You can never have too many weight loss whys. Do you know what yours are? Let’s get started organizing them into a motivational tool that’s easy to use when the going gets tough.
Weight loss efforts so often fail not because we don’t know what or how much to eat. They fail because of your thinking does not support your actions. When losing weight is hard, when you’ve made decisions you wish you hadn’t, when you veer off your plan, when you’re despairing and ready to throw in the towel, you are thinking a whole raft of negative thoughts about yourself, your capabilities and even your self worth.
This kind of thinking undermines all your best laid intentions.
When those default thoughts start barreling in, you need a well-defined list of compelling whys to answer all the negative self talk that’s hammering you.
When feelings of defeat are trying to undermine your weight loss journey, you need ready anchors to steady your commitment.
You need brand new anchoring thoughts to counter all the negativity.
Your whys are those anchors that will help you regain your equilibrium. They are new thoughts you need to practice thinking to overwrite the years of default thinking that’s telling you this whole weight loss idea was and is nothing more than a great big mistake.
Imagine that allowing negative default thinking to fill your brain is like filling your car’s gas tank with sand. Sand in the gas tank causes your engine to break down and your car to stall. Forward momentum grinds to a halt.
Now imagine filling your brain with your most inspiring whys instead of unhelpful default thinking. That’s some serious high performance fuel you’ve got there! Put that fuel in your gas tank and you’re humming your way towards your goals. You’ve minimized the threat of breakdowns.
That’s not to say that years of negative default thinking won’t rear it’s head at times, but now you’ll have ready responses to calm down your harsh inner critic.
It’s also fair to say the road will never be in 100% perfect condition. For sure there will be potholes, roadblocks and detours along the way. But with premium quality fuel in your tank, a breakdown or a stall are less likely to prevent you from reaching your destination.
Brainstorm at least 25 whys.
It’s time to get curious and about your whys. Find those precious thoughts that motivate you to change your relationship with food and your body so can lose weight and keep it off for good.
Each why will fuel you to keep going, especially during those times when the going gets tough.
Consider all the reasons why you’re willing to commit to your weight loss journey, even when it’s hard, frustrating or even exasperating.
You’ll want to have a lot of whys in your arsenal. Depending what’s going on, you’ll need to tap into different whys to better address your needs at the time. Some days one particular why will work better than another. You’ll want lots to chose from.
Next I suggest you highlight your top 5 whys. These whys will become the cornerstone of your why motivational tool. Your most frequently relied upon go-to whys.
Your top 5 whys will reinforce your commitment with love, compassion and kindness even when that insistent f-it voice rants in your ears.
Any why that motivates you is a good why.
There’s no such thing as a selfish, silly, frivolous or superficial why. Your whys don’t have to be lofty, altruistic or earth shattering in any way. Whatever why means the most to you is the perfect why. Whatever why speaks to your deepest wishes, dreams and heart-felt desires is an ideal why.
It could be about the way you’ll dress, the clothes you’ll buy, the activities you’ll finally enjoy doing, the way you look in a swimsuit or in all your naked glory. The way you’ll feel when you look at yourself in the mirror. It may be based on particular health goals, improving flexibility and strength, an athletic goal, something as simple as sitting cross-legged on the floor to play with a child.
It may be all about the way you want to look and feel when you emerge from Covid-19 isolation and social distancing to take on the world again.
Think about these prompts as you brainstorm your weight loss whys:
*What will change in my life?
*How do I want to feel? Everything we want and don’t want in life is predicated on how we think it will make us feel. As humans we were designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Be very specific about listing all the pleasurable feelings you look forward to feeling on the regular.
*What would I do that I don’t do now?
*How would my health improve?
*What gets me excited about weight loss?
*What problems will decrease or disappear?
*Who wants me to support me and encourage me to succeed? Why?
Now it’s time to create your Why Motivational Tool.
The goal is to train yourself to recognize these whys as high performance fuel for your brain.
There is only one way to gain instant access to this high performance fuel. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.
Take your top 5 whys and read, repeat, and study each of them multiple times a day. Let your brain marinate in them. Don’t stop.
Keep reviewing your list, reordering them, adding new ones. Your list of 25 is a minimum and it’s a living document.
Write them on sticky notes and plaster them on your bathroom mirror, on your desk, in your kitchen, in your car. Any place where you’ll see them frequently.
Take a picture of them with your cell phone and make them your screen saver on your phone, your tablet, laptop and computer.
Use one was your password.
Write them down every morning/evening as you journal or make your daily food plan.
Through repetition, you’re training your brain to accept and believe your whys. Allow your whys to intercept negative thinking like heat seeking missiles.
Your whys are your armor, your shield, your golden sword to fight off the harsh inner critic determined to keep you mired in negativity and discontent.
When you need help with your deep dive to find your most compelling whys, or with any aspect of your weight loss journey. I’m here.
Be sure to grab my guide to the 5 Common Myths About Weight Loss that could be stalling your progress.
We can talk sooner rather than later when you schedule your FREE Strategy Call right here.
I’ll meet you wherever you are on your weight loss journey, whether you’re just considering beginning or you are stuck and frustrated. Together we’ll map your best route to a sustainable weight loss goal.
