When I ask new clients why they have trouble losing weight and keeping it off, the answer they give is usually the same.
“I have no will power. I start off well and lose some weight but then something throws me off and I gain it all back again. I have no self-discipline. When something tempting comes along, I can’t say no. I know I should exercise more too, but I’m just too lazy.”
It’s a terrible story you tell about yourself. The worst part is, you believe every word of it.
It’s time you ask yourself: “Is this REALLY true?”
Most people I know get up early, work really hard and take care of their family, the laundry, the food shopping, the cooking, their parents, their home, their job and several volunteer activities.
Does that sound like a weak-willed, undisciplined, lazy person to you?
Of course not.
So if that isn’t the truth, what is?
Below are the top 7 reasons people fail to achieve sustainable weight loss:
1. You try to make changes in the wrong way-
You think it’s all about the food. You believe that all you have to do is come up with the right combinations of foods and your problem will be solved. Wrong.
Food is only 1 piece of the puzzle.
Your life today (including your weight) is essentially the sum of your habits. You need to change your daily habits before you can have any kind of sustainable weight loss.
A shift in daily habits would mean a reinvention of how you see yourself (no more negative self-talk).
Becoming the type of person you want to become- someone who lives by a stronger standard, someone who believes in themselves, someone who can be counted on by the people that matter to them- is about the daily process you follow and not the ultimate goal you achieve.
The most common mistake people make is putting all their thought and energy into what they can eat and what they have to “give up” instead of focusing on their habits and routines.
2. You think about everybody but yourself
Just like the oxygen mask on the airplane, you can’t be there to care for someone else if you don’t take care of yourself first.
Establishing your priorities and putting some boundaries around them will go a long way in helping you reach your goals. This is very hard for most people, so start with incredibly small steps.
In the beginning the goal is not to achieve results; the goal is to become the type of person who CAN succeed.
You need to believe in yourself again. Every action you take must be based on the fundamental belief that it is possible. Pick something you KNOW you can – then do it.
3. You eat low-fat, sugar-free foods
Throw away all your artificial sweeteners and low-fat foods. They are making you fat.
Eating fat will make you skinny.
Your body craves fresh whole foods. Eat lots of veggies, moderate amounts of fruit, lean protein and healthy, plant-based fats. You will be satisfied with less and those dreaded sugar cravings will disappear.
4.You can’t remember the last time you had fun.
Life is meant to be enjoyed. If all you do all day is work and take care of others, you eventually reach a breaking point.
That’s when the cookies, ice cream and candy seem like a well-deserved treat. Problem is, the pleasure is short-lived and the aftermath lasts a long time.
Instead of settling for things that ultimately make you very unhappy, why not give yourself what you really need instead?
Find a way to add some sweetness into every day. It could be a 10 minute phone call with an old friend, lunch outside in the sunshine or fresh flowers in your shopping cart.
Start treating yourself like the special person you are and see how much easier it becomes to make the right food choices.
5. You have hidden food intolerances
This is a very common problem today. Because the symptoms of a food intolerance are often not what you associate with the food you are eating, many people mistakenly believe they don’t have problem foods.
A food intolerance creates an autoimmune response so it will manifest itself differently in every person. Some common symptoms are brain fog, eczema, dry itchy skin, asthma, allergies, sinus problems, body aches and pains, chronic constipation, acid reflux and weight gain.
If you are suffering with any of those symptoms, you need to address the root cause before you can have a healthy, slender body. The simplest and most effective way of determining food intolerances is following an elimination diet. The results are quick and for many people, life changing.
You should do an elimination diet with the help of a trained professional. This program will take you through the process with a tremendous amount of support and guidance
6. You’re doing what you think is the right thing instead of listening to your own body.
Dieting has taught us to ignore the wisdom of our own bodies. Your body has a second brain. It’s called the enteric system. It knows what your body needs and it talks to you in symptoms. If you are following a food plan that has you feeling drained, cranky, deprived and headachy, you are not doing the right thing for your body.
You can’t white-knuckle your way through a bad diet. Listen to what your body is telling you. When you give it the right nutrients, it will reward you with a weight loss that’s energizing and feels good.
7. You graze all day long.
It takes most people eight to 12 hours for their body to burn the sugar stored in your body as glycogen. Most people never deplete their glycogen stores because they eat three or more meals a day. This teaches your body to burn sugar as your primary fuel and effectively shuts off your ability to use fat as a fuel.
Our ancestors did not have access to food 24 hours a day. Your body is no different; it is actually designed to go for periods of time without food.
Intermittent fasting will provide many health benefits. It will extend your lifespan, protect you against disease and shift your body from carb-burning to fat-burning mode.
Once your body has made this shift, it is nothing short of magical as your cravings for sweets, and food in general, rapidly normalizes and your desire for sweets and junk food radically decreases — if not disappears entirely.
Then you can watch the pounds melt away.
