How to progress your fat loss mindset

The majority of people are making one fundamental mistake that is holding them back from changing their mindset, losing weight and living a healthier and happier life sustainably.

Within the Sustain Communities there is a widespread belief that mindset is the root of people's obstacles when it comes to being successful.

And I totally agree. Historically in the dieting industry people have thought they needed the perfect workout or meal plan and then they'd be good to go but I have noticed a shift towards a focus on mindset and getting your head in the right place in order to then put the food and exercise wheels into motion.

I wonder if you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments.

The area of mass confusion is then what to do about it.

With food and exercise it's very tangible. Burn more calories by lifting heavier weights, lifting more frequently or doing cardio (steps, bike, stepper, whatever) and consume fewer (less processed food, more protein and veg instead).

Et voila.

But mindset is much harder to assess. Our thoughts are running for almost every waking second and cataloguing these ranges from difficult to impossible.

Let alone breaking down which of these were the straw that broke the camel's back and led to the decision that impacted your progress.

So what is the fundamental mistake people are making? People spend almost all of their efforts looking forward.

"What are the tools and tactics I can use in the moment to keep my mindset focussed?" is probably the biggest request we get from people at this moment in time.

It's like trying to get running shoes to fix your running style. It might help but it isn't fixing the root of the issue. And if you've got weak glutes or tight hamstrings causing you pain you have to change this.

And to change what you do both now and in the future long term you have to discover WHY you made these decisions. What are beliefs or "truths" that you have that are holding you back from making the right decisions?

I say "truths" because they are your truths but not the actual truth. The stories that we consciously and subconsciously tell ourselves.

These are the DNA behind our current mindset weaknesses.

Why does someone else have a stronger mindset than you currently when it comes to food and exercise? It's not because they are doing something different to you right now, it's because their past is different to yours and they didn't follow the same path as you.

Everyone has their own unique path, and whilst there are similarities and themes we have to approach this in the right way.

A great place to start is keeping a food and thought log or journal. Look at the decisions you make and the thoughts you had around those decisions.

Over my last week at all an inclusive this sees thoughts like -
"It would be really nice to have a gin and tonic now"
"There are lots of tasty looking desserts here, I'd like to try them all"

On and on and on with the justifications that reinforce higher calorie decisions.

In this instance the environment was the main contributor and so by coming back home my eating has immediately improved.

Rather than looking for ways to change how you think in the moment, can you adjust your environment to make it more conducive to success?

And from a mindset perspective, what am I missing here? The impact of my decisions. I am focussing on the here and now rather than the future.

"Gin and tonic would be nice, but a fanta zero is just as refreshing and gets me closer to my goals of being happy with my reflection in the mirror."

Or

"The desserts do look tasty, but I know when I eat multiple desserts I don't feel great after and it impacts my confidence."

This reflection, if done consistently, will change the way you think and act.

Don't be fooled. This is REALLY difficult, especially if your problems are less logical than being at all inclusive. And most people's thought processes are.

Often people's thought patterns have been in place for decades and will stem from your upbringing, culture, peer influences, life experiences and more so it takes a lot of reflection to unpick this.

Logging and analysing your food and thoughts is a great place to start in becoming more aware of your thoughts and starting to reflect on them.

Do you think learning more about your mindset is essential for long term health, happiness and weight maintenance? Let me know below in the comments here.