of many of our problems in life.
Even if you don’t say it aloud, you probably think it when you see someone who is fitter, lives in a bigger home, or drives a nicer car than you.
Now granted, we might all have a different hand of cards to deal with, but you are good enough to live a happy life– to go on that cruise and feel great in your party clothes, to take control of your health, to play with your grand kids.
You are deserving of all life has to offer.
If you catch yourself playing this mind game, remind yourself who is in control of that little voice. Silence it and you will stop undermining yourself.
6. “I hate myself”
Oddly, many people try to motivate themselves to start losing weight by saying “I hate how I look.”
Why would you ever say you hate yourself? You wouldn’t tell your best friend you hate them, robbing them of their trust, confidence, and happiness.
Amanda (below) was one of last year’s Altered challengers who eliminated “I hate myself” from her way of thinking and look at the results she got using our REV program!
Another point where it is tempting to say “I hate myself” is if you ever slip up or cheat. This is a self-defeating tactic, and will only lead you further off target.
Pick yourself up and leave your mistakes in the past. There is no need to wallow in self-loathing. Doing so will not help you progress past your slip up.
Rather than telling yourself hateful things when you fail, tell yourself what you are going to accomplish or achieve in the next few hours or day. It should be something that you look forward to, like…
I am going to enjoy my next on-program meal.
The dog hasn’t had a walk this week. I’m going to take my kids and dog for a family walk this afternoon.
I’m going to the store to find some new flavors of herbal teas and water enhancers to try out.
7. “I don’t have time”
Nine times out of ten, people are not getting the weight loss results they want because they aren’t exercising for at least 20 minutes a day.
Why?
I don’t have time.
You need to stop saying this to yourself. It takes only 32 minutes a day to lose weight with Personal Trainer Food.
That’s 20 minutes to walk, and three meals heated in your microwave at 4 minutes a meal.
Dr. Mo, one of last year’s Altered challengers was able to find time to eat right– even with her crazy rounds.
Moreover, you can multi-task during those 32 minutes. 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill can get you caught up on your social media, the news, or the book you need to read.
While your food is heating, 3-4 minutes is enough time to take out the trash, sweep the floors, or feed the dog.
If you can’t find 32 minutes a day to eat and walk, then you are simply not making weight loss and getting to your goal a priority.
Tell yourself you DO have time, and make it happen!
8. “I don’t have money”
Money and time kind of work the same way. The more you make your goals a priority, the more money and time sort themselves out for you.
When figuring out the actual cost of eating healthy, many people get the math wrong.
They assume that they will be spending over and above their budget. The fact is, eating junky restaurant food is far more costly– and the resulting medical bills from neglecting your health will add up.
This is an actual image of Brianna, another of our Altered! participants. She lost an amazing 8.75 inches from her belly in just 10 weeks, and saved a ton of money by skipping the drive-thru and expensive restaurants.
Saying you can’t afford to be healthy is just a mind game. What price tag do you put on feeling happy, energetic, and confident about your life?
9. “It’s just too late”
But it’s too late to try?
You are never too old, too sick, or too overweight to try.
If you can think about your goals, you must take action to get to them. What other choice do you have?
To give up?
Remember this: you deserve every wonderful thing possible in your life.
Maybe things do, in fact get harder the longer you put them off. But you have a shot at getting to your goals. Dropping this mind game will get you out of reverse and into forward gear.
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About the Writer: 100 pounds ago, Jan knew what it is like to be obese, unhappy, and stuck. She has spent the last 17 years as a fitness writer, trainer, yoga teacher, and Weight Loss Coach. Today, she’s proud to be a part of the Personal Trainer Food team so she can continue her goal to help others live their fullest lives possible. Email [email protected] if you have any questions!
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Weight loss results not guaranteed and are based on various factors. Copyright © 2024 Personal Trainer Food, All rights reserved.
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