What do you think holds you back from reaching your full potential when it comes to health and weight loss? If you sometimes feel as though you get stuck in a rut and then find it really tough to keep going, here’s how you can identify what’s holding you back from finally losing weight. I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life but one of the toughest was finally losing weight. I know strong people who have jumped out of airplanes or dealt with unbelievable tragedies, are incredibly successful at work, or had to relocate their family every 18 months for years on end and still they struggle to lose weight. Why? It certainly isn’t because they aren’t strong people. Having difficulty losing weight isn’t because you aren’t strong enough or a capable person. It goes much deeper than having the right skill set or being fearless. Difficulty losing weight is often due to three factors that are holding you back.
1. Fear
There are two sides of fear when it comes to weight loss. At least there were for me. First, you might be afraid to succeed, and second, you might be afraid to fail. Ask yourself these three questions about fear of success:
- Are you concerned about what your life will be like when you lose weight?
- Do you worry about whether you will be able to maintain your weight?
- Are you nervous about how you will look or whether you will have loose skin after you lose weight?
And then ask yourself these three questions about fear of failure:
- Are you worried you will have to tell friends you once again quit a diet?
- Do you feel as though this is your last chance and there is a lot of pressure to succeed?
- Are you are fearful you can’t follow through and stick to your diet plan?
If any of these strike a chord, then you might be afraid to succeed or fail. It’s okay to be worried about what the future holds. It’s not okay to let that fear hold you back.
2. Internal Conflicts
I hate to tell you this, but you can often be your own worst enemy when trying to lose weight. I was usually the one who held myself back by self-sabotaging my efforts or engaging in negative talk about myself. You might be doing the same thing. You might be like I was and feel as though you aren’t worth putting the effort into losing weight, feel on some level like weight loss is a waste of time, or self-sabotage your own weight loss effort by eating junk food when you know better. Internal conflicts can be tough to get over. I used an emotions journal that helped me track how I was feeling. For some people, a trained counselor can be a tremendous help in sorting out your true feelings about your self-worth and how weight loss fits into that picture.
3. Outside Influences
Weight loss isn’t just about you. Not unless you live in the jungle or on an island. Your weight loss journey is individual but it is very much influenced by those around you. For instance, do you have a spouse or friend who offers you food they know isn’t on your weight loss plan? Have you ever been swayed into skipping your workout or eating something you didn’t plan on having because someone in your life talked you into making that decision? I’d be surprised if something like those scenarios never happened to you. Although you hope that your friends and family will be helpful when you are losing weight, there are times when they can unintentionally hurt your efforts. To combat outside influences from holding you back, you’ve got to confront them. Have a serious talk with people who may be standing in your way. Let them know you care for them but you need them to support you.
