How Can I Stop My Weight Loss Self-Sabotage?

A Guide To Identifying The Patterns That Trip You Up

By Joshua Wayne


1.    You Focus on the Wrong Things

It’s very common for people to focus on all the negatives that come up rather than on the positives.  For instance, you may beat yourself up for the fact that you splurged last night with your friends and had drinks and dessert, but you ignore the fact that you had 5 awesome days building up to that.

You may focus on the fact that the scale didn’t budge at all this week, and not focus on the fact that you lost 5 pounds over the last month.  You get caught up in focusing on what isn’t working well right now, rather than celebrating yourself for the overall earnest effort you’re making.

Maybe it’s your nature to take a pessimistic view on life.  Maybe you’re just frustrated and impatient because you’re not getting the results you want overnight. 

Regardless, the problem here is that when you keep focusing on the negatives your frustration builds and builds until you just give up and quit.  You get to the point where you tell yourself “oh hell, what’s the difference!?” and you throw in the towel.

The solution?  First, you must take a long-term view of the weight loss process.  Patience and persistence are key.  Look at this as a cross-country road trip.  It’s not a mad dash to the next rest stop so you can turn around again.  Some days on the road trip are going to be beautiful and bright; some days will be overcast.  That’s life. 

The Mindset That Eliminates Any Notion Of Failure:

Really embody this long-term approach and have patience!  Assume the mindset that it doesn’t matter a bit if it takes 6 months to get to your goal or 6 years.  In the end, what’s the difference?  A longer, slower trajectory that actually gets you to your happy, ideal weight is a thousands times better than starting and stopping over and over again for years to come.

Second, even if it sounds cheesy, be proud of yourself for the “small wins”: a good day, a choice to skip dessert, a half-pound lost in a week.  This is critical because it’s really important to allow yourself to get into a genuine, positive state of mind.  Being proud of even a small accomplishment does this.  It can shift your mood from pessimism to optimism.

Many people are so used to ongoing frustration and disappointment in themselves that they don’t get into this positive frame of mind enough. 

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