FEMALE MUSCLE

It’s not just about training hard and following the right nutrition plan. Your mindset plays a major role in whether you hit your fat-loss goal or not. A mind free of negative thoughts and beliefs will make you unstoppable! Let’s look at three significant ways that our minds can sabotage our fat-loss success:

Perfectionistic Thinking
Positive thinking is one thing, but many people set themselves up for failure by imagining nothing but perfection when they set out to lose the weight: no traffic, sick children, or long meetings. Life does not play without these challenges. You must accept that there will be setbacks; otherwise, stress levels can soar sky high when something unexpected happens. High stress causes cortisol levels to be too high and out of balance. This prevents fat loss. Focus on consistency and have a backup plan for when the unexpected does happen.

A Lack of Vision
Wearing glasses won’t fix this one. I’m talking about visual imagery: the ability to see progress towards and the end result in your mind. You cannot attain what you cannot see. Your mental images have be congruent with what you want your body to do; otherwise, it will resist you. How does the end result look and feel for you? How does it look as each day plays out with you sticking to the plan toward your goal? Most high-level athletes are quite good at visualizing, as it is a skill that they have developed. Anyone can learn to visualize, and it’s a powerful tool for success. A secret weapon? Keep a journal. Have a vision board. Take mindful time each day for 10 minutes to sit and imagine the end result.

You Think You Don’t Deserve It
You might be thinking, “What is she talking about?” But I’m serious. This is actually the most insidious roadblock to fat-loss success. You likely don’t even know that you think this way. Experiences and messages from an early age end up planted in the part of our mind that is out of our conscious awareness. This subconscious mind can work for us or against us, depending on the messages it receives. For example, an authoritarian or perfectionist parenting style may have had you frequently hearing that you did things wrong or needed to do better and try harder. This can instill messaging that you are not okay as you are. You are not enough. One of the most fundamental human needs is love. We need it and find it in positive ways and negative ways. Your parents may have thought they were doing you a service, but what can happen is that you instead felt shame, guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. It causes low self-worth and thoughts such as “I am not good enough,” “I don’t deserve it,” or “Everyone else is better.” The subconscious mind continues this repetitive messaging into your adult life and out of your awareness. The consequences of this show up in the conscious world. Fat-loss sabotage is one of them. You don’t think you deserve it. You may start and stop and never really see the success you want. I hope I haven’t lost you because this is an important one! It can be fixed. It’s a matter of identifying underlying messages and reprogramming your brain to be in line with success. I recommend The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. It’s an amazing book that will help you get out of your own way. I keep it in my library and frequently make reference to his work in my coaching practice.

For more help on how to get and keep yourself inspired in the gym, and in the sport, click here!