Loving yourself at every step of your weight loss progress is an important part of getting to your goal. We all move through slowly no matter what our budget, fitness level or how much motivation we have. It is universally true that weight loss is a journey for absolutely everyone.
In order to stay positive and on your way to your weight loss goal, it’s super-duper important to love your progress so far. But this is harder than it sounds. Especially for hyper-motivated-goal-oriented-super-achievers!
“…one of the most common and most damaging mistakes people make with lifestyle change and weight management programs is to have unrealistic expectations of the rate of change.” – Dr Tim Sharp
Usually, that is a fabulous trait to have, but it can turn you into your own worst enemy if you decide to focus on what you haven’t achieved instead of what you have. And according to Dr Tim Sharp (aka Dr Happy), “it’s completely normal to have a range of thoughts, positive and negative, realistic and unrealistic. But “normal” is not always the same as helpful.”
The power of positivity on your weight loss journey
If you find yourself teetering dangerously close toward negative reflection when in the middle of your weight loss journey, take the time to flip the switch.
It’s not about being blindly positive and ignoring your weight loss goal, but more about being optimistic about the changes you’ve already made.
Dr Tim Sharp explains the difference: “optimism isn’t the same as “positive thinking”. It is “positive” in the sense that it focuses on what’s going well and on where things are right; but very importantly, real optimism is also grounded in reality.”
This is incredibly important as a positive, yet constructive attitude towards your weight loss will not only help you progress but maintain what this progress.
This self-care Sunday, we’re encouraging you to celebrate every single small win to help you love your body right now. Even though you’re not 100% of the way, you HAVE moved forward, and this new version of you is worth fussing over!
What to think when you’re progressing but not yet there
Start by listing every single accomplishment that you’ve made so far. We mean everything! Losing 2 kilos, improving your mood, learning how to meal-prep, having your skinny jeans fit… write all of these positive achievements down.
Be as descriptive and specific as you can. For example, if one of your achievements is fitting into your skinny jeans, write down exactly where on your body they fit better, how you felt when you put them on, and what you intend on wearing them with again!
Tip: Think about the language you would use if you were doing this for your bestie. Speak about yourself in the same way!
Have a clear visualization of your win in your head. It will make it easier to draw motivation from your this win in the future.
Once you’ve completed your list of triumphs, print them out, rip them out or save them to a place where you’ll see them over and over again. Better yet, put it on your bathroom mirror so you see it everyday! It will be incredibly encouraging to continually be reminded of how far you’ve come from the beginning, and how far you’ll get from where you are now. You’re already a Superwoman!
What is Self-Care Sunday? It’s your weekly reminder to treat yourself, slow down and make sure you’re taking extra special care of number one. Because the first step to long-lasting weight loss is self-love!