How To Mentally Lose Weight in 10 Ways

how to mentally lose weight

Is Your Biggest Enemy Yourself?

Negative weight loss mentalities: those voices inside your head – the good vs evil, the daily battle that rages in us all, the weight loss mentalities that hold us back – can be a swift kick to the gut! Between your ears is where the weight loss battle begins.

This year, stop being your own worst weight loss enemy and drop these weight loss mentalities.

Drop these weight loss mentalities

If you constantly tell yourself that you are worthless, can’t lose weight, or are destined to be heavy then that will come to fruition.

It’s the “you are what you eat” mentality or more to the point “you are what you think”.

This is the year where we drop that crappy mental baggage and get started towards a badass you! Here are the top 10 weight loss mentalities that HAVE TO GO this year!

1. Right Now This Very Minute

“I have only lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks on my new program…it must not be working!”
“I have a wedding in a week I have to lose 15 pounds now!”
“Psssshhh who has time to sustainably lose weight over the course of months – I know I can lose that much weight in a week!”

Weight Loss Mentalities ClockBottom Line: How do you honestly expect to lose the weight that has taken you months and years to gain in a matter of weeks? Be realistic if anything at all – it’s going to take time!

Anyways, things that drop in our laps usually aren’t as appreciated as those we work for! Give yourself at least 4 weeks before you see noticeable, small changes and even 8 weeks for your friends and family to notice.

2. Go Hard or Go Home

“I have to work out until I puke – that’s the way they do it on the Biggest Loser!”
“WOW I just started and I’m so friggin sore, I better still get up and run 5 miles!”
“Dude, I can lift way more weight than that guy – let me show you!”

Bottom Line: As a beginner, this is a very common misconception that you have to puke in order to “workout”. That’s a terrible idea considering your minimal exercise capacity.

Pushing yourself that hard can result in injury and program dropout. I highly doubt you will stay on a program that requires you to puke each time you exercise! Start slow, build up your exercise capacity, and increase the intensity of your workouts as you progress!

3. Where’s That Magic Pill?

Weight Loss Mentalities Pills“Damn, weight loss is hard – where be that magic pill?”
“I can get rid of a cold with pills surely I can get rid of this fat. I mean it’s the 21st century!”
“Screw perseverance these pills say they can help me lose 15 pounds in a week – sounds legit!”

Bottom Line: What’s the point of losing 15 pounds in a week, only to regain it and more in 3 weeks?

Sounds like some serious physiological discomfort, not to mention the mental stress that would occur during the regaining period! Lose weight the sustainable way, teach yourself how to live a healthy lifestyle, be gentle with yourself and you will get results!

4. Starving is the Only Way

“I must not be dieting if I’m not starving!”
“I lost 10 pounds eating 1500 calories so if I eat only 1000 calories I will lose even more!”
“If you aren’t starving then you aren’t losing weight!”

Bottom Line: As with all of these negative weight loss mentalities, these are all false. You need to create a small calorie deficit that allows you to slowly lose weight while not being hungry 24/7.

A small calorie deficit is gentle on you and won’t have you craving an entire bag of chips at 11 pm. For instance, a simple 100 daily calorie deficit equates to 36,500 calories a year or over 10 pounds worth of calories a year! Plus, when you restrict too many calories your own physiology works against you to stop losing weight.

5. Running Is the Only Way

“Must keep running, must keep running, just keep running!”
“Running burns more calories than lifting so I will just skip that altogether!”
“There is no way to burn considerable calories strength training so it’s only running for me!”

Weight Loss Mentalities runBottom Line: This may be the most common misconception among the ladies out there. Running is great for cardiovascular health and burning calories but it needs to be combined with strength training to see the greatest results.

Strength training helps burns calories, improves cardio health, builds strength, builds lean muscle mass, increases your exercise capacity, ignites your metabolism, improves bone health…etc. it’s pivotal for a well-rounded, healthy life!

6. I Can’t

“I never have been able to and never will – I simply can’t!”
“How can I do something I have never been able to before?”
“It’s simple, I can’t lose weight!”

Bottom Line: Like all of these negative weight loss mentalities, this is straight-up BS. You can simply do anything you truly believe in and put it in your mind too!

You see the people that lose weight and you think there is no way you can do that. Well, guess what? They were just like you at one point except they actually stood up and began to make a change in their lives! You can too – it’s your life!

7. I Don’t Know What To Do

Weight Loss Mentalities Question“I have no idea how to create a successful program!”
“Exercise routines are hard and intricate – I have no idea what I’m doing!”
“What the hell is a “lat” or “HIIT session” for that matter? I’ll just stick to running!”

Bottom Line: This is actually one of the more understandable ones but is still a bad mentality. You can easily find hundreds and hundreds of workouts online – for instance here – and you can even ask the employees of your local gym for help.

There is so much information out there that anyone can find a program that fits their lifestyle!

8. It’s Too Hard

“Wait, you mean I have to stay active and watch what I eat to lose weight? Hell no then!”
“Wait, you mean I actually have to work to get in shape? Hell no then!”
“Wait, you mean there is no magic pill? Hell no then!”

Bottom Line: This one I hate the most when it comes to negative weight loss mentalities! To get the results you’ve never had you have to do what you’ve never done, right? That might mean getting out of your comfort zone and doing some things that are “hard”.

How hard something is, is only a state of mind. See it as an easy, fun task and it will feel more like so. Obstacles really “Ain’t no hill for a stepper!

9. I’ll Start Next Week/Month/Year

“Hmm, I got to lose this weight…but I have a big weekend planned, I’ll start next week!”
“Just one more cookie – anyways I’m starting my killer exercise program next month!”
“Well Hell, it’s already March the year is almost over – next year I’m going to get in incredible shape! Only 9 more months until then!”

Weight Loss Mentalities CalendarBottom Line: This might be the most frustrating one for me to hear! You need to begin TODAY! Start making small changes today that can add up to big results!

Begin today, learn today, fail today, get back up today, start being the person you want to be today, stop using lame excuses today, strive towards your true potential today!

10. It’s My Fate to Be Fat

“I’ve tried before and nothing has worked, I’ll be trapped in this body forever!”
“My parents were both bigger so that’s how I will be – it’s genetics!”
“There’s nothing I can do – I will be screwed!”

Bottom Line: While you can only play the cards you’ve been dealt you can still win the pot! Yes, genetics can play a role but so can your willpower.

If you want something bad enough and actually commit, you can still lose weight. You can still reach your goals with nutrition, fitness, and motivation! It may take longer, you may not lose as much as you hope at first, it may be harder than Hell but we are talking about your life here!

Wrap-Up

The crap people tell themselves every single day just absolutely blows my mind and actually angers me! As a trainer, it annoys me that I can see the amazing things you could accomplish but the only thing holding you back is yourself!

It’s not your family, it’s not your job, it’s not your circumstances…it’s you!

How do you not see the potential inside yourself? How do you not see the amazing things you can accomplish if you quit calling yourself a failure? How do you not know that ANYTHING is possible if you just stop telling yourself to quit?

Guess what? Your worst, utterly clueless, P.O.S. enemy is right between your ears – a root that enemy out and watch how far you can go! If there is no enemy within then you can skyrocket to a mind-blowing stratosphere!

Now I’m off to workout – or maybe I’ll just wait until next week!

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Josh is the founder of DIY Active - your at home fitness source! He enjoys blending the latest science and expert advice with health practices to help you exercise smarter at home!
Josh Anderson
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