How your thoughts just might be a barrier to losing weight

“Too much!”     

“Too little” 

“I’m doing terrible!”   

“I’m doing great!”

Thoughts like these may be sabotaging your goals…

Have you been trying to watch what you eat and wondering why you aren’t seeing the results that you would like? The root of the problem could be in your head!

You know the familiar saying that we are our own worst critic?  Well, when it comes to eating, the same adage holds true. Does a poor choice at lunch on Wednesday warrant berating yourself or throwing your nutrition out the window for the rest of the day? – no – it doesn’t! Does the size of a salad mean you  just “ate a ton”? Or even enough?  maybe, maybe not – what’s the measuring stick? Does your workout justify eating that ice cream sundae? depends on the flavor!  Of course I’m  just kidding on that last one, but the point I want to make is that the definition that we are eating well, or poorly, shouldn’t be based solely on a particular instance or even just one day.  Yet our internal feedback often tells us otherwise! This can have both negative and positive ramifications, because in order for our thoughts to be helpful, they need to have context!  Without it, you may inadvertently sabotage your goals.

The best way to avoid this type of mental free fall is to have clearly thought out nutrition objectives:

• What are you trying to achieve?
• Why are you setting this particular goal?
• How will you define success?

If your goal is to eat less, define ‘less’ and why you think you should eat less.  If your goal is to eat fewer carbs, what is the benefit that you hope to achieve?  If your goal is to eat more protein, ask yourself how much is enough.  I suggest that  you put your goals in writing –  being sure to put them in measurable terms, and most importantly, have a strong rationale to back them up.  This will give you a sense of purpose, accountability, and a way to measure progress on a day-to-day basis.  

It might sound like a lot of work at first, but having solid reasoning behind your goals puts you soundly in charge of your eating. And it increases the odds that you’ll get the results you’re looking for.  Then, when you start to hear the voices in your head, you can decide, quickly and confidently, whether or not they’re worth listening to!   

If you’d like to receive personalized recommendations on reaching your goals, or even a professional to double check you on that rationale check out my Small Bites offerings (one-off consultations), or Infusions (month- long packages).  I’m here to help you find your way!