Here is a scenario: 

You have a goal to lose a 10kg in 6 months and choose to do an extreme diet that is over-restrictive and cuts out a food you love completely.  You last the first week and have great success dropping 2 kg however the second week comes and you are struggling to get motivated already! Now the chances of you completing the diet for 6 months is greatly diminished and therefore you are less likely to reach your goal.  

The goal to lose 10kg in 6 months is great and is possible however the choice of an extreme diet is the downfall and the mindset to which you decided to use it is the bigger problem. You were looking for quick results and something that is not sustainable. This is called a rigid mindset which leads you to failure.

For success adopt a flexible mindset, one that understands the goal is a process and is more sustainable and better for your overall health. A flexible mindset has 3 important qualities:

  1. Adaptability: Being able to adapt to different situations and obstacles in a consistent manner is going to determine how long your diet will last and continue to maintain weight loss.
  2. Habits: For weight loss to achieve and maintain the program needs to become a lifestyle change. There should be no “on and off switch” and the sooner you accept that this is a habit the faster you will break through
  3. Long-term perspective: Understand the process takes time and that a gradual approach is more successful for habit formation. Understand why restrictive diets won’t last and that a better approach will gradually build and will incorporate holidays, re-feeds and maintenance blocks.

Coach

Zac