Psychological Adaptation For Successful Weight Management
Mindset Shift For Successful Weight Change
One of the most important, if not the most important aspect, related to weight loss or gain is the psychological approach you implement. Beyond all the standards related to the physical activity and dietary approach, a well-rounded understanding of a few psychological changes in mindset can better prepare and assist with your weight management journey. The following techniques can improve or reinforce your current mindset, but before you attempt another journey understand these few tricks and use them as a resource to achieve your goals.
Self-Confidence
It’s often understated, just how important self-confidence can be, but self-confidence may be one of the most important characteristics for success. Higher self-confidence and self-esteem have a direct affect on general physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual well-being. It’ll allow you to avoid the negative impact of self-doubts and negative thinking patterns, and reinforce increased resilience and tenacity, improved interpersonal relationships, overall happiness and the ability to maintain an open and willingness for new opportunities. Being self-confident with higher self-esteem and self-efficacy can be the gate way to understanding, knowing and setting bigger, yet achievable goals.
Accountability
Accountability or the responsibility for your actions can help dictate the path towards success. You have an obligation to continue succeeding and making daily improvements to better yourself. Seeking and confronting challenging situations should be sought out willingly, which in turn results in promoting greater self-confidence. The unrelenting drive and passion to better yourself versus yesterday’s version of yourself is the ultimate goal. One core principle discussed in Navy Seal Jocko Willink’s book, Extreme Ownership, is taking on responsibility or accountability for every action, success and failure, no matter the role you played in the overall outcome. Whether it be a small or large contribution, you can always find areas where improved planning or input would’ve decidedly changed the outcome of the situation. Blaming other individuals will only result in a failure to learn and grow from these situations, so instead of blaming other individuals for a result you should look inward. That inward reflection creates growth and an understanding that you’re in control of your fate and your choices will directly create the outcomes you seek.
Acceptance
Self-acceptance and societal ties (teamwork) are strong predictors in overall success. Self-acceptance is the ability to accept all of your attributes, both positive and negative, without any judgements. Embrace your individual characteristics, practice self-compassion, and strategize to reach goals with your individual strengths and weaknesses in mind. Self-reflect and use those previous experiences to understand how they’ve impacted your current self. It’s important to remember, every individual has potential and no matter your current situation you can use it as a strength. For example, an individual that is “too skinny” may have the benefit of a higher metabolism or “too big” may have a higher baseline of stronger lower body musculature. It’s all how you perceive your current situation and use those strengths for your benefit.
Physical fitness, weight management, etc is in a unique field because it’s a non-zero sum game where anyone and everyone can win without another individual losing. Use external motivation as an aid for improved overall health. Utilizing teamwork, encouragement and praise from group goal attainment, and general use of social modeling or learning a behavior by observing another person. Simply, we understand we can succeed after witnessing another individual similar to yourself succeed. Thus, you should use teamwork and surround yourself with other like minded individuals to drastically improve overall motivation, success, and self-confidence allowing greater self-acceptance and understanding.
Gaining better appreciation for self-confidence, accountability, and acceptance is a skill you should practice. Try the following techniques to improve your mindset.
Choose realistic, yet challenging goals to accomplish
Goals should be a SMART (Specific for each person, measurable, attainable, relevant to self, and have time to achieve by) goal for best practice.
Make comparisons, but only to your previous self (Today’s versus yesterday’s version of yourself)
Comparing against other individual’s creates envy and self-destructive thinking patterns. Similarly, constantly comparing current and past self can become self-destructive when obsessive thinking patterns occur.
Practice self-affirmations or positive self talk
Affirming values and beliefs with short statements to reinforce positive attributes
E.g. I am a world-class physical therapist/movement expert
Build positive relationships
Surround yourself with a community of positive, like-minded individuals to assist your growth. Make sure to reciprocate your efforts
Use the Restore Function challenge page, connect with co-workers, and challenge yourself with fitness and health goals
Beyond the psychological adaptations, check out how TDEE effects weight change and 3 important weight management tools.
