Our mindset can make or break any commitment, and nowhere is this truer than with weight loss. Perhaps you have tried and “failed” multiple times and truly don’t believe that you can succeed.
When you notice those negative thoughts, the first step is to pay attention, but recognize that these are limiting beliefs that are not true. Limiting beliefs about all the things that you can’t do are old mental habits that we used to protect ourselves from harm but are ultimately no longer useful. If you are noticing that negative voices are derailing you from your commitment, consider journaling all the things that they are telling you. When you read the list, create an “opposite story.” What’s an alternative to the limiting beliefs? For example, if you are telling yourself “I can never decrease sugar, it’s never worked before and I will just feel horrible” an opposite story is “I am choosing to decrease sugar and I know I will be successful because I am making a commitment to myself, I am going to feel great, and I have plenty of support.”
What is your vision of yourself a year from now? Journal about it in detail. How do you look? How do you feel? What are you wearing? How are others perceiving you?
What can you do now that you couldn’t before? How are your relationships affected? Keep this vision handy and refer to it whenever you feel yourself getting derailed.