I’ve noticed that information is rarely a problem when it comes to weight loss. Most people understand portion control, have access to healthy recipes and belong to an awesome gym. People are able to adhere to a nutrition plan for a while, or log their calories on MyFitnessPal (or some other app) for a few months, drink more water, or ramp up theory exercise routine for a period of time, but before long, people frequently revert to their old habits, old routines and “old selves”. After several solid days/weeks/months, they are back where they started.
I have found that people generally know WHAT to do, the disconnect appears in DOING what they KNOW.
I have seen this happen again and again, and I asked myself, “if it isn’t an information problem, what is missing in typical weight loss approaches that prevents people from effectively implementing what they know to make lasting change?”
I found many “missing links”, but for the sake of this post, will limit my discussion to three major ones:
1. Freedom
Many weight loss approaches lack flexibility, thereby leaving participants feeling restricted, which leads to cravings of all the “bad foods” they aren’t SUPPOSED to have. Ultimately, the result is that healthy foods become very unappealing and cravings for junk food increase until resistance is nearly impossible.
2. Individualized and Realistic Expectations
Every body is different. The typical weight loss approach does not take this into account and promises a loss of x pounds by y length of time, without consideration of many factors and variables. As a result, participants become obsessed with the rate of weight loss, which frequently leads to mental stress when the pounds don’t fall as quickly as advertised. The stress is quickly followed with judgment: “whats wrong with me?!”
3. A Sound Framework
The framework of most exercise programs is that exercise, meal prep, and other “healthy” habits are all things participants “HAVE/MUST/SHOULD” do, which inherently makes doing whatever it is that much harder.
Without freedom, individual and realistic expectations and a solid framework, it is difficult for people to translate their knowledge into action and as a result find themselves exhausted stressed and discouraged. Even when people get results for a brief period of time, the things you do to get a result are not the things you do to KEEP a result. And reversion described above usually occurs.
The transformational approach to weight loss is one that allows you to lose weight in a faster, easier and more enjoyable way.
If your current plan is working for you, that’s great! Keep it up. But, If you’re sick of trying over and over again. If you are tired of having knowledge you are unable to actualize. If you feel like you always end up right where you started no matter how hard you try, you are invited to a different approach that will help you lose the weight and have fun doing it.
