Are you overcomplicating weight loss?
I get it. I was raised with the mentality that dieting was something you did for short bursts until you lost the weight, then you watched the number travel back up until you got frustrated again, only so you could start all over. As an adult, my reaction was simply to make the range of acceptable weight smaller. If I hit the top number, it was simply time to travel back to the bottom so I could start all over again. It felt like I did every crazy diet under the sun…low fat, low sugar, the raw diet, the fruit diet, low carb diet, Weight Watchers, the mediterranean diet, paleo, etc. I counted calories and points, measured my food in containers and on scales and then just got so sick of all of it that I would quit only to start again as soon as I topped out again.
I was so convinced it was complicated and I just couldn’t figure it out. But, you want to know the truth? Losing weight is not that complicated. You make a plan, you eat what’s on your plan, you exercise, evaluate it week by week and if you lose weight and feel great, you keep doing what you are doing. If you don’t lose weight or you feel like crap, you adjust. That’s it.
Oh, but our brain does not like the simplicity of that plan! It wants to overcomplicate it and scream “EMERGENCY” at the first sign of discomfort because it HATES having to exert energy to do something new. So it sends you into a tailspin…anything to get you to stop RIGHT NOW. All of a sudden, you are criticizing yourself for every little thing, throwing shame over your results (or lack thereof), convincing you to quit at the first obstacle and even convincing you that it makes perfect sense to numb yourself with food or alcohol because that feels so much better than the stress, frustration and exhaustion you feel from having to manage all the drama going on in your head. Next thing you know, you’ve talked yourself out of even trying because it’s just TOO MUCH. Anyone else want to scream at their brain to take a breath already?
But guess what? All that drama is just a brain that is scared of change. None of it is true and none of it defines you. It’s natural wiring that requires a reboot. Your brain has developed a habit of serving up self defeating thoughts and you’ve unconsciously been believing them. It’s not your fault, you didn’t even know. The good news is that now, you do know what’s being served and you get to consciously choose to reject any thoughts that simply aren’t helpful.
You can keep it simple. You can decide what feeling is going to help you plan your meals, exercise, not beat yourself up for imperfections, overcome obstacles and keep showing up for yourself no matter what. Sit in that feeling daily and pay attention to the thoughts that help you generate it. Ask yourself often what you need to believe in order to feel 100% sure that you are going to reach your goals and reject old beliefs that continue to keep you stuck. Over time, you will become the person that is no longer a yo-yo dieter and embodies a healthy lifestyle.
You got this!