The unsexy truth about weight loss

The fad diets, the skinny teas, the meal replacement shakes, the appetite suppressants, the lies, the disappointments. It all makes sense now.

The truth about weight loss is not a sexy one, so we would rather chase after a dream, a quick fix solution. How anticlimactic to accept the truth to be as simple as it actually is. The truth about long-term weight loss is you need to make positive changes to your habits and to your lifestyle to find all that you seek.

You need to get your habits in proper order. ‘Which habits?’ You may ask. Well, ask yourself the following questions:

Are you eating well? Meaning:

• Eating a minimum variety of 30 different plants per week.
• Eating adequate amounts of lean protein with every meal.
• Prioritising fibre on a daily basis.
• Staying hydrated.

Are you moving enough? Meaning:

• Going for daily walks in nature.
• Practising different activities that you enjoy.
• Incorporating resistance into your training.
• Aiming to progress in the activities you choose.

Not only is what you eat and do on a daily basis important but what you say, think and feel is of equal importance.

Mindset

Reflect on your inner world and ask yourself the following questions in regards to your mindset:

• Are you often critical of your body?
• Do you talk down at yourself?
• Do you think negatively about yourself?
• Do you procrastinate and give up easily instead of fuelling yourself with a determined attitude?
• Do you process your emotions properly or just suppress them?

The power of rest and recovery

Finally, let us not forget the power of rest and recovery.

• How is the state and quality of your sleep?
• Are you passing out on the sofa watching Netflix?
• Are you scrolling on social media until your eyes cry for help?
• Are you resting your mind and body?

You are the sum total of all that you eat, think and do. The unsexy truth about long-term weight loss is…

It requires consistent practice of positive mental and physical habits that are aligned with your goals, it requires discipline, self-compassion and a determined attitude. It takes time, patience and effort to redirect the course of the actions that make up the components of your body.

You don’t become the master of anything without putting practice and effort in, mastering your body once and for all is no different.

The fad diets and quick-fix solutions have not worked so far, each time you fail a diet the disappointment gets worse. Each time you give up, the self-judgement hurts that little more.

What if you accept there are no shortcuts, there is no one size fits all solution. What if you consider treating yourself with compassion and kindness.

You can continue chasing the magic pill, you can try more fads, you can fall for more 'too good to be true' claims, but be prepared for the disappointment that follows each failed attempt.

Whichever path you take now, eventually you will end up where the truth resides. Isn’t it time we all accept the unsexy truth about weight loss?