My approach in the past of “eat less, move more” was really just trying to stick a bandaid on symptoms rather than addressing the true source of my struggles with my weight: my thoughts. I’m sure many of you are familiar with the “thought cycle”: in response to circumstances (the neutral facts about a situation), we have thoughts/beliefs that then create feelings which create actions which create results>results feed back as evidence into our thoughts and the cycle repeats. I had thoughts>feelings>actions that were creating the result of weight gain but I was only going one step back and trying to alter the actions (which provided short-term results of weight loss), but this was never lasting, sustainable change so the yo-yo repeated. Now that I’m going to the source (thoughts) I’m finding that I’m able to create new habits from my mindset shifts that in turn create steady weight loss results.

Examples of mindset shifts and habits for me:
🧠I am able to identify and cope in a healthy way with uncomfortable feelings rather than looking to food/drink to alter my emotions
🧠I am working on my own thought distortions around food and my self-image and building healthy habits that reinforce that mindset shift rather than looking for a silver bullet diet/exercise plan to "fix me"
🧠I am developing a daily meditation practice that helps me recalibrate my mindset in the morning
🧠I am dedicating time to learn about harnessing the power of my mind through books, podcasts, online courses, etc.

This embodies ‘the obstacle becomes the way’ (a concept in Stoic philosophy) for me. In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius says “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” My old mindset was that obstacle and changing my thoughts has led to success - right now, not just when I reach goals/milestones with weight loss - because my new mindset positively impacts ALL areas of my life.
Looking forward to hearing more about your mindset shifts and habits and whether you feel this has been an important part of your journey!

Pre-playing my day. ✔️✔️✔️If I go astray, I’ll document the next day.

Emoji = Pass
UAC: ✔️-✔️-🤔-✔️-✔️-✔️-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31

Love this subject!

Hopefully my response doesn't sound otherwise.

This is a subject I think many misinterpret in far too rosy of a manner, but the entire concept is truly what folks must do.

Sometimes you have to embrace the suck. This is where the temptation to quit can seem unavoidable. But it IS avoidable. If you can decide to quit it means you had a decision to make, and there were alternatives.

That doesn't mean you have to agonize miserably. At least not all of the time. 😊 And it's ok to feel that way, but it's not what should drive you to quit. It's what you need to get through to overcome it.

Sometimes it's two steps back and one step forward. But that's still a forward step. If you didn't take that one step forward how many more steps behind would you be?

I could go on and on, but the truth is it's not often THAT difficult (hopefully). That fortitude can make the better times even more successful.

You just have to keep going. Even if it means starting again, you're still going.

06/03/2022
Exercise – yes bike ride and cardio
Tracked – yes
Calories – yes
0 pass days used

Exercise: 15 mins walking
Tracking: yes
Calories: no
Pass days to date: 3

Today I was so far beyond my calorie limit I wasn't even going to log it, but I don't want to fall off that cliff so it all went in in the end.

Re mindset; in the past it made a difference to me when I thought about food in terms of looking after my mental health rather than in terms of weight - but lately that hasn't really worked.
I've looked back in my diary and realised I'm consistently very far from my protein goals these days, so I'm going to try to focus on hitting that target for a while which will hopefully lead to some better choices.

✅✅✅
0 pass days used

Honestly my mindset shift has been from worrying so so much about a # on the scale and focusing on living in the moment and not forever thinking tomorrow will be better so hurry up and be finished today.