Ever heard of a “self-fulfilling prophecy”? The brain is really powerful.
If I told you to go for a drive and ignore every red car you saw, all you would see are red cars.
Likewise, if you tell yourself that you’ve got no willpower, you can’t lose weight or you’ve got a sweet tooth then guess what, they are going to come true.
What we tell ourselves matters.
It’s always easier said than done but it’s time to start breaking the cycle of thinking.
Take the emotion out of it.
You have the ability to lose weight the same way that everyone else does. It’s a physical fact.
Telling yourself you can’t lose weight makes as much sense as telling other people that gravity doesn’t affect you. The laws of physics beg to differ.
Here are 3 common beliefs that could be holding you back.
1. You think your metabolism is broken
This is a really common thing I hear.
But there have been numerous studies that show that our metabolism only starts to slow down when we’re in our 60s.
We do however start to lose muscle mass (known as sarcopenia) in our 30s but this is preventable if you train and eat the right foods.
Responsibilities change
It’s really down to lifestyle changes – you probably don’t have as much free time as you did in your twenties because now you have a family to take care of.
On top of that, you might help care for elderly parents, work a full-time job and feel stressed and exhausted.
Peri-menopause can start in our 40s and is often the most symptomatic time.
Whilst hormones don’t affect weight loss the symptoms most definitely do.
You might not be sleeping as well and suffering from hot flushes etc.
All of this has an impact on our behaviour and can affect how we feel.
When we don’t feel good, we try to change our physiology to help us feel better.
The easiest way to do this is to comfort eat or drink alcohol.
This is usually why we put on weight and because we don’t move as much as we used to – not because our metabolism is broken.
So this news shouldn’t be discouraging – it means there’s nothing wrong with you and you are capable of losing weight.
2. You have unrealistic expectations
Want to lose a stone in a week?
Eat well for a week and then give up because the scales haven’t budged?
Started running for a month and expect to look like an athlete?
There are so many scams and quick fixes marketed to us so it’s very easy to buy into all of the above.
You might feel like you SHOULD be able to lose 7lbs in 7 days because that’s how dieting clubs make their money.
As soon as you don’t you feel like there’s something wrong with you.
It’s not the case.
It takes time to learn new skills and develop new habits.
Maybe you’re not aware of what realistic weight loss looks like.
Safe and effective fat loss is between 0.5-1.5% of your bodyweight per week.
That is a sensible goal to aim for.
Avoid comparing your progress to others and keep consistent.
3. You give up too soon
So the scales haven’t budged in over a week and now you press the f%&k it button and think your metabolism is broken.
There are so many reasons why the scales fluctuate, I wrote a separate blog on this if you’d like to find out more click here
Often, people give up because of practical reasons, like only relying on the scales.
You need to use more than one method of measuring your progress.
Over time, scales can tell us if things are moving in the right direction. Emphasis on the “over time” bit.
If you’re strength training, I would advise taking progress photos along with monthly measurements as your shape could well be changing.
I’ve had clients tell me they’ve “only” lost 1-2 lbs on the scale but have drastically changed shape because they are lifting weights.
The photos and measurements are critical because they help to keep you motivated.
As well as all of the above, ask yourself, Am I getting stronger? Can I lift heavier?
If the answer is yes, it’s a good sign that you are building muscle which is great.
Tip: If you’re still not getting results
Tell yourself, you can either change your inputs by reducing calorie intake.
The best way to do this is by eating more nutrient-dense foods, e.g. fruits and veggies.
This will help lower your overall calorie intake with the aim of putting you in a calorie deficit.
Or you can change your outputs (increase your overall movement).
Increasing your step count is a great way to achieve this.
Back in Control
This gives you back control, rather than the “it’s not working for me” statement.
Now just as a side note, there are strategies that I teach my clients to help keep them feeling full and keep hold of our muscle tissue. So it’s not about starving yourself.
If you’ve not been tracking any data on your step count or tracking your calories then it’s time to start.
This will give you a benchmark so you know what to do and change going forward.
Summary
We all get demotivated and frustrated because things are not happening quickly enough.
Remember, you’re in control of the inputs and outputs.
Keep going, you can do it and it will be worth it in the end.
Interested in finding out more?
I’ve created a free guide called 5 Secrets to Fat Loss for Women Over 40.
Click here for your free copy.
