We’ve all been there… you set a goal (ie.. losing weight), you accomplish your goal (ie.. lost 30 lbs) and the next thing you know you’ve relapsed (ie.. gained 40 lbs).  It doesn’t necessarily have to be weight loss, it can be any goal that you’ve set.  Below we will discuss why we continue to go through this never-ending process and then some strategies and solutions we use to help our clients break the cycle.

A TYPICAL SCENARIO…

We all have good intentions…. To lose weight for example.  We create the greatest workout plan and formulate the best diet we can and have plans to start our new program the following Monday. We start strong but by Thursday we find ourselves craving a pizza.  On Saturday we skipped our workout because we had plans with friends, Sunday was your “day off” and Monday we didn’t workout because you had a busy day at work which also led to poor diet choices again.  You tell yourself that what has happened to you over the past 5 days is ok because of “whatever reason”.  Yep, that sure makes you feel better for that particular moment and then you make plans to start again next Monday.  Sound familiar?   That’s a very common scenario, one which we personally have done countless times.

WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS?

It’s not all your fault.  There are plenty of psychological and emotional factors that play into this.  When it comes to weight loss, most people focus entirely on the physical aspects such as diet and exercise.  However, there is an emotional component to food and activity that most people overlook that can quickly sabotage their efforts.

Various emotional states such as depression, anxiety, lack of confidence, lack of purpose, social factors, etc. are just a few aspects that need to be addressed.  Self-control, hyperbolic discounting and temptation costs are some other components that play into our inability to “stay on a diet” or “continue with a workout”.  Now throw in some negative self-talk and lack of accountability and there’s no wonder why we struggle with these never-ending cycles.

In addition to the above emotional factors there are other elements such as hydration, rest, activity, relationships, career, etc. that are just as important.  When one of these elements is “lacking” it can definitely effect your diet, activity or any other part of your life.  You can learn more about these elements and how they all work together HERE.

SO, WHAT DO WE DO TO OVERCOME THIS?

Well, the first step is to understand that you are not alone and that you’ll need to open your mind to making some changes to overcome these obstacles.  It kind of goes back to the old saying… “If you keep doing what you’re doing you’ll keep getting what you’ve got”.

There are many different strategies available to overcome these hurdles and create balance in your life.  At Longshore Health Coaching we use a coaching method called the Core 9.  The Core 9 Coaching Method involves using Motivational Interviewing with empathy and reflective listening to uncover the client’s intrinsic motivation, focusing on their natural strengths and increasing their self-efficacy (believing they can do it!).

We don’t believe in instructing or telling the client what they should do as it is proven that this style of coaching is very ineffective.  What we do believe is that the client is more likely to succeed if they are the ones choosing their path.  We help our clients identify their personal barriers and come up with solutions to overcome them.  This is how lasting behavioral transformation starts.

We have only touched on a very deep and complicated topic but we want to let you know that there are solutions to help you succeed with your goals whether they are weight loss, stress management or healthy lifestyle habits.  You can learn more about our programs HERE or schedule a no obligation call with us HERE.  We’d love to see how we can help you finally make a lasting transformation in your life.

Yours in health,

Steve and Lindie Longshore