Creating lasting change requires the right mindset. Short-term motivation may help you exercise and eat a healthier diet for a few weeks, but without the right frame of mind, you'll find yourself reverting to unhealthy habits. To make a lasting transformation, it is important to have a plan to shift your mindset towards weight loss.

This article provides seven practical tips to help you refocus on your weight-loss goals and start seeing results with a healthy mindset.

1. Create a Plan

Making a plan for your fitness journey is a half-battle won. Planning for your next day, for instance, knowing what you will eat for the next day and understanding what exercises you plan on doing for the week, will help you stay motivated. Try picking healthier choices in your food, like dry fruits, nuts, vegetables, or protein bars for snacking. As you plan a routine, you will notice a healthy lifestyle following you.

2. Set Self Discipline

Developing the right mindset to achieve weight loss requires self-discipline. This means having the resolve to say "no" to people and situations that may interfere with your goals. To make the journey easier and bolster your self-discipline, it can be beneficial to remove temptations. For example, if you usually pass by a fast-food restaurant on your way home, consider taking an alternate route to reduce the chances of giving in to temptation. If you find yourself ordering online more than necessary, remove food-delivery apps from your mobile device.

Another part of achieving self-discipline is setting mini-goals for yourself. These small goals might include tracking your progress, making lifestyle changes, and going for regular health check-ups. Routine body checks are the key to ensuring you're not developing a health condition that could become serious later. Moreover, nowadays, you don't even have to carry bulky old medical records every time you visit your doctor. There are many Digital Health Locker such as Health-e that can digitise your medical records by storing your previous health reports in them.

3. Lay Out Realistic Expectations

There's nothing more disappointing than setting goals and not being able to achieve them the way you thought you would. This disappointment is often the result of unrealistic expectations. When you employ unachievable goals, you're laying out a trap for yourself. You trick your mind into thinking this is what you can carry, and when you cannot do it, your motivation declines, and your mind might not be ready to set another goal.

Hence, it's important to set realistic expectations. Some examples can be eating healthy, eliminating junk food, avoiding processed food for a month, or losing one kilogram a month.

4. Aim for SMART Goals

To make sure you're not disappointing yourself with unrealistic goals, set SMART goals instead. These are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. They are small, attainable objectives that can be committed to over a specific period and are within our control.

Translating SMART goals into a series of healthy habits can be a beneficial way to improve overall well-being. This can include shopping with a pre-determined list, preparing meals in advance, replacing high-calorie beverages with water or other no-calorie options, having grab-and-go items readily available in the refrigerator, or stocking healthy snacks in the car.

5. Pick the Right Diet Plan

An effective weight loss diet needs to be an organic lifestyle choice, not a strenuous endeavour. It should nourish you and not leave you feeling lethargic.

Various diets have been developed to encourage weight loss, such as low fat, keto, low carb, higher satiety, Mediterranean, paleo, vegetarian, carnivore, vegan, and low calorie. Whatever diet plan you choose to go with, here are some key points to keep in mind:

  • Make sure your diet considers protein along with other high-value nutrients
  • Carbs with fibre and high nutrition should be given priority as per your tolerance levels
  • Cut down or limit your intake of sugar and processed foods
  • Ensure the diet is not restrictive of calorie intake for an extended period
  • See whether it holds fat to eliminate blandness

6. Take Fundamental Challenges into Account

When following a diet, one must be aware of potential obstacles. It's beneficial to analyse the situations in which temptations or cravings are likely to occur, as well as the environment, events, and emotions that may make it difficult to stick to the diet. By anticipating these obstacles and tailoring one's environment and relationships to support their goals, you can increase your chances of successfully following your diet.

If you cannot avoid the challenge faced when losing weight, don't let it defeat your willpower. Instead, view it as an opportunity to prepare for obstacles and temptations. By equipping yourself with the necessary resources and options, you can overcome any challenges that may arise when attempting to alter your lifestyle.

7. Track Your Progress Without Aiming for Perfection

Slow progress should be acknowledged as progress nonetheless. It is not necessary to rely on the weight scale for validation of your efforts towards a healthier lifestyle. Instead, focus on the "non-scale" victories such as improved sleep, increased energy, clearer skin, and improved clothing fit. These are all signs of real progress and should be celebrated. Doing so will motivate persistence, even on the most challenging days.

Lastly, it's important to Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for your accomplishments with something that will make you feel good, such as a movie trip, a manicure, or something that is not food-related. Pat yourself for all the hard work you have put in towards meeting your goals, such as losing some kilos or a few inches around your waist.