How timely these words are today as we are practically a month into a new year! So, how are you doing with your health goals so far? More specifically, how are you doing with your weight loss? Are you sticking to your plan to lose weight and to get healthier or has your motivation fizzled out? Traditionally, 92% of people who make new year’s resolutions do not keep them beyond the first 3-4 weeks of starting. It’s mind-blowing to think that only 8% of people keep their promises to themselves. What does that say about our motivation, patience, and commitment to our health? Here are 3 common weight loss mistakes and how to flip them to get results:
Mistake #1: Trying to change more than one habit at a time
This rings true for any goal, especially when it comes to weight loss! We tell ourselves that everything has to change all at once in order for us to get the results we want. In fact, the opposite is quite true: one small step starts you in the right direction of changing a habit and then spirals into another small step, then another, and so on and so forth! The brain functions well by doing one thing at a time, so why not start with one small habit. For instance, the goal of losing weight can be so daunting and we tend to want to change everything all at once. The quantity over quality mindset doesn’t work well for this goal or any other one for that matter. Flip it to reflect doing ONE small change this week or this month and then add another one when the first step becomes a habit; an action that you do automatically. Perhaps the first step is to write down what you eat for a week in order to see where improvements can be made or ditch sugar to see how much better you feel. Not only will you free up more energy and concentration to focus on your goal, but chances are also you will form a more solid, steady habit that will last. Cut the overwhelm and get started now! Less is more in this case!
Mistake #2: Waiting for the perfect time to start
As humans, one of our procrastination tactics is to wait for the perfect time to start our weight loss journey. “I’ll start on Monday.” “I’ll wait until after the holidays.” I’ll wait until after my trip/birthday/wedding…etc.!” “Once the kids are older, I can focus on my weight/health.” “I’m too busy right now.” The excuses go on and on. Does this sound familiar? Putting it off simply shows that we are fearful of doing the work, potentially failing (again) or potentially succeeding, which would throw us into a new, uncomfortable world and we’d have to take a hard look at ourselves. Being vulnerable certainly doesn’t sound appealing to most people, but does it seem better than being unhealthy and overweight? A great question to truly think about! Even if you’ve failed at shedding pounds in the past, it’s helpful to realize that this time you’re not starting from scratch; you’re starting from experience. That’s a big mindset shift that will be very impactful!
Mistake #3: Stopping too earlY
Why are we so quick to quit before getting results? According to experts, such as James Clear (author of Atomic Habits), on average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In short, we simply often quit before changes have been made and most likely miss out on “almost succeeding”. Common reasons why we quit are: we don’t see results fast enough, we don’t want it badly enough (it’s not important enough), we don’t prioritize ourselves and our health enough, we feel overwhelmed and defeated, we don’t know what to do or we don’t have support.
Have there been times when you later realized that had you just been patient and worked on something a little longer the results would have surfaced? In all honesty, everyone probably can relate to this. Perhaps the number on the scale wasn’t changing fast enough, so you quit only to wonder later…WHAT IF? What if I had given the scale a little more time? What if I had eaten better for a little longer? What if I had waited a little longer for my clothes to fit more loosely? To avoid regret and asking yourself “WHAT IF?”, give yourself a reasonable amount of time to be patient, kinder to yourself, and determined to finish what you started.
As you set goals for the health and weight loss results that you truly want and are committed to working towards this year, flip the three mistakes we’ve talked about today in your favor with an optimistic yet realistic approach to getting the results you want. Harvest sound advice and knowledge from trusted sources and start your journey TODAY! There’s no time like the present! I guarantee you will look back and appreciate the first step you took to move your health forward with determination and motivation! Happy first step!
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Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!
