By Melissa Buscetta, RD, CDN
Have you ever considered that maybe your weight loss mindset is more important than any diet or exercise routine?
We have long known that there is a mindset for success, and now we know there is a mindset for weight loss, too. Researchers have found that when it comes to succeeding in weight loss, mindset makes all the difference.
One important key to a healthy mindset while on a weight loss journey is to start small and simple. Considering the way dopamine works in the brain, small goals serve as markers that propel us towards long term success. When we focus on little steps that we can achieve in the short term we create a winning streak that helps keep us motivated. For example, losing weight might be a result, but it shouldn’t be the goal. Rather, your goals should be small, sustainable acts over which you have full control. Did you get eight hours of sleep last night? That’s one goal met. Did you get your serving of fruits and veggies today? If so, you can check another goal off of your list!
Fortunately, the mind is a very flexible organ and can be reshaped. Making healthy choices is a way of practicing self-care. Food is not a reward, and exercise is not a punishment. They are both ways of caring for your body and helping you feel your best. You deserve both.
When it comes to ideals of beauty and body image, we are incredibly hard on ourselves. The standards we adopt for ourselves can be punishing, and we’d never hold our friends or loved ones to many of those same standards. You deserve the same respect and compassion as anyone else; treat yourself that way. Another key to success is patience. If you focus on meeting truly actionable goals, like taking 10,000 steps each and every day, there’s no need to get wrapped up in a long timeline of goals ahead.
Every 24 hours comes with new successes; focus on those!
F. A. K. (2016, September 19). 10 Ways to Shift Your Mindset for Better Weight Loss. Retrieved June 22, 2018, from https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-09-19/10-ways-to-shift-your-mindset-for-better-weight-loss
Melissa Buscetta is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who is currently working with Bariatric and Medical Weight Management patients. She is very enthusiastic about teaching others how to live a healthier life before and after bariatric surgery.