Today I’m blending my Master Weight Loss Coach experience with an older blog I wrote. Women ask me all the time, “Why do I sabotage myself? I know what to do. I just don’t do it!”
If that’s you then the Four Stages of Weight Loss will explain things.
Each stage shows us how what we think dictates what we do.
You probably don’t have a lack of diets, plans, DVD’s, gym memberships and more.
Here’s what you need: Somebody freaking tell me WHY I don’t do what I know to do!
These four stages you can expect each and every time you start a diet. What I teach my clients is when you KNOW the thoughts that are naturally coming you can also KNOW WHAT TO DO to keep moving forward.
WHAT ARE THE FOUR STAGES OF WEIGHT LOSS?
Stage One – Blind Excitement
This is day one of the diet. It’s all shiny and new.
You are thinking things like…
I’m ready to do this.
And when you think you are ready you feel excited, motivated and nervous.Â
You do some purging the pantry, scheduling workouts, packing your own lunch, and planning your week.
For a few weeks you are loving life and know you are totally ready to kick some butt!
Stage Two – Reality Zone
Things aren’t so new anymore. It’s all getting real.
Getting up early isn’t “fun” anymore. Your lack of sleep is slowly catching up. You might be bored of your healthy food because you’ve been too afraid to change things. The scale isn’t moving at the same pace.
You think…
It’s going to take forever to lose this weight.
You feel exhausted, hopeless and unmotivated.
You start cutting some workouts short or even out, indulge in a bit of treat here and there not planned, and relaxing on the weekends.
And you just keep finding that the weight is slowing down more and more. Why bother trying so hard if it’s going to take so long?
THIS STAGE RIGHT HERE is the one that will STOP you if you aren’t careful. And everyone MUST move through it. No skipping it.
You have to find a way to keep pushing. This means you have to stop THINKING NEGATIVE things like “this will take forever.” It will come up but it’s your job to not believe it and replace it with thoughts that will help you blow through this stage.
Those thoughts are why you lose momentum and excitement. That’s why you start doing things that STOP your progress.
Think about things like…
- It takes time to learn new things.
- I’m willing to do what it takes this time.
- Mistakes are a PART of my process; not a reason to quit.
- I can make hard things seem doable.
You can also ask good questions like…
- How can I eat better today?
- How can I finish the day knowing I did my best?
- How can I find healthy choices every where I look?
This is the stage you must be looking at what you are thinking more than even what you are eating. It’s the stage where black and white thinking can be a killer. Knowing this and being armed with new things to think about moves you into the next phase.
Stage Three – Gaining Momentum…
In this stage you have some habits forming: you are comfortable with your food, know good choices when you see them, exercise is starting to feel natural and you are welcoming your mistakes.
You likely think…
I’m really getting the hang of this.
And you feel motivated and determined. It’s different than the beginning. Notice nervous and determined have switched places?
When you feel those things you ask for help, brainstorm your obstacles, examine what’s working and not, and you try new things.
All of this makes you really believe you are getting the hang of things.
Stage Four – Cruise Control
Here you are, super confident and you know what you are doing.
You likely think…
I can do this.
And you feel in control and confident.
You make weekly plans, plan your treats, and it seems natural.
You feel that lifestyle has kicked in. It’s now just a matter of time until you reach your goal.
These are the things I teach my clients. Losing weight is so much more than just what we eat and do in the gym. Trust me. When you get the mental game in check along with your food and exercise…you cannot be stopped!
That’s the game changer ladies. This right here is why we don’t always do what we know we need to do.
If you would like to join my PNPTribe, visit my website. Let me help you like I have so many women over the last 10 years.
