It’s been months.
You’ve been working hard to lose weight.
You’ve seen little progress from all your of your efforts.
You don’t know what else to do.
You’re frustrated and ready to give up.
STOP!
There’s a very good chance that the reason you’re not losing weight isn’t because you’re not committed, working hard enough, or putting in enough effort. Instead, the reason you’re not losing weight may very well be because you’re focusing on the wrong things.
Change Your Focus
Over the last 14 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of people with the same goal, to lose weight. The amount of weight each was looking to lose may have been different but the goal was the same, lose weight.
What I noticed, particularly with those that were losing weight, was their thoughts, their mindset, and what they were focused on. It was during this time that I identified a common theme between all of these people who were successfully losing weight.
In addition to the common theme I identified with those who were successfully losing weight, I also identified common themes with those who were not successfully losing weight. One of the biggest culprits associated with unsuccessful weight loss was daily weigh-ins. Not only is weighing yourself daily counterproductive, it’s not a valid indicator of progress and success considering how much our body weight fluctuates on a day to day basis.
Whether the goal is to lose 20, 30, 50, or 100 pounds, do not focus on your goal weight or how much you’ve lost in a day or a week. In order to successfully lose weight, your focus must always remain on the process of losing weight.
FOCUS ON THE PROCESS
Regardless of how much weight you want to lose, focusing on the amount won’t get you any closer to losing the weight. Instead, focus all of your time, energy, and effort on the process necessary to lose weight.
Losing weight is a process.
What I’ve learned from all of my years of experience working with hundreds of different people all looking to lose weight is that those who were successful with losing all of the weight they set out to lose, were the ones who committed all of their time, energy, and effort to the process itself.
Losing weight is hard work, make no mistake about it. It takes time, commitment, sacrifice, and effort.
On the other hand, the actual process itself of losing weight is a simple one.
What is the process and what do I focus on?
If you want to lose weight, regardless of how much weight you want to lose, and have tried multiple times before with several different methods with little or no success, let’s make some adjustments, change your focus, and help you to successfully lose weight once and for all. What do you say? Are you on board?
FOCUS POINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS
OLD FOCUS = 30 pounds is a lot of weight. I’ve got a long way to go. I need to lose 2 pounds a week. I will weigh-in daily or weekly.
NEW FOCUS = Focus on the process such as eating healthier smaller portions, regularly throughout the day. Going to the gym, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep (6-8 hours) per night. Weigh-in every 30 days only.
OLD FOCUS = I need to do lots of cardio and sweat a lot. I will run or do elliptical for an hour. I don’t have time to do weight training. I don’t feel like I’m getting a good workout with weights because I don’t sweat as much as I do with cardio. I don’t want to bulk up.
NEW FOCUS = Weight training is a MUST for successful, sustainable, real weight (body fat) loss. Balance between cardio workouts and weight training workouts. Weights DO NOT bulk you up. I repeat, weight training DOES NOT bulk you up. Muscle hypertrophy (increasing muscle mass) is very difficult to do. You will lean, not bulk, I promise you.
OLD FOCUS = I need to count calories. I need to eat only 1200 calories a day. I need to have a proper percentage breakdown of carbs, proteins, and fats.
NEW FOCUS = Focus on eating regularly (5 small meals) per day. Maintain portion control by eating to satiate and not until you’re full. Less white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and sugary drinks; more fruits, veggies, grains, lean meats, and water.
OLD FOCUS = I want to lose 50 pounds. (My question is, 50 pounds of what?)
NEW FOCUS = I will lose body fat and inches. Successful, sustainable weight loss is measured by losing body fat and not just weight itself. A scale can be used as a form of tracking progress although ultimately all real successful weight loss is measured by how much body fat you lose and not just weight alone.
OLD FOCUS = I need to decrease my carbs. I will go on a no-carb diet. I will eat very little.
NEW FOCUS = I will stay away from bad carbs (white bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) but occasionally have brown rice, wheat bread or pasta. Focus on getting in more protein such as almonds, protein shakes, protein bars, and lean meats. Not eating enough will not help you lose weight, in fact, it may add weight. Eat regularly (5 times a day).
Losing Weight Is As Much, If Not More, Of A Mental Challenge As It Is A Physical One.
These are the top five weight loss focus points I have seen yield the most success with the hundreds of people I have worked with when it comes to losing weight. The clients who shifted from the “OLD FOCUS” to the “NEW FOCUS” were the ones who saw amazing results and most successful losing all of the weight they set out to lose.
The difference was their focus and the adjustment they made from focusing on the weight they wanted to lose to the actual process of losing weight. As I so often mention here on The Wellness Bucket…. change your thoughts, change your life, or in this case your weight.
[box]Successful Process = Successful Weight Loss[/box]
If you’re putting in the time and the effort to lose weight and you’re not seeing the success and results you’d like to see, my guess is that it’s not your commitment or effort that’s delaying your weight loss. It’s what you’re focused on that’s delaying your success.
Reassess your focus by applying these five focus points I’ve mentioned here and you’ll soon be a weight loss success story yourself.
“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”
~ Jack Dixon ~
What are some focus points you’ve changed in your life that have made a difference and helped you achieve success? It can be health related or in any other part of your life. Please share your experiences with me in the comments below. I’ll love to hear all about it. Together, we’ll continue to learn, grow, and become the best we can be.
Featured Image Credit: Armo
Again, great tips! It’s all about changing your perspective. We’re so quick to judge ourselves or to increase the size of the “obstacle” in our minds. I believe most things are overwhelming when you only focus on the end result. It’s much easier chunked down into smaller pieces. Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Thanks Anne! Perspective is most certainly everything. Tackling obstacles that we deem large in our minds by segments, pieces, small pieces at a time sure does eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed and soon begins to make what once seemed not doable and unmanageable much more doable and manageable.
Great post!!
I stay agree, stay positive and focus on the process. It’s a process to change your body, and just as hard to maintain it once you get there – if you don’t stay committed. Everyone’s body has a weight “set point” it wants to be at. As we age, it tends to go up. I think staying focused on the present and doing measurable, tangible things can help facilitate the lifestyle changes that are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.
Awesome advice, keep it up amigo!!!
Thanks JK! You make a great point that just as challenging as it is to change our bodies, it’s also a challenge, a different challenge, but still a challenge to maintain it once you’ve achieved the results. Making a commitment to our health is sticking to the process, whether it’s the process of losing weight or the process of maintaining our current health is essential to our overall success.