Weight Loss Maintenance

Have you ever been really inspired by someone’s weight loss journey or physical transformation only to watch them over a period of time regain weight, return to old habits and lose their progress? We see people here and there who have success. We’ll even take the leap and ask how they did it but then we take a few steps back to observe for a while. We’re skeptical so we’ll wait and see where they are a year from now, or a few years from now. We are wary of being inspired at first only to have this short-lived hero let us down.

Many of us have plugged our ears to the coaches, trainers, nutrition programs, systems and special methods…it all starts to sound like construction noise outside your bedroom window at six o’clock on a Saturday morning…not exactly inspiring. So, what if I can just cut through the crap and tell you what you really need to know?

3 keys to lasting change:

1. You have to actually be excited about changing. That might seem like a simple notion but most of us would rather stay in our comfortable expectations rather than consider change, let alone be excited about it. It’s way easier to just keep doing what you’ve always done.
2. You can’t start in on change by running away from something. Don’t treat your weight loss journey the same way you would a race against a grizzly bear. I’m pretty sure there’s never been a person involved in a foot pursuit who simultaneously contemplates their long-term goals.
3. Plan on dealing with your own psychology more than your physical methods. If you don’t care to study your mind or how it affects your behavior you’re not going to get the results you want.

These aren’t all the keys to successfully making change in your life but they are great conversation starters. Once you get realistic about what it’s going to take, it will allow you to begin losing the skepticism about your ability to progress. I’ve maintained a healthy weight since 2010 which has given me a lot of time to think about what has separated me from the pack. If you want to talk more about it, I’m here to do that.

Dawna Stafford
Independent OPTAVIA Coach