Manage Your Expectations

Having the right mindset and expectations is fundamental to your weight loss success!

If your weight loss goals feel out of reach and you feel like throwing in the towel because none of your hard work ever seems to payoff, keep reading this blog to help you get out of this mindset.

“Never give up on yourself because hard work forever pays off!”

The hard truth is that your transformation will not happen overnight, and for most people, probably not in a few weeks either. Expecting significant changes to occur in a short period can really hurt your self-esteem and hinder your progress if you stop believing in the process and yourself.

Take, for example, if your friend told you that they are planning on running a full marathon tomorrow, but they have never jogged more than a kilometre in their life, how would you rate their chances of finishing the race? Probably not very high because you would instantly recognise this expectation as obviously unrealistic. A wise person would prepare for weeks to months of CONSISTENT hard work and training to achieve their ultimate. This would involve setting smaller goals that are realistic and celebrating every one of those small milestone achievements along the way.

So why is it that our thought process tends to be very different when it comes to weight loss related expectations? Our weight increases over weeks to months to years due to poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyles, and underlying health conditions. Still, we expect to shed it all off in a matter of days to weeks. Again, this is obviously unrealistic and self-defeating.

The rest of this blog is dedicated to providing you with a few practical tips to help you match your efforts to your expectations and achieve the best results throughout your journey.

CONSIDER YOUR STARTING POINT!

A critical step to setting realistic expectations is assessing your starting point. You must look at this starting point with self-compassion but still be honest with yourself about:

• What lifestyle have you been leading over the last weeks, months, years that resulted in your weight gain? Consider your eating, drinking, and sleep habits.

• What is your level of daily physical activity? Consider how often and how hard you exercise and how much movement you engage in outside of exercise.

• What is your current health status? Consider whether you have any injuries or conditions that may impact your weight loss journey.

• What is your history and your family history? Consider whether you have always been overweight growing up, is there a history of weight-related issues in your family.

• Consider anything else that helps you build a big picture of your current reality.

SET REALISTIC GOALS!

Take your time to set short-term and long-term S.M.A.R.T goals that are actually meaningful to you and achievable. The goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. You will save yourself from shooting too high or too low by getting clear on each aspect.

Be mindful not to place any pressure on yourself that is unnecessary. Think about what advice you would offer your best friend at the same starting point and do your best to apply it to yourself. Remember that this is not a race; it’s a journey that should be enjoyed. So be sure to celebrate your short-term achievements along the way!

REMEMBER THAT THIS IS YOUR JOURNEY, NOT ANYONE ELSE'S!

Worrying about anyone else’s opinion of you OR comparing your weight loss journey to someone else’s OR surrounding yourself with people who do not support your weight loss journey can set you up for an almost guaranteed failure.

So, keep your focus on yourself, set realistic expectations, put in maximum effort, honour this commitment you have made to yourself, and love and celebrate yourself along the journey. You will be surprised by just how much you can achieve!

Put in the hard work and trust the process over a more extended period of time. It doesn't matter at what speed you are progressing: at any speed, forward is forward. Never give up because hard work forever pays off!

And always remember, the body achieves what the mind believes! So believe in yourself and your ability to reach your goals!