Written by: Jacqui Grant, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
How many times have you been on a diet, lost weight only to regain it again?
Maybe you have had weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) and not kept the weight off.
Frustration becomes part of your life. Anger may even be present. You may be questioning how others can have long-term success, but you do not seem to be able. Why is it that no matter how hard you try, which diet you follow, the results do not stick? Why, why, why? Your mindset is of failure, leading to further frustration and anger, a sense of your goals being unattainable!
I hear this question and others every day as an advanced weight management practitioner, personal trainer, and someone who has kept their weight off and living a healthy life for over 3 years.
The key to long-term success is so simple, and I will explain how you can have long-term weight loss or, as I like to refer to it, long-term weight loss release in this article by making a few minor changes create a can-do mindset.
1. Clear Goals!
Have clear goals and keep your goals to a maximum of five. Any more than five goals are too many, and your energy and focus will be scattered. I encourage my clients to have three goals, and they are each an extension of each other. Precise wording of your goals is also important, as this helps you to know and believe that you can and will achieve your weight loss goals. It is important to have a short-term goal or two, then a medium-term goal, and finally a long-term, big vision goal. Writing your goals with as much detail as possible helps you to feel connected to that goal and what it will feel like, what life will be like for you when you achieve it.
2. Can Do Language
Self-talk is immensely powerful in either achieving your goals or taking you further away from them. When you speak, your subconscious mind is always listening and what you hear is what you believe to be true. You then go about seeking supporting evidence of your belief. For example, the word “Loss” subconsciously and consciously sets into action looking for what is lost. However, when it comes to weight, you do not want it back. Well, most people do not want to regain the weight. Therefore changing/replacing the word “loss” with “release” shifts to the mindset and belief pattern. You will focus on releasing the excess weight and gaining health and fitness. The language you use whenever you speak can be empowering and encouraging. If you find yourself talking about what you wish you could achieve or what is not working more than what is working, then I encourage you to stop, reflect and then choose different words.
3. Action
When you have clear goals, use the can-do language, you then naturally take action towards your goals. This is because you believe that you can achieve your goals and see results, and then you keep making choices that support those beliefs. Your actions may include parking some distance from the store and walking a little bit further than normal as a means of adding in some form of exercise to your day or choosing to have a salad instead of fried food when out with family or friends.
The more action you take towards your goals, see results, the stronger your mindset is, and your belief that you will achieve these changes will help you develop new habits which over time become normal—something you do naturally without thinking about it too much.
Now let us bring it all together for you.
Clear Goals, Can-do Language, and Action all help you to have a successful mindset or not. When you believe in your heart and mind that you can achieve your weight, fitness, and wellness goals, you will do everything you can to prove yourself right. After all, as human beings, we are always looking for proof that we are right. Being right brings a sense of achievement and pride. It feels good to be right. Therefore, as you apply these 3 simple steps towards achieving your weight goals and, in turn, improve your health, you will discover just how easy it really can be.
There will be, at times, challenges and even setbacks. However, the more you focus on what is possible and why your goals are important to you, the more likely you will create new habits.
Connecting with the right people such as myself to help you with breaking through barriers with your mindset and habits is also beneficial as I can help you understand why you have been taking the action you have and support you as you create new behaviors.
Remember that you are worthy of living your best life and achieving long-term success with your weight, fitness, and wellness goals.
Jacqui Grant, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jacqui Grant is a highly sought after Weight Management, Bariatric Surgery and Wellness Coach, Personal trainer, soon to be Advanced Weight Management Practitioner, International Best Selling author of 3 books, (Break Free & Go For It!, Life Beyond Obesity! (Jacqui’s story of transformation) and Can-Do Bariatric Surgery!) who is dedicated to help clients around the world to stop feeling overwhelmed, tired and embarrassed by their weight, by showing them how to create long term changes in their food choices, change their relationship exercise and develop a “Can Do” mindset to live their best life! Jacqui also helps those who have had or considering having bariatric surgery how to achieve their goal and keep the weight off and work with professionals such as personal trainers to understand bariatric surgery.
Jacqui has worked as a nurse, coach, personal trainer, manager, and owns her own business, Break Free Consultancy, where she can work one to one with her clients or through her programs, courses, challenges, and her books. Empowering others to break free, go for it, and live their best life!
