I have been in the Health and Fitness Industry for over ten years and while there are complicated equations that can help you determine the right macronutrients for fat loss, muscle gain, and maintenance, the biggest determinant for whether or not someone succeeds or fails at the program is not what is written on their meal plan or exercise sheet.

The biggest determining factor for whether or not someone succeeds or fails at their program is what is in between their ears.

It’s their mindset and how they view the ability to change.

In the self-improvement classic, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen said:

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves.”

You may want to lose weight but that won’t happen until you improve your mindset and believe that you can actually do it. I recently spoke with someone who has undergone weight loss of over 100 pounds.

When I asked this person about the change in mindset that enabled her to accomplish this goal, she said:

“You have to believe that you can do it and that you will be successful. You have to believe you’re not stuck.”

It all begins with the belief that you CAN succeed and that can only happen when you improve yourself through personal development.

This is the missing component from most fat loss programs.

Trainers stress the mechanics of the program: the calories, the protein, carb, fat grams, and type of exercise but they neglect the spirit of the program — how does this person feel about herself? Does she believe she can be successful?

Is there a history of failure that this is going to be one more diet, one more unsuccessful attempt at change, and one more failure?

If so, then breaking through that wall MUST be part of the program.

Change MUST come from the inside

Fluff-o teachings say that if you’re in a marriage where you are miserable and have gained a substantial amount of weight, then the answer is to lose weight. Once you lose weight all of your problems will be gone and your marital problems will be fixed. (I have heard other trainers say this BTW and it chaps my hide every time).

How many know this isn’t how it works?

I am not a marital counselor or a psychologist but I do know that any type of “success” like this is unsustainable or short-lived because it does not get at the root of the issue.

As a health coach when I dig deeper with a client about their WHY, I do not focus on the weight being the CAUSE of problems because even if they do lose weight but have not addressed the root cause of their problems they will be disappointed.

The Cinderella myth of weight loss

There is a myth that weight is to blame for all of our problems and that once you lose weight all of your problems will be solved.

Noted fitness expert and author Scott Abel says this:

‘The research is also quite clear that because most people have unrealistic expectations about the impact that fixing weight issues and appearance issues will have on their lives, they will tend to be disappointed even when they accomplish these goals. For instance, dieters who operate under the assumption that losing weight will somehow transform themselves and their lives into something better — something I call “The Cinderella Myth” — My question is, can you see the “Cinderella” intention in the marketing of “magic” pills, herbs, “systems” and all the rest commercials of before and after messages that “my life is complete and so much better now that I lost weight”?’ I include this study because even its title is something to pay attention to! (Brownell, K.D “Personal Responsibility and Control Over Our Bodies: When Expectations Exceed Reality” Health Psychology, 1991)

In other words, your life will not change because you followed a diet plan, exercise, and lose weight. Your life will change because YOU change through the process of self-discovery during your journey to self-improvement.

It’s not about the result. It’s about the process that will lead to the result. The PROCESS is where you will improve yourself.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time for you to stop focusing on trying to change your body from the outside in and work on improving yourself.

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