January finds many of us setting health and fitness related goals, with weight loss typically top of the agenda. New Year resolutions are set in earnest and yet sadly, statistics show that most of our well-meaning plans are broken before the month is out. So what goes wrong?
In my opinion, what sets most of us up for failure, is that we neglect to address a crucial area – our mindset and beliefs. We simply cannot underestimate the power of the mind! If we perceive ourself as a failure, be it with losing weight or whatever, then the likelihood is that we will fail. On the other hand, if we truly believe we have every chance to succeed, then we will.
As a nutritional therapist I have worked with many weight loss clients over the years, but time and again I’d see that, even with changes to their diet, if their mindset was wrong they’d sabotage their efforts. Or they’d struggle with limiting beliefs, with similar consequences. Then, of course, there is the word ‘diet’. This alone can conjure up many negative thoughts and associations including; deprivation, restriction, going without, guilt, shame, willpower – you name it! Not conducive to getting positive results.
Of course, that’s not to say there won’t be underlying imbalances on a physical level that need correcting, like with metabolism, blood sugar and hormones. Food intolerances should also be ruled out, along with poor gut health generally, as both can contribute to weight issues, as can stress, which encourages weight gain around the middle in particular.
With regards to nutritional guidelines, it’s important to understand that we can’t rely on standard weight loss advice to get us on the right track. The so-called experts have been singing from the same song sheet since the 1980s, telling us we should eat less and do more, and yet obesity has tripled during this time in the UK.
DIETS DON’T WORK.
Counting calories, skipping meals, or surviving on a virtually fat-free diet are all counterproductive, both to your health and your weight. While it’s true that you may lose weight initially, it’s highly likely the pounds will creep back on just as soon as you come off the diet, with extra on top. And if you’re someone who has tried and failed with numerous diets in the past, you’re likely to have witnessed this first hand.
What’s needed is a completely fresh approach to tackling weight and one that doesn’t focus around counting calories, points, fat grams or the like. It should be nutritionally sound, with the emphasis on healthy eating, but with equal consideration given to mindset and tackling limiting beliefs. We must learn to work with our body, rather than battle against it.
A FRESH APPROACH
First and foremost you must accept yourself as you are NOW, even if it’s not where you want to be. You may be desperate to be ‘slim’, but if you keep beating yourself up for being far from it, this will only serve to keep you stuck. You’ll get what you consistently focus on. Even if you’re saying to yourself that you don’t want to be fat, you’re still ‘feeding’ yourself a negative affirmation. Switch it instead to ‘I am slim’, or ‘I am in the process of reaching my ideal weight’ and you’re far more likely to get you the results you’re after! And to make it even more powerful, get into the habit of visualising the ‘you’ you want to become.
Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.
It’s also important to ask yourself why you want to be slimmer. What will this mean for you? How will things be different? Get really clear on your reasons behind your goal. Don’t just dream of being a certain size because models from glossy magazines dictate it’s how you should look. This couldn’t be further from the truth! And for goodness sake, don’t let a number on a scale own you – in fact, throw out your bathroom scales! Measure yourself, if you must, but to be honest, you’ll know if you’re losing weight by the way you feel in your clothes. And how you FEEL in yourself is far more important than your weight.
As limiting beliefs may also be hampering your weight loss efforts, it’s worth spending some time of reflection here. Our ancestors associated being ‘heavy’ as a sign of wealth and prosperity and this may be a belief still lodged in your subconscious, frustrating as it may be for you today. Or it may be ‘serving’ you in another way to hold onto excess weight… Perhaps, deep down, you’re worried you’d attract too much attention if you were slim? Or you fear being hurt? Or maybe you’re with a partner who likes you just as you are and on a subconscious level, you fear losing him, or her, if you reach your ideal weight?
Addressing mindset and releasing limiting beliefs, alongside nutrition, is key to ensuring the best outcome. But there really is no need to ‘diet’. Base your diet around a plentiful supply of varied vegetables and fruit (eat the rainbow), whole foods and essential fats, to naturally promote fat burning, while also helping to increase energy levels, improve digestion, balance blood sugar and hormones, and control your appetite. The more you choose healthy foods, the more you’ll naturally be drawn to them.
As for the foods to limit this is pretty much common sense, but balance and moderation makes for longer term compliance, rather than trying to avoid all your favourite treats, all the time. It is important to understand though that sugar is highly addictive, and likewise processed and refined foods, so it goes without saying that the more of these foods you eat, the more you’ll crave them. And they are just empty calories at the end of the day. They’ll not benefit your mood, energy levels, or waistline!
And then there’s fat. While it’s wrong to be fat phobic, as it really isn’t the villain it’s been made out to be, it should nevertheless only account for about 10% of your overall dietary intake. However, there are good and bad fats. Too much saturated fat from animal products (meat and dairy) is not recommended, while unnatural trans and hydrogenated fats (from processed foods and ready meals) should be avoided. The good fats, known as essential fats, are found in nuts, seeds and their cold pressed oils, and also fish, and are a vital component of the diet. Other healthy fats recommended to include are found in avocados, olives, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil.