Prepare for Your Weight Loss Journey

Preparing for a long-term trip has always seemed a little daunting to me. When I know I’m going to be away from all of my belongings for a prolonged period of time, and I have to prepare for the unknown, how do I know exactly what I should take? In recent years, I have become more flexible in my approach to packing. I remind myself in the process to get the necessities (toothbrush, face wash, underwear, some key clothing items) and then just grab a few items for the “just in case” (bathing suit, book, a nice outfit). Not overwhelming myself with every possibility has been the key to finding more peace when preparing a bag for my journey. It’s always good to remember that if a situation presents itself along the way, I will likely be able to reevaluate and adjust at that point in time--be it buying a jacket because I’d not prepared for a cool day or whatever the case may be.

A journey in weight loss often starts similarly. We think of it as an “all-or-nothing” principle. We think, “I’m about to start a diet, so I better splurge before I can’t eat this anymore”. The truth about the journey to weight loss is, it’s about approaching each day of the journey with a few necessities you have “packed” in your bag, and if you find yourself in a situation you aren’t prepared for, rather than breaking down and letting yourself be overwhelmed by a situation. Recognize it has a remedy, if you just allow yourself to look at it rationally and continue on.

What are some of these “necessities” to weight loss? Well, first, you need to identify the “why” behind your doing it. Do you want your clothes to fit better, do you want to feel healthy and more vigorous than you do now, do you want to be able to show up better for yourself and others each day because your brain is firing a little faster and your body reacting a little quicker? The list goes on. This “why” is going to be what you have to “dress” yourself in each day. Each day, you will wake up, and you will clothe your mind using your “why”. Your why is like your underwear, it’s the most intimate item reserved for the journey. No one else can see it, but you know it’s there, making you more comfortable, an extra layer against the elements. A boundary set between your inner and your outer layer. Something just for you or possibly only shared or seen by those closest to you.

Your outer attire is worn according to whatever goal you may have for the day or the activity--i.e. Going hiking and wearing your knobbed grip shoes and some cargo shorts to hold your snacks/drinks in the pocket, or your dress and heels for the fancy dinner. The same way we dress differently for each occasion, we must “dress” our minds for success in the weight loss journey. If you know you are going to the grocery store, prepare with the proper “attire”. Put on your “non-slip hiking shoes”, by eating prior to leaving, so you aren’t hungry while shopping. Make a list of quality items and STICK TO THE LIST, that way you avoid “slipping on the trail”--or in this case the grocery aisle.

Of course there will always be variables in the journey that perhaps we didn’t pack for. Perhaps a special social occasion where a dress or suit are required. These occasions may have specialty high calorie drinks and food delicacies. This is when you go and “buy” yourself an outfit for the occasion. You simply set a boundary for yourself before attending. Find a “dress that suits you”, so to speak, i.e. set a drink limit or dessert intake you believe is reasonable.

When you are faced with a choice between a higher quality food and a lower quality food, your clothing will help protect your mind from making a bad choice, because you will recall your why. You will remember it is more valuable to feel healthy than to satisfy your urge to sensualize your palate, because to give in to that urge, is to allow a fleeting satisfaction to take away long-term wellness. You simply have to make this decision for a long enough period of time to get yourself out of the metabolic disruption-- created by eating hyper-palatable, convenience foods, regularly.

You have got this! One day at a time, one thing at a time, with the right mindset.