I often tell people to "zoom out" when it comes to weight loss. A lot of us tend to get really bogged down in the hours/days/weeks of weight loss and neglect the months/years, so I just wanted to talk more about that.
We all know that the mental side of weight loss is often the hardest. It's hard not to get obsessed with numbers and "zoom in" on every little mistake we make. Changing our inner mantra and challenging those thoughts is really important for creating a sustainable lifestyle change.
Here are some examples of how you can change your inner mantra.
| "Zoomed In" approach | "Zoomed Out" approach |
|---|---|
| "My weight went up a pound this morning, this sucks, I might as well give up." | "Water weight fluctuations are a normal part of weight loss. My weight will always be fluctuating up and down for many reasons. I should focus on my weight trends over weeks and months, not days." |
| "I went 800 calories over my goal today, I have to fast tomorrow to make up for it!" | "No one will perfectly stick with their calorie goal every day, what matters most is overall consistency. One bad day won't break my healthy lifestyle, it's best to just get back on the horse and move on." |
| "I hate the treadmill but I need to burn 500 calories a day to speed up my weight loss!" | "Getting my body moving in the most enjoyable way possible is what matters most. I work out to feel good, to feel accomplished and to improve my endurance/strength so I can live a long healthy life." |
| "I need to lose 50lbs in 2 months so I look good when school starts." | "Unrealistic goals lead to unhealthy restriction and eventual self-sabotage and cycles of binges and guilt. Gradual lifestyle changes will ensure I lose weight sustainably and keep it off." |
When you're worrying over gaining a small amount of weight, or plateauing, or overeating at a restaurant, or not hitting your unrealistic weight loss goals, ask yourself if you're going to care about these things in 1, 5 or 10 years from now.
Zoom out and visualize where you want to be in 1, 5 or 10 years from now. Or even when you're elderly. Your approach to weight loss now will shape how successful you are at maintaining your new weight and your new lifestyle for the many, many years to come.
Think about doing favours for "future you" by making the process sustainable and easy to stick with. Picture yourself 10 years from now, living a healthy lifestyle, looking fit, and feeling happy. What can you do now so "future you" will look back and say "I'm really glad I did that"?
- If you don't like vegetables now, how can you make "future you" like them? Perhaps by learning how to cook them in enjoyable ways, trying all sorts of different vegetables, and consistently including them in your meals?
- If you don't like exercise now, how can you make "future you" like it? Maybe by experimenting with different forms of exercise - there are so many options! Maybe by committing to 30 minutes of activity per day so you cement the habit and it becomes a natural part of your day.
It's hard to fight against instant gratification and the desire to lose weight as quickly as possible, it's part of how our brain works. But we all have that rational side of our brain too, that we can use to challenge ourselves and change that inner mantra.
Hope this is helpful for anyone struggling right now. It's true when they say that weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. And that marathon never ends - it keeps going until the end of your life. So "zoom out" once and a while and consider how far you've come and how you can get to where you want to be!
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