Weight Management- Releasing Weight for long-term success!

Connect & Grow Magazine: Edition 12 August - September 2024

As I have shared in other editions of the magazine, losing excess weight involves a combination of food, exercise, mindset, and self-belief, along with the right support from the right people.

When they come to me for weight release, one of the first things I always ask is, “Are you choosing to release weight for yourself or because you have been told you should release weight, or in other words, lose weight? “ In many cases, I hear that their doctor has suggested losing weight or that they are not feeling comfortable in their clothes.

It's important to understand current habits and what triggers what response before making any change and sticking with it to create new habits.

For example: What do you do when you feel stressed? Do you turn to food and eat more or less? Do you exercise more or less? Do you feel tired and unable to sleep

Stress is a huge trigger for habits that are not always positive, and some people hold onto excess weight when stressed. Many people may not eat much when stressed but still struggle to release weight. When we dig a little deeper, sometimes the food choices, whilst not many, are high in fat, sugar, or salt, as those foods have a flavour that triggers the feel-good hormones that help to release the stress a little.

Brain fog is also part of how a person feels when they feel stressed, and then some anxiety occurs, which increases brain fog and so the cycle continues.

The first step to long-term success in weight release is to be open and honest about your current food and exercise habits and to be okay with changing one thing at a time.

Here are a few strategies to help you get started:

1.    Start with acknowledging your current food and exercise habits.

2.    Know your weight and clothing goals; these are your tools of measure.

3.    Which of your current habits are you ready to change? Is it food, exercise, mindfulness?

4.    Are you an all-or-nothing type of person?

5.    Are you able to hold yourself accountable?

6.    What will be your reward? Ideally not food-related

7.    What will releasing this weight give you in every aspect of your life? Think beyond being smaller in weight and body size 😊

8.    On a scale of 0- 10, how ready are you to commit to these changes in the long term? (0 not at all 10- extremely ready)

When you have answered these questions, you will notice how committed you are to creating change and letting go of old habits as you release the excess weight.

I encourage you to think about how you will handle setbacks as they occur and how you will handle your success while you are at it. Both of these are important so that you can gain insight and awareness into your behaviours and choose to make changes.

Finally, be kind to yourself. Many people are strict and lack flexibility, and for long-term success, it's essential to be kind to yourself and flexible. There will be days when you choose high-fat, high-sugar foods, which is okay. What you do most of the time has the most significant impact, and it takes time to create a new habit.

Written by Jacqui Grant

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(C) Break Free Consultancy 2024

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at the time of publication and subject to change. It is important to always seek professional advice and input.