Stop thinking weight loss means you will be happy

How many times have. you looked in the mirror and thought "if I could just lose the weight, I would look better" ?

Or "if I lost 10 pounds I would feel like I'm making progress"

Or "if I could fit in these jeans my life would be better"

No? Just me? I doubt that.

Day after day women just like me and you are saying those exact words while looking at their reflection in the mirror.

So heres the kicker....it's not the weight that is the problem. It's the thought that is driving that feeling. If you don't change the way you think today, you are never going to be happy with what you see.

You won't be happy even if you lose the weight.

Society has taught us that our self worth is tied to our self image. That if we are thin, pretty, and "socially acceptable", then we are happy. Ummm.......NO! It's that kind of 💩 mindset that creates the problem. As young girls we (I'm talking to you Gen X) were exposed to a body type that was so thin it was on the verge of hospitalization. Heroin Chic. Yeah...you read that right. Dangerously thin, stringy hair, dark circles and looking homeless.

Obviously we weren't running out to do heroin to look like that, but it was unapologetically promoted in fashion ads. It's no wonder we have body image issues.

But today I want to share something that might just rock your world. Losing weight doesn't mean you will be happy. If you don't solve the problems that are keeping you angry, sad, lonely, depressed and disappointed are not coming from the number on the scale. They are coming from your brain 🧠 .

All of the emotions are connected to thoughts.

🚩"I hate the way I look in jeans"

🚩"Nothing in my closet fits me"

🚩"I'm never going to lose the weight"

🚩"How did I let it get this bad"

These thoughts are what trigger the emotions. That is the root of emotional eating - late night snacking, doom scrolling til 1am. Grabbing comfort food when you have had a shit-tastic day and vegging out in front of the tv 📺 . Running to the drive through because you are so exhausted from work, kids, side hustles, and ALL. THE. THINGS.

So you are probably wondering....but Stephanie, if losing weight won't create the happiness, what will?

I'm so glad you asked!

Start thinking better thoughts.

It's really that simple.

But simple doesn't always mean easy. Some of these thoughts have been there for a looooonnng time!. In fact the longer you have a thought it actually becomes a belief. You then just think it's a fact.

Can you think of a long running thought that you believe to be a fact? Like "my family has always been plus sized, we just can't lose weight" or "I'm big boned" or some other lie that has been told over and over again.

Let me give you some action steps that you can start to use today to start to unwind the negative thinking that you are holding as truth.

Pick one thought. If you try to unwind too many at once it will be to overwhelming. Grab your journal and start writing - asking why you belief this thought. What proof do you have that it's really true.

Then start questioning each one of those things.

"Because I've always been this way" - no you haven't you weighed less when you were younger, before having a baby, before your sedentary job, etc

"I'm to old to do start a new program now" - no you aren't. You just need to find the one you want to do that fits your schedule.

"Nothing works" - have you tried everything?? That just means the outdated diets that worked in your 20's won't work for your over 40 body. That is normal. You need to find what works for you today!

What you think creates how you feel. How you feel drives what you do and that is how you get results. That formula will always be true. You can trust it and take it to the bank!

But you're here for solutions, so here it is!⤵️⤵️⤵️

So what thought keeps coming up for you?

What emotion do you feel?

When you feel that way what do you do? (this is where we want to pay close attention - get curious not serious)

Now what would you rather feel? What would you need to think in order to feel that way? It will take some practice but you can reverse engineer your thoughts based on how you want to feel.

For example - if I want to feel more confident when I look in the mirror then I need to think that I am taking care of myself and worthy of love.

My first version of that thought is "I only have one body and I get to love it no matter what I look like". That turns into feeling compassion and that drives me to want to drink my water, move my body and eat food that gives me energy. When I'm taking good care of myself I feel better. When I feel better I want to make better choices for myself.

So now that you know the formula, you can get to work on changing the stinkin thinkin 💩 that is keeping you feeling like you will never lose your weight.

You can be happy right now, in the body you have today. Then and only then will the weight loss be a product of your love and not your judgement.

If you are ready to take action, grab a pen 🖊 and paper 📄 and start journaling! Need a little more help? You can get my Anxiety Breakthrough Blueprint Guided Journal and let the prompts be your guide to unwinding the old thinking.

Weight loss isn't what makes you happy, it's your brain 🧠 .

xoxo,

Stephanie💕