40 Thoughts and Behaviors That Hijack Your Weight Loss Efforts

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Weight Loss -Takes Effort And Believing In Yourself

Some people seem to have an easier time of losing weight than others. If you are reading this, then it’s a safe bet that you are one of the people who seemingly can’t lose weight. As you will see, the vast majority of people like us really can lose weight; it may not always be easy, but it is possible if you are willing to do whatever it takes to shed some excess weight for good.

One of the most important things you need to do is convince yourself that it really is possible for you to lose weight. A good way to do this is to read a lot of weight loss success stories. You will find that there are a lot of people who weighed more than you and had even more difficult circumstances, and yet they were able to lose weight. If they can do, you can too. Changing your mindset is overlooked by most weight loss plans, but it is especially important if you currently think you can’t lose weight.

Another thing you need to do is be completely honest with yourself. Are you really trying to lose weight? What have you tried? How often have you cheated on the weight loss plans you have tried? Are you lazy? Are you following the wrong plan? Do you really, really want to lose weight? Now, these questions are not meant to accuse you of anything, but rather to help you take a look at yourself. There are no wrong answers to these questions, so answer them honestly and then use the answers to help you lose weight.

What Is Self-Sabotage?

Are you your own worst enemy? Often we, as humans are and it gets in the way of our own dreams, goals, and success. We act against our own self-interest, self-destruct at our own hand, procrastinate, stop doing something that we know is good for us, and prevent our own selves from achieving something that makes us better. As our own inner critic continues to sabotage our efforts, we often wonder why things turn out as they do.

According to Psychology Today, “Behavior is said to be self-sabotaging when it creates problems and interferes with long-standing goals.”

When it comes to weight loss, self-sabotage can manifest itself through our internal dialogue and behaviors. Acts and thoughts of self-sabotage deceive us into thinking they are helpful, when in fact, they ultimately undermine our efforts, especially when we continue to do so for a long period of time.

Procrastination is one of the main forms of self-sabotage, and when it comes to weight loss, procrastination often prevents people from achieving a healthy weight, but there are other forms of self-destructive thoughts and behaviors that keep us from achieving weight loss goals.

2 Reasons For Self-Sabotage

There are many reasons why people sabotage themselves, but two of the most significant are self-perception and fear.

Self-perception

One of these reasons for self-sabotage is how we feel about ourselves. The spectrum of those feelings can range anywhere between self-hatred to narcissism. Regardless, it is our own internal voice, how we truly feel about ourselves deep inside that guides our thoughts and subsequent behaviors.

For example, if we suffer from low self-esteem or worse yet self-loathing our inner dialogue will reflect scripts of unworthiness of things, which are good for us. In this case, we are often guided by our own critical inner voice that is always there within us to deny ourselves.

When the critical inner voice is loud, it can interfere with our ability to implement and succeed in self-supportive actions and goals, one of the biggest of which is weight loss.

While some may think this ridiculous, after all a voice like that is destructive and any smart person would shut it down, the truth is that it’s easier said than done when in fact the human psyche and our emotional and mental states are quite complex.

That voice can trick us with subliminal dialogue that can be rather deceptive. For example, instead of directly telling us, “You don’t deserve to lose weight and be healthy,” it will instead sabotage us with flattery and seemingly self-supportive statements…

“It’s okay, you’ve got this, you lost 15 pounds already, you can handle a piece of cake”

“Wow look how much willpower you have, get off that diet already, you’re doing great

“You’re tired and stressed, take the day off from exercising”

“You’ve had a long day, you’re too tired to cook, go ahead, and grab a burger and fries”

This dialogue appears self-supportive and complimentary, when in fact it is not as all these scripts lead back to self-defeat.

As the dialogue continues, and we follow, it takes us further and further from the goal. Then when we fail once again to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves, that voice kicks us hard, “what a loser,” “ha, you failed again,” “you can’t do anything right,” which only goes to feed the negative perception we have of ourselves.

As sad and painful as this sounds, we become used to this type of inner dialogue and allow it to control our actions, after all it reflects how we feel about ourselves. We become comfortable with it and it continues.

Fear

Fear is a powerful emotion. It can make even the strongest and bravest of man cower, and often it holds us back from achieving what we yearn for. In regards to weight loss, fear is often a significant driving factor for self-sabotage.

Fear of the unknown
Fear of failure
Fear of change
Fear of something new
Fear of the effort it takes to change habits and lifestyle
Even fear of how a new body may change our lives
Fear that if we lose all the weight, we will gain it back and hate ourselves

These are very real considerations that require introspection and confrontation on the deepest levels within ourselves.

40 Self Sabotaging Thoughts You Need To Know For Being Successful at Weight Loss

“I CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT BECAUSE I LOVE FOOD TOO MUCH”

Not true, many overweight people eat every meal as fast as they can, without actually stopping and tasting or even smelling the food. They keep gorging on their meal until their guilt gets bigger and bigger. After the meal is finished, that person feels ashamed and guilty, even sick of himself.
If you want to be lean, you need to really love food and enjoy every nuance, every bite to its fullest, and by eating mindfully, you can control your portions, learn to eat slower and eat less.

“I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT TO BE MORE ATTRACTIVE”

The motivation to be attractive may seem like it’s a big deal, but once you get hungry you will easily forget about those people to whom you want to become likable.
Whether you want to be healthier, feel lighter on your feet, have more energy to play with your kids, or fit into a hot dress, those are your best reasons, and not any external sources, which are never a strong enough motivator to keep you going.
The greatest success comes when you do it for your self

“I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT BECAUSE I WANT TO LIKE MY SELF”

The truth is that statement is backwards, you must first like yourself, which motivates you to lose weight.

“I WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT TO KEEP MY SPOUSE, BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND”

Lasting, weight loss success can only be achieved when you do it for yourself.

“I WILL NEVER LOSE WEIGHT, I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH WILLPOWER”

Willpower is misleading, and plays a lesser role in weight loss than people think. The key to lasting weight loss success is making profound habit changes and shifting mindset towards a healthy lifestyle.

“THIS LATEST FAD DIET WILL HELP ME FINALLY LOSE WEIGHT”

Diets don’t work, they only keep from your ultimate goal. Lasting weight loss comes from making profound lifestyle habit changes in diet and exercise.

“IF THIS DIET DOESN’T WORK, I WILL TRY ANOTHER ONE”

How many diets have you tried in your life? 10? 15? 40? If diets worked, you would have been done with the first one.

“I CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT, THERE IS NO POINT IN TRYING”

This is the most perfect self-sabotage statement. Think about it, you’ve already lost without ever entering the game.

“I’M TOO BUSY TO TAKE TIME FOR WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS”

Another classic excuse to avoid the effort, work and face the fears of making the changes necessary to change.

“I WILL START MY NEW DIET TOMORROW, TOMORROW, TOMORROW…”

Tomorrow is today, and the other tomorrow was yesterday and the day before that. How many tomorrows do you have left? The time to start is NOW.

“I HATE HEALTH FOOD, SO I CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT”

Another perfect excuse that keeps you in your comfort zone, the truth is that many people lose weight without eating “health food.” Calories in/calories out is all that is needed to lose weight.

“WHAT’S THE POINT IN TRYING, IT’S TOO HARD TO LOSE WEGHT”

Nothing worth having is easy, sure you can take the easy road, but walking while carrying 100 pounds is harder, getting heart disease at age 40 is harder, dealing with type 2 diabetes is harder, dying prematurely due to obesity complications is hardest.

NOT MASTERING MODERATION

Lean and fit people don’t typically deprive themselves completely, but instead have mastered the art of moderation. They may order dessert but take only one bite, versus eating the whole slice of cake.
Learning moderation allows you to never feel deprived, and still be able to enjoy your favorite goodies while losing weight.

KEEPING UNHEALTHY FOODS YOU CAN’T RESIST IN THE HOUSE

Temptation is unnecessary and dangerous.

THINKING THERE IS A CORRECT WEIGHT

There are formulas that calculate your weight based on your weight/height ratio, and the BMI scale, but we are all individuals. You should strive to reach your own goal, no matter what any formulas say.

BLAMING OTHERS

“If my spouse was only nicer, I would not eat these donuts,” “If my girlfriend hadn’t invited me out, I would not have eaten that slice of cake.” These are all just excuses.
Weight loss success means taking personal responsibility. This is something you need to do by yourself, for yourself, no responsibility dodging!

THINKING ABOUT YOUR OVERWEIGHT PROBLEM TOO MUCH

There is a lot more to you than your weight. Any obsession can be harmful, so make the effort to lose it, but don’t let it take over your life or your thoughts.

SEEKING OUT FOOD AS A SOURCE OF HAPPINESS

For some, eating becomes an emotional event, rather than a bodily need. Work on changing this mindset and belief, because this type of thinking is another form of addiction that will hijack your weight loss efforts.
Seek happiness from healthy sources.

OVERREACHING IN WORKOUTS

Many get gung-ho when starting on a new weight loss journey, and they engage in extreme workouts that are beyond their current capabilities. Before long, they get burned out or injured and in reality, this is just another way to sabotage your own efforts.
Working out is usually much more effective if done properly, and at your own fitness level.
Going overboard doesn’t help and actually makes you depleted, weakened, hungry, until eventually you just give up.

THINKING WEIGHT LOSS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DO FOR A SHORT WHILE

Diets don’t work.
The word diet is usually correctly perceived as a temporary plan, hence the typically statement, “once this diet is over, I will…” usually this needs with people going back to their old habits, which leads to them gaining more weight than they took off with that diet.
Permanent weight loss success starts and ends with making permanent and lasting lifestyle habit changes, period.

THINKING LOSING WEIGHT AND STAYING LEAN MEANS YOU WILL NEVER EAT SOMETHING YOU LIKE AGAIN

Deprivation is never the answer, nor is it a necessity.
This belief scares and deters people from taking the weight loss journey.
Moderation is not only smart, but promotes long term and permanent weight loss success.

TAKING ONLY HALF MEASURES

Profound lifestyle habit changes take full measures, but you can make them gradually.
Baby steps! Take it slow and easy, go one step, or one meal at a time.
Focus on changing unhealthy habits, one day at a time.
Do not concern yourself with the end goal, just today.

TRYING OUT DIFFERENT METHODS FOR LOSING WEIGHT AND QUITTING WHEN YOU DON’T FIND ONE THAT WORKS

Always do your research, even when you found something that works.
If it doesn’t work, search and try more.
Sometimes you may even need a combination of various different methods and routines. You may take a bit of one and other bits from another, and so on until you find what works for you.

NOT MAKING WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS YOUR TOP PRIORITY

It takes great attention and vigilance to make the habit changes necessary for long-term weight loss success.
If you want to succeed with weight loss, you must make it a top priority.
This may mean avoiding social engagements, drinking, and risky behaviors that can lead to falling astray, deter you or otherwise slow down your progress, and also learning to identify these as they apply to you.

NOT ENJOYING YOUR FOOD ENOUGH

Even though some resistance will be present in the beginning, when you change your diet, you should strive to enjoy your new dietary plan as much as possible and researching those healthy foods you like.
Try different recipes, and different foods until you settle on the choices that please you most.
Try to engage yourself more in the process of making food. Cook for yourself.
Try and find ways to make it more pleasurable for you.

NOT COOKING YOUR OWN FOOD

If you want to enjoy eating healthy, learn to cook and prepare your own meals.
Learn new recipes
Discover the many ways to make eating healthy pleasurable.

NOT EATING MINDFULLY

Eating mindfully means chewing your food slowly and enjoying each bit of bite-by-bite.
Eat every dish and meal with care and concentration, this allows you to eat less because the body has sufficient time to register satiety, and you will mentally appreciate eating much more.

NOT GIVING YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE ENOUGH TIME

Whatever routine you pick for yourself, give it time to work. Do not judge if it’s effective or not too soon, being impatient in seeing results can only lead to giving up before the magic happens.

NOT EATING ENOUGH VEGGIES

Vegetables have virtually no calories and are a great way to stave off hunger.
They offer you vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other vital nutrients that are essential in maintaining good health and physical strength.

NOT EATING ENOUGH HEALTHY FATS

Food rich in healthy fat is what will keep you full and prevent hunger.
Healthy fats are needed for various bodily processes, and the brain.
Omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats are your best options, including fatty fish, nuts, avocados, and olive oil.

NOT CHANGING YOUR OTHER BAD HABITS

Leading a healthy lifestyle goes beyond just eating and exercising, as you want to strive for and achieve all-around wellness in mind, body and spirit.
Make sure to get good sleep, and reserve time for stress reducing activates like relaxation.
Everything you do has an effect on your weight loss efforts, like working too much that can lead to stress eating.

NOT THINKING IN TERMS OF PERMANENCY

You should strive for and accept that all the new habit changes you are making as permanent, and not temporary.
Set your mind to “not going back” to your old ways.
If after you have lost some weight, or even if you’ve reached your goal, you go back to the way you led your life before, your weight will eventually come back on, it always does. Many times, people gain even more than they had the first time around.

NOT CELEBRATING EACH SUCCESS

A 5 or 10 pound loss may not seem like so much when you have a lot of weight to lose, but it is a big deal!
Celebrate each success and each milestone and build on it to keep you going until your reach your goal and beyond.

STARVING YOURSELF

Starving actually encourages the body to retain fat and reduce muscle mass.
If you starve yourself, you are sending your body signals that it won’t get food any time soon, and it starts hording calories to save for later as metabolism slows to a crawl.

EATING TOO MUCH GRAIN PRODUCTS

Moderate carb consumption
Eat healthy whole grain carbs before midday or for breakfast only, or breakfast and lunch
Get most of your carbs from vegetables

LISTENING TO YOUR INNER CRITIC

Is your inner critic always nagging you and lurking in the background of your days? Learn to shut that voice down.
Our inner critic makes us our own worst enemy, which drives self-defeating behavior that will affect your weight loss efforts.

SETTING UNREALISTIC AND DRASTIC GOALS

“I want to love 30 pounds in a month,” I will work out three hours a day,” and other unrealistic and unattainable goals are only a set-up for failure.
Some people set such goals because subconsciously they know that it will never happen, and it gives them an eventual reason to give up.
Drastic goals will never help you reach your goal, instead take small steps, and set realistic goals or even short-term mini goals that lead to a major goal. This strategy will keep you moving forward, and while it may take more time, it is much more feasible and achievable.

NOT MASTERING MODERATION

Lean and fit people don’t typically deprive themselves completely, but instead have mastered the art of moderation. They may order dessert but take only one bite, versus eating the whole slice of cake.
Learning moderation allows you to never feel deprived, and still be able to enjoy your favorite goodies while losing weight.

INDULGING FEARS

Fear often keeps us from taking action, and drives self-sabotaging behavior. Fear that you won’t succeed, fear that others will judge your new lifestyle, fear of the unknown etc.
Evaluate and identify your fears and then overcome them, face your fear and do it anyway!

BELIEVING THERE IS AN END TO WEIGHT MANAGEMENT EFFORTS

After you achieve your goal or lose some noticeable weight, you may find yourself thinking that your work is over, when in reality weight management is a lifetime endeavor, especially for those who have lost a lot of weight and are prone to weight problems.
The new life style that brought you to your new weight status is permanent, there is no reverting to the way things were, as your weight will come back, and you will have to start over.

NOT BEING KIND TO YOURSELF

You may have a slip every now and then, you may even give up for a week, but never berate yourself or become your own worst critic.
Be kind to yourself, and accept the mistakes, but get right back on track and continue with your efforts.

Final Thoughts

Self-Sabotage can be a serious detriment to achieving our weight loss goals. It is important to consider and address these issues in order to ensure success in weight loss and even in other areas of our lives.

It never hurts, and often helps to seek professional help in exploring these issues, especially if they have been a life-long problem. A qualified counselor or therapist can help you identify why you self-sabotage if you are not able to stop this behavior on your own.

Stay well and take care!