Eating less and exercising more should help you lose weight.
But it can get infuriating when this doesn’t work. You are doing everything right, and you don’t see any change, at least not permanently. So, what could be the problem? Your brain, that’s right.
The brain is one of the most active parts of the body, as it is responsible for making thousands of conscious decisions every day, ranging from each step you take, down to when you lift a spoon to eat.
If your brain isn’t on the same page with you, then losing weight would be harder than it normally should. Your brain is one of the biggest obstacles you may encounter when trying to lose weight.
Fortunately, there are ways to train your brain so it can cooperate with you on your weight loss journey.
Let Go Of The Scale Obsession
This isn’t as hard as it looks. It’s understandable to wake up every morning and hop on your scale, most especially if you have a weight target to meet. But what happens when you aren’t meeting up to your goals? Doesn’t that end up ruining your entire day?
The truth is that the number you see on the scale would determine how the rest of your day would shape out. If you are obsessed with the scale, you are inevitably setting yourself up for a disastrous day ahead if it doesn’t meet up to your expectations.
It’s alright to keep in check with your progress, but consider changing your weigh-in days to a weekly routine or bi-monthly, rather than checking every day.
Lastly, do not let the figures on the scale weigh you down, it’s just number, and sometimes it isn’t a full reflection of your progress and dedication.
Invest In A Good Therapist
A therapist doesn’t just help you figure out solutions to your life problems, but they can also address certain weight-related issues you are facing. You may be holding on to the baggage of the past, and as a result, it is causing unhealthy eating habits, which is used as a medium to channel your emotions. If you have never worked with a therapist or counselor before, then you are free to research so you can find one that attends to your specific needs. There are a couple of therapists that would offer a complimentary phone session before commencing, so you can be sure if they are right for you.
Never Downplay Your Accomplishments
Have you ever kept to your eating plan all day, but forgot to squ
eeze your 30mins workout into your schedule? It would help if you didn’t work yourself up on that, because it happens even to the best of people. Never ignore whatever accomplishments that you have made, put your focus on the target to have achieved for the day, and you can keep records if it would make you feel better.
Research has shown that when you place more priority on your wins rather than your failure, it creates a domino effect, and this would motivate you to do better.
Start With Baby Steps
The idea of losing a lot of weight at a go can be a bit intimidating even to your brain. And this can make your brain complain, “How exactly am I going to lose such ridiculous amount of fat?! Impossible!”
Take away the intimidation factor from the equation by opting for baby steps; you can start by taking healthy snacks instead of junky ones.
It’s easier to achieve smaller goals, and with each milestone you accomplish, you gain more confidence. That confidence would be the drive you need to implement another healthy lifestyle, and in no time, you will feel better about yourself.
Pay Attention To How You Feel And Not How You Look
When you are more concerned about how you feel rather than your physical appearance, you will make better decisions from a clear, intuitive point of view. You already know that your body feels better when you eat healthy and fresh foods, so it’s easier to stick with that.
Create New Behavioral Patterns
The way your brain is wired makes it conscious of every pattern you develop. It wants to form a bond based on everything you do, like brushing your teeth, bathing, and eating. When you form a new pattern, your brain creates neural pathways, and these pathways are still formed when you form an unhealthy eating pattern.
So, it’s best to focus on creating healthy habits, and repeating them over and over again, so your brain becomes familiar with it. When this happens, it becomes a lot easier to keep up with these choices.