Beliefs That Prevent Weight Loss

How badly do you want to lose weight? Americans are on the fast track for weight loss. Pills, books, and videos. You name it, we’ve tried it. Along with all the fads and quick fixes, we have also learned to put ourselves under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed and - more damaging than that - criticize ourselves when we fall short. This self-criticism we partake in is dangerous for both our emotions and our diets, and will only reinforce negative behavior.

When you flip through clothes in your closet, you come across that pair of pants you have been saving until you can fit into them again. You know they don’t fit and this makes you feel unattractive and worthless. People are always their own worst critics and when they evaluate themselves too harshly they bypass their weight loss plans and head right to the refrigerator for comfort. If this sounds familiar, the first thing to do is to identify your unhealthy thoughts and decide how to change those behaviors so you can begin to reinforce yourself positively.

I’ve found that people often set themselves up to fail without knowing it. How many times have you said, “I need to lose 10 lbs by the fourth of July” or “I’m not going on vacation”? There is nothing wrong with setting weight loss goals based on time frames, but by doing so you are risking failure. The problem with goals like this is that the pressure of your goals may alter your judgment of what a healthy exercise and nutrition program should be.

Nando Pelusi and Mitchell Robin are clinical psychologists in New York City. They’ve outlined common beliefs that sabotage our own best efforts to lose weight and achieve our goals.

“I must be thin”
This creates desperation, which undermines a healthy, long-range approach to sensible eating.

“I must eat until sedated”
Early humans lived in an environment in which food resources were scarce. Our ancestors had to hunt food and cook it, but we can super size a Big Mac and skip the workout.

“I need immediate results”
The demand for immediate results undermines the commitment to a long term goal. We do look for the quick fix and we want food that will make us feel good right now. Dieting requires moment to moment frustration and self-control with little to no immediate reward.

“I need comfort”
People eat to avoid feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Food provides immediate comfort and distraction from other issues. To successfully overcome poor eating habits, these underlying issues need to be addressed.

“It’s terrible being heavy.” For some, being overweight is the worst thing imaginable; it can immobilize you and leave you dumbstruck. That’s a reaction more suited for tragedy. Weight loss is best achieved without that end-of-the-world outlook.

Now that some of the detours to our fitness goals have been pointed out, its time to make a change. Where does it start? With you. The best way to make positive changes and stay focused on your goals is to start forming healthy habits. Set small attainable goals and achieve them one at a time to help train your behavior through small successes. This way, little by little, reaching some of those monumental goals becomes more habitual and your own motivation can be built on the framework of repeated success. Most importantly remember to enjoy the ride.

During life-changing journeys we learn the most about who we are and reconnect with the person we want to be and re-establish continuing goals to ensure a healthy future for our families and ourselves. I encourage you to start journals, not only to keep track of the goals you obtain, but to add inspiring thoughts you came across and tough times you’ve encountered. These are the experiences that define who you are. Make sure you remember them.
So often our inspiration comes from the accomplishments of others. Be your own inspiration. Set your own goals and don’t judge yourself against anyone. You can control your own behavior. Respect and utilize this power and you can accomplish anything.