Starting Before You are Ready
Top 5 Mistakes Dieters Make
Mistake #5 – STARTING BEFORE YOU ARE READY
“I want to lose body fat”
“I want to be fit and healthy”
“I want to exercise and eat right”
“I want six pack abs”
I want, I want, I want. The problem is, it’s one thing to “want” something, it’s another entirely to want it ENOUGH that you are willing to take the action steps necessary to acquire it. I’m not sure that I’ve ever met a person who didn’t “want” a higher level of health and fitness in their lives, but I’ve certainly met plenty who don’t want it enough to do something about it.
There are red flags in a person who isn’t ready for true change. They have the list of wants, that part is easy. But following that list are the excuses. Here’s a few of the most popular ones: I don’t have time, I’m busy, I’m not willing to change my eating habits, I don’t want to go to the gym, I don’t want to do cardio. When I get messages from people who list out all the things that they want, and then quickly add all the things that they aren’t willing to do, I’m always honest with them. They aren’t ready. What’s the point of purchasing a plan of action if they aren’t ready to make changes? And what’s the point of seeking out guidance from someone who may have the solution if you’re not actually going to take the advice?
If you’re reading this and thinking, yes, that’s me. I want change, but I’m not ready for it. Then first off, good for you for being honest! In the long run, starting something that you won’t follow through on will lead to frustration. There is a huge difference between your experience and success when you are mentally prepared and committed vs. when you are still clinging to excuses.
How do you get to that place of being mentally ready?
1. Identify WHY you aren’t ready for change.
The most common reason is FEAR. Could be fear of failure, fear of not being good enough or strong enough, fear of missing out on something (like eating or drinking something that you think would be a sacrifice), or fear of going against the flow or standing out in the crowd.
Other common reasons are: Age – thinking you’re too old for change; Time – thinking you don’t have time to exercise or eat right; Travel – thinking that because you travel you can’t make healthy choices.
2. Take power and responsibility for your choices.
Each of us has one body, and each of has the power and responsibility over that body. The only one who can make healthy eating choices for your body is you. No-one else can choose, chew and swallow your food. Take ownership of those choices. There is little in this world that we have control over, but that is one thing we DO have control over. What a blessing it is. Because there are many parts of the world where choosing the foods they eat, or even having food on the table, is simply not an option. You and only you can choose to move your body, to exercise it regularly and to keep it strong. No-one can do that for you. If you choose unhealthy foods, which you are perfectly entitled to do, and if you choose to be sedentary, then own those choices. A critical step to readiness to change is embracing that power and responsibility of choice.
3. Change your mindset
This can be done intentionally. It may take time, but yet again, it may happen in an instant. I like to call a moment of mental change an “aha” moment. That’s when the lightbulb goes off and you realize what you are capable of! For all of the reasons I gave in step #1 there is an alternate thinking path that can lead to readiness. For those who are afraid. Rather than fear of failure, be afraid of where your current path is taking you. When the fear of the current trajectory trumps the fear of a new one, mental change can happen quickly. You can’t fail if you don’t quit, and you never have to start over if you don’t quit! Afraid of missing out on something? Maybe something delicious to eat? Something that you get to chew and swallow for a couple of seconds and then it’s gone? If you can change your mind and be afraid of what you’re missing out on the other side, this is another powerful mental shift. The real sacrifice isn’t going to be not eating something (and remember that once you achieve your goals, occasional cheats and treats are of course a part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle!), the real sacrifice is going to be continuing to eat things that give a couple of seconds of pleasure, probably followed by guilt or disappointment, and missing out on what it feels like to be fit, healthy, strong and confident. As far as age goes, it’s never too late to start making healthy choices for yourself. Think you aren’t strong enough? Everyone has had to start somewhere, even Olympic athletes. Think you don’t have time? We all have the same amount of hours in the day, and we have time for the things that are a priority. If you want to create a healthy body and lifestyle for yourself, where there is a will, there is always a way!
What if you ARE ready to change?
For your best chance of success, you need a plan of action. Far too often people jump into a weight loss journey with no map. A great example would be to buy a gym membership, but then get there and have no idea what to do! If you’re going to take a journey, you need to know what the destination is, and have a path to get there. That’s what we do at Hitch Fit. We create the map, and then you follow it! You can check out all the program options at www.HitchFit.com/store/programs
Bottom Line: Wait until you are truly ready for change before starting on a weight loss journey. Make sure you are mentally prepared for long-term, and that your focus is on a lifestyle of health and fitness. When you are ready, make sure you have a plan of action!
