It’s Too Hard to Lose Weight

by Linda Spangle, RN, MA

Do you have times when losing weight seems so hard that you want to give up and quit? Most people struggle with this thought, sometimes on a daily basis. So how do you keep going when you think you can’t take it? And how do you stay on your diet when it feels way too hard?

This may be a time to change your self-talk. Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!”

Whether you’re writing a book or following a diet and exercise plan, your thoughts play a big part in your ability to be successful. So when you decide it’s “too hard” to accomplish the goal, you may actually prove that you’re right by letting up on your efforts.

During times when you start thinking it’s “too hard” to lose weight, recall some of challenges you’ve faced in the past. If you’re like most people, you’ve done a lot of hard things in your life. Giving birth, working at a job, moving to a new city—all of these fit the description.

In reality, you CAN do hard things. So instead of blaming this for your diet failures, remind yourself, “Of course it’s hard. But I’ve done a lot of difficult or challenging things in my life, and this isn’t any different. I can do hard things!”

I’m not suggesting that it’s easy to lose or maintain your weight. But easy is not the goal. What’s important is making progress and achieving outcomes.

One of my favorite authors, Natalie Goldberg, once said “If writing was easy, everyone would do it.” Weight loss works the same way. If it was easy, there wouldn’t be so many overweight people in the world. And the people who are successful with losing weight accomplish the goal in spite of the fact that it’s hard.

Strengthen your belief that you “can” stay on your weight-loss plan, then affirm that thought on a daily basis and make it come true!

For more details on staying on a diet when it feels too hard, see Day 71 in the book 100 Days of Weight Loss.

©2007 Weight Loss for Life, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission from Linda Spangle, RN, MA, Weight Loss for Life.
http://www.WeightLossJoy.com/
http://www.theWeightLossCafe.com/

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