All about your mindset, or mine..

I think there is a cycle of mindsets that you go through. At least that’s how it is for me. New program=honeymoon phase, later in the program=grind it out phase, and just when you start thinking WTH am I doing this for (usually as fat-loss slows or food gets boring or you miss out on some VIP dinner, dessert, or event because of your diet)? You get a big swish in inches/pounds, a compliment from someone that you haven’t seen for a while, you buy new jeans, or you get a side by side comparison of your pics and you go “oh yeah, this is why.”
I get into the food is boring and I’m sick of chasing fake full stage. Blowing everything up with water for more volume gets old, but every biweekly I see a few changes and BAM new attitude. So in general I love this process. I love this journey, but there are definitely days that I feel like I am crazy.
You have to decide what kind of dieter you are. Are you the kind that needs a few off plan meals here and there to look forward to in order to enjoy the journey and can stand a little bit slower progress for your sanity? Or the type that grinds it out day in and day out to get it over with sooner in order to move on to the next phase? I personally am somewhere in between and lean more one way than the other at different times.
I generally don’t love but don’t mind dieting. I don’t feel bad about packing my scale or my food into restaurants. I don’t miss drinking or staying out late all that often. In fact the main thing that really gets to me is the occasional feeling that I am being selfish. It can take away from the experience for the family or my husband when I am eating canned tuna while everyone else is eating the restaurant food. Or that I won’t go meet my husband at the bar because it’s late and I have to get up early to train and I don’t want to be away from my food. In the grand scheme of things though it’s small. Although we will probably always pack our meals and train like crazy, someday free meals will be slightly more abundant and I can plan family dinners and date nights around those times. Pizza will not fall off the face of the earth if I don’t have it today as shocking as that may seem ?.
I also try to keep in mind that each phase is temporary and therefor should be enjoyed. It’s all about having a better today than yesterday, because it all adds up to great things mentally and physically. I can’t unlearn what I know now (if I fall back into old habits then shame on me), so I focus on today and being 100% my own personal best with growth in mind. That’s all you we can do. Bring our best to the table every day.
Thank goodness for biweekly time, because even if you have had a hard week or two, when you fill out that information it sort of renews your spirit and it doesn’t seem that bad.
My husband used to ask me all of the time if I know what my goals are and my response is always, “I just want to continue to enjoy the process.” Sure most of us want a six pack and a bicep vein. I would love some quad separation, but as far as solid “this is what I want” goals? No, because I don’t want it to become work. For me this is play and I would love for it to stay that way. Start adding rules, deadlines, and definitive have-to goals and watch it turn sour real quick (at least for me).
I guess what I am saying is
1. What you experience has a lot to do with your attitude.
2.Thank goodness for support and accountability.
3. It won’t always be the honeymoon phase but overall it freaking rocks! ?
4. Just when you think that you are crazy for doing this, something will change and you will feel refreshed and ready to rock it out again.
5. If you ever find that you are stuck in a bad spot mentally lean on your coach or an awesome support group to help you grind it out.
6. Every phase is temporary so enjoy it because each phase has its gifts as well as its drawbacks.
7. Don’t forget to take diet breaks so you don’t go crazy.