While you’re concentrating on your physical health, you should also think about improving your mental health. Along the way, you might find more confidence as the pounds shed or your clothes get loose. Losing weight naturally is very challenging, so keeping your mind healthy throughout is important to succeeding in weight loss. Here are some helpful ways to build your confidence and show your emotional health some love during your weight loss journey.
Don’t Worry About the Numbers
Don’t stress over what number shows up on the scale, before or after you weigh in. How silly, I know. Our entire weight loss relies on what number shows up on the scale. Just keep your mind on making healthy choices, and that number will drop on its own. If you own a scale, hide it. Only weigh yourself every week or less, so that you aren’t going crazy tracking your fluctuation. This can also encourage you to keep in mind that losing weight is really about being healthy and feeling good.
Therefore, if you’re not worried about a number, then you concentrate more on feeling good and having more energy. You’ll realize that this process is about feeling good. Can you imagine the confidence that comes along with not only looking good, but feeling good as well!?
When it comes to clothing, this is the best place to leave those numbers out of your mind. Your dress size isn’t tattooed on your forehead. It isn’t worn on your sleeve. So, buy clothes that FIT, and worry about looking good and fitting into your clothing rather than what size you’re buying.
Accept Compliments
This is really hard for many of us. It’s actually human nature to have a hard time accepting compliments. NEVER, ever turn down a compliment. If someone says you have beautiful skin, thank them! Don’t think anyone compliment isn’t as genuine as another.
Compliment Yourself
What we see in front of a mirror may be completely different from what others perceive. We are hard on ourselves based on what we see in the mirror, and we need to reverse that. We need to be able to look in the mirror and compliment ourselves. Try it! Look at every part of your body, and every aspect including its shape, color, size, texture, etc. Find what’s beautiful on your body – and just share that with yourself. Or, if you feel comfortable enough, ask your partner or a good friend to swap compliments with.
Being Comfortable With Your Body
If you are comfortable with your body, both physically and mentally, then losing weight will come easier. Accepting your body and its shape means you won’t stress about the things you eat, the number at the scale nor the way your pants are fitting. Hopefully, you won’t worry at all. Stress often causes weight gain, so keeping your mental health as part of your weight loss plan is important. It means your weight loss will come to you more smoothly.
To keep your self-esteem high during your weight loss, remember to reward yourself for reaching your goals. Tell your family and friends about your achievements. There is no doubt their responses will boost your confidence. Develop some sort of non-food-related reward system – put a dollar in a jar each time you make a good decision and buy something with the winnings. Involve a friend in the process and give them stickers to give you for each pound you lose. Make the reward something visual. Keep a journal or blog to look back on good and bad times, and reflect on them later.
Written by Nicole Jobst. © Iamnotobese.com