7 Things To Remember On Your Weight Loss Journey

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just go to bed tonight and wake up thin tomorrow? Unfortunately, no-one’s figured out a way to achieve that yet! Even with bariatric surgery, losing weight involves sustained change measured in years not days.

Here are 7 tips to help you stay motivated during your weight loss journey.

1. Be patient

It’s very hard to be patient when you’re longing for something – just watch any kid when the countdown to Christmas starts!You’ve probably been above a healthy weight for a long time. You’re tired of it. It feels like change is never going to happen. And you so desperately want to change.

Weight loss won’t happen overnight. But, with the right support and a series of sustained changes, change is possible.

So be patient. You’ll get there.

2. Set realistic goals

You can talk to your healthcare team about appropriate goals. A goal of losing 15 kilos by next Thursday is likely to result in disappointment. A goal of losing 5 kilos before your sister’s wedding in 6 weeks’ time is much more realistic.

Then you need to think through how you will reach that goal. How will you know you’re on track? Again, your healthcare team can help you to break down your big goal into smaller, weekly goals that help you stay on track.

3. Have a growth mindset

A growth mindset is an attitude that believes you can learn from setbacks, find inspiration from others’ success, embrace new challenges and achieve new things.

How does that relate to losing weight? Well, it means you may need to rephrase some of the thoughts in your head and turn them from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

Fixed thought	Growth thought
‘You’ve failed to lose weight so many times before. You’re bound to fail this time too.’	‘You learned a lot in each of those attempts. You can use that knowledge to help you this time.’
‘Look how far there is to go. I’ll never get to a normal weight.’	‘Look at how much healthier you’ve become already. You’ve already lost some weight. You can keep on losing more.’
‘I hate exercise.’	‘I like moving my body and discovering its strength.’
‘I’m stressed! I need a box of donuts.’	‘It’s OK to have one donut if I really want but it won’t help me relax or feel better. I’ll phone a friend for a chat, do some deep breathing exercises or go for a walk.’

4. You don't have to tell everyone

This one really depends on your personality and your support network. Some people find that telling others helps them to stick to their goals and means they’ve got some encouraging supporters in their corner.

Others find telling people less helpful. If you’re surrounded by frenemies who are constantly trying to get you to eat cream cakes then they’re probably not going to be very helpful in your weight loss efforts.

So, you don’t have to tell everyone. But you’ll probably benefit from telling some people.

Researchers say it’s easier to keep going with weight loss when you have support, can share tips on diet and exercise and have an exercise buddy.

So, you might want to tell close and supportive friends and family. If you’d like a larger cheer squad, you might choose to join our patient support group where you can meet with others who are on the same journey.

5. Get hold of your diet

You need to ensure that the contents of your kitchen support your weight loss efforts. That means understanding food labels, planning your meals, beating boredom eating, buying healthy ingredients and creating healthy snacks so that you can easily reach for something filling and nutritious when you get the munchies.Our dietitian is here for you if you’d like advice on a filling, tasty and nutritious diet.

6. Get inspired

What motivates you to lose weight? You don’t just want to be slim. You want to be a healthy weight because….

How would you end that sentence? Because you want to join in more? Keep up with your kids? Have more energy? Look great on your wedding day? Feel fitter and stronger?

Then hold that motivation in front of you regularly. Put helpful thoughts on your fridge, stick up some photos that inspire you or use some tracking tools to monitor your progress.

7. Our team is here to help you the entire way

One of the most important things to remember when losing weight is that it’s best done with support.We’re here to help you every step of the way, giving you evidence-based strategies for weight loss, trouble-shooting any difficulties and celebrating your success with you.

Book an appointment today.

Disclaimer

All information is general in nature. Patients should consider their own personal circumstances and seek a second opinion. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.