In my last blog post I introduced how Janet successfully lost 40 pounds and has kept it off for more than two years. She continues to partner with me and consistently makes the tiny habit changes that have made a such a difference for her. The first two tiny changes she made were to stop skipping breakfast and lunch. What was the key to her success? Although she lacked confidence in the beginning, she was willing to get started and receive support.
Consistency made all the difference for Janet. But how did she make tiny changes consistently instead of abandoning her efforts after a few false starts—the fate of most failed New Year’s resolutions? One thing that worked well for Janet was that she got support during her sessions with me. Also, her husband Steve became her accountability partner. Steve had called me first for help and then Janet joined him on his weight loss journey. With teamwork and consistency Janet and Steve have each lost 40 pounds and kept it off.
Read excerpts from my new book, Happy Life at a Healthy Weight: Creating a Shame Free Healthy Relationship with Food for more about how to create new habits and use them consistently for lasting success.
Changing Habits to Build a Healthy Relationship with Food
It may be easier than you think to build new and sustainable habits with consistency that will help you successfully lose weight and keep it off. If you focus your attention with the right mindset and actions, your hard work will bear fruit. It may seem obvious that it takes a focused mind to lose weight and keep it off. But just what is a focused mind? It means using sustained attention and an intentional process to move in the direction of your goals with aware, conscious choices.
A flexible structure, process, and plan that is sustainable makes for long-term success. The comprehensive lifestyle change program I offer is designed to empower you to make better choices by changing habits. It’s not a diet with strict requirements. Instead, you are offered a flexible structure that allows you to eat anything you want selectively by paying attention to how much and how often you eat specific foods, especially when they are processed foods that are high in calories, salt, saturated fat, and sugar.
Creating A New Habit: Where Consistency Starts
How do you create a new habit? Begin by building one new habit at a time that yields greater confidence and consistency each day you do it. Awareness is the starting gate of habit change. The first step is to define what new habits you’ll need to become who you want to be—the kind of person who has a healthy relationship with food.
The next step is to develop a process to get there. Let’s start by looking at one habit you want to change. Choose a pesky habit that is getting in the way of your progress and asking yourself this question: What is one specific habit do I want to change that will help me lose weight and keep it off? Be specific. For example: eat a smaller amount of food at dinner.
Taking Action:
Once you’ve decided on a habit to change, ask yourself, “How can I turn this intention into consistent action in support of my weight loss journey?” Take a few minutes to reflect on what would have to happen to make it easy to consistently apply this new habit in your life.
Here are two ideas you can use now that we’ll further explore in my next blog post. Consider how to apply your new habit consistently in a way that’s easy to remember by linking it to:
- A specific location and time.
- Another habit that is well-established.
Click here (embed link below) for our last blog post about how to prepare for 2025 by aligning your expectations and actions for a happier and healthier Year.
How to get started now?
Want to discover your biggest obstacles to weight loss success? Take my interactive quiz to identify your top Inner Roadblocks and what first steps to take to remove them at: https://www.sweetlifewellness.com/roadblock-quiz/
With love and joy,
Kay
Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
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