Author: Healthi Coach Brianna Newton
We all get to a point in our weight loss journey where our motivation tanks. Sometimes it happens often! Along with this feeling sometimes comes the negative thoughts that tell us we should just give up. Listen to me. YOU are worth the hard work. YOU are worth the planning and tracking. YOU are worth recognizing that you do have self control. YOU are worth making your health a priority this year. Be willing to make the commitment for the long haul and future you will thank you for it!
So how can you get started with your renewed commitment to yourself? Take a look at my three top tips for your wellness journey when you're needing a push.
Tip #1: Show Yourself Grace
If you've been in any of my Facebook groups, you probably hear me say this phrase on repeat because it has been absolutely fundamental in me losing 85lbs so far. We need to be mindful of the way we speak to ourselves (and about ourselves) and extend plenty of grace during the weight loss process. This is part of the reason I started Kinda Healthy Moms in November of 2018. I was three months into my own weight loss journey and had lost about 20lbs by that point. I was searching and searching for groups online that could help hold me accountable and keep me motivated.
I joined one mom group that was focused on a certain diet and fitness direct sales company (that shall not be named) and one thing shocked me all of the hidden fat shaming. I don't think people knew what they were saying or the impact it could have, but phrases like What you eat in private, you wear in public and Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels y'all, that's shaming ourselves. If you are saying these things to yourself or other people, STOP. These phrases are not indicative of a healthy relationship with food or even the weight loss process itself. This is not how we should motivate ourselves (or others) and it certainly is now how we show ourselves grace. If you go off track, how should you respond? Track it and move on. Resume normal programming. Your body will make up for it in time, probably faster than you think!
Tip #2: Meet Your Daily Water Intake Goal
If nothing else, meet your daily water intake goal. If you're traveling for work and you're not sure what food will be available, focus on your water. If you're headed to a wedding, focus on your water. If you're sick and have to resort to delivery for your meals, focus on your water. So, how much water should you be drinking? If you Google this, you will find all sorts of answers. Here's what I live by: half of your body weight in ounces, a minimum of 64oz. So if you weigh 200lbs, your daily water intake goal should be 100oz. You CAN do it.
Tip #3: Applaud Every Success
This is a big one! It's so important to applaud all of your successes along the way, no matter how small they are because progress breeds motivation. We need to pause and take a moment to acknowledge all of the good choices we have been making and let ourselves feel that progress. The internal motivation a practice like that brings will give you the drive you need to make the next right choice. Maybe you set out to lose 5lbs in a month and ended up losing 3lbs. Don't you dare make yourself feel bad about that! Pause and take a moment to applaud your success. Maybe you only gained 3lbs after the holiday season. Applaud yourself! It could have been 10lbs but clearly you made some good choices!
Bonus Tip!
(Because I can't help myself) Set mini goals. Don't look ahead and obsess over how much weight you need to lose in TOTAL. Break your goal into months, weeks even. I know I would like to lose another 25lbs by Memorial Day. There are 21 weeks from now until Memorial Day so this is just over one pound lost per week. I know I can do that, it's sustainable, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound (S.M.A.R.T. Goal). Setting mini goals not only makes my goal feel like it's within reach (which motivates me), but it also gives me the opportunity to reevaluate whenever I need to. Did I have an off week and gain two pounds? Time to recalculate what I need to lose each week. It also gives me an opportunity to practice tip #3! I could go on and on but I will leave you with these tips to ponder and hopefully implement. Email this post to yourself so you can refer back to it, print it out and hang it on your fridge, share it with a friend or on Facebook! I hope these tips help you feel equipped and ready to tackle your goals.
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