Written by: Georgette LePage, 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.
One critical mindset shift during your weight loss journey is my favorite saying: “Nothing tastes better than healthy feels.” Let’s unpack that thought! I’ve said this phrase for years and keep it taped to the top of my desk and read it outloud all the time. When you are determined to shed unwanted pounds, it is very helpful to reframe your thinking in a positive way that builds up your motivation instead of tearing it down. The amount of focus that you put into a goal will determine your results. When you first put this mindset into action, it does take a little practice to turn it into a mindless pattern and a long-lasting habit. Again, remembering your entire journey and the weight loss goal at the end will eventually become enough motivation to do what best supports your goals. Here are a few examples of everyday life situations and how to steer them into the direction of your weight loss success.
SCENARIO No.1: You’re eating healthier food in order to lose unwanted pounds by Christmas. You’ve put a lot of thought into why, how, and when you will do this. You’re even working with a health coach to be sure to have accountability and all of the resources and tools you need. So, you accept a friend’s invitation to a cookout and show up with the intention of choosing the healthiest options that align with your current food plan. You even bring a veggie tray with you to be sure that there will be something that you can choose to eat. Although desserts are not on your fuel list right now, you stroll by the dessert table and admire all of the yummy, sugary options. The longer you linger and look, the weaker you are becoming to resist the temptations before you. The “old” version of you would have already given in to one of these treats by now. Today, however, you stop and remind yourself that “NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN HEALTHY FEELS”. You allow yourself to pause and think this through logically. You remind yourself that any of these desserts will not end up tasting better than your goals will feel. That being said, you walk away feeling empowered and proud of your decision to stay on course to a healthier you! Good for you!
SCENARIO No.2: It’s your birthday and you’ve already lost 20 of the 30 pounds that you want to lose with 2 months left in your projected goal date. You’re feeling pretty confident around food and have developed a kinder, more functional relationship with food. Your family has invited you over for a birthday dinner and Grandma has insisted on making you her famous triple-layer chocolate cake. You have thought this through and arrived at the dinner with a few possible plans to stick to your goals while appreciating the kindness of family members. After a pleasant dinner, which you navigated like a pro, the yummy cake is plopped in front of you with everyone looking at what you are going to do. (This is a very real situation and can cause a person a lot of anxiety, so I highly suggest planning ahead with some options.) You arrived with 2 plans: 1) Smile and ask for a tiny piece of cake and eat it very slowly, perhaps even leaving a little extra on your plate. 2) Smile and politely say that you are full and would like to take your piece home (which you may or may not plan to eat later). Based on how you felt about sticking to your goals tonight, you chose to politely say that you are full and would like to take your piece home. WIN-WIN! Your grandma’s feelings aren’t hurt, nobody can argue with the statement “I’m full.”, and you have more time later without the pressure of others to remind yourself that “NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN HEALTHY FEELS”. What a great decision to feel healthy at that moment! Your goals belong to you even though there will be times when other people simply do not understand your commitment to your goals. Remember that YOU are in control of your own health and that’s just the way it is!
SCENARIO No.3: You’re at work and the boss brings in two boxes of your favorite donuts and tells everyone to dig in! This one is tough for you because you used to always eat donuts when others brought them into work. You didn’t even think about declining them; it was a habit and everyone else was doing it, so why not join in! However, you’re a month into your weight loss journey and you have made lots of progress and have started to create some new food choice habits that are working for you. Your clothes are feeling a little looser and that makes you feel determined and hopeful for more progress. You repeat the mantra “NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN HEALTHY FEELS” in your head every time you feel hesitation to make the best decision about what you are eating. Today, you’re thinking that these donuts are only available in the summer and are seasonal and oh so yummy. What if you never get to have them again? Then, thankfully, your superpower LOGIC steps in to remind you a few things. First, You’ve worked too hard this month to make significant changes in your eating habits, such as eliminating sugar. These donuts would not serve you. Second, yes, these donuts may be seasonal, but maybe next year you can have one when your fuel patterns are more stable and you can better plan for them. It’s not worth it today because you prefer how healthier food feels and how you look as a result. Lastly, let’s face it; you’ve had enough donuts in your lifetime and can be satisfied with the memory of how they tasted in the past and move forward. I promise you based on experience that this is a very effective way to move on to new, healthier foods. It truly is how you choose to think about a situation and that’s what gives you your power!
In short, it comes down to priorities, focus, and dedication when you practice mindset shifts like this on a daily basis. It can make the difference between significant weight loss or regressing back to where you started at the beginning of your journey. It is truly part of transformational habit change which leads to results that are long-lasting. Doing the hard work up front pays off eventually! Tapping into your determination and focus will get you the results you want with your weight and your health. I speak from experience! You’re worth the work!
Georgette LePage, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette's energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on a healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self-confidence, and self-care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years of experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!
