When you spend a majority of your life living in weight loss mode it can be hard to strive for a goal that is outside of weight loss. You find yourself saying that when I reach a certain number on the scale I will be happy, but what happens when you get to that number and you find yourself choosing a new target to hit. The question is when will enough be enough? When will I feel happy and content with where I am at?
For many years I found myself asking the same questions and searching for the answer of when is it time to shift gears and just be content with the physical goals I have achieved and learn that it is okay to be happy with being able to maintain my results
From a young age I found myself constantly feeling like I needed to *diet* and was fixated on reaching a number on the scale. This way of thinking followed me through my teenage years and into adulthood. Diet culture is always focusing on a size and it is no wonder that it gets stuck in our heads that we need to be working towards hitting a certain weight rather than actually asking ourselves how we feel and if we are happy with the achievements we have made.
I think the large part of the frustrations we feel is we start these new diets and workout strategies thinking about achieving the goal state rather than maintaining the goal state.
This couldn’t be more true! Why do we not focus more on maintaining the goal rather than achieving the goal?
Why? Because the results we achieve from maintaining our goal are not visible as watching the number on the scale go down or being able to go down a size in clothing. We get so fixated on the adrenaline of achieving the goal that we lose sight of the bigger picture.
Living in maintenance might not be as glamorous as we want it to be, but it has taught me 5 important lessons.
Being able to maintain the results you have achieved is a huge accomplishment!
Yes it takes a lot of time and effort into achieving a physical goal, but it doesn’t end there—Celebrate the goal, but also celebrate the ability to sustain those results.
Stop using the scale to measure your progress!
Regardless of if you are in your a maintenance phase or in a weight loss phase the scale shouldn’t be what determines your progress. Look for other ways to measure your progress. Whether it is how your clothes are fitting, you have more energy, are you sleeping better? These are the deciding factors if you are making progress not the scale!
It is okay to be happy with where you are!
Recognize how far you have come and celebrate it!
Don’t let the fear of going back to square one consume you.
It is natural to feel nervous about walking into the maintenance phase of your journey, but don’t let the fear of undoing the progress you made hold you back. You have worked hard to build up daily habits that will help you sustain your results. Have faith in yourself!
If you are feeling unsure about starting your maintenance phase hire a nutrition coach!
A coach has the knowledge and tools to help guide you. They are not only there to help you lose weight they are also there to help you maintain it.
If you’re not sure where to begin, reach out and have a Coach build a plan just for you! Book your FREE No Sweat Intro here.
