Fear of changing??? Good! At least you are thinking about changing!! It is the first step.
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Four Stages of Authentic Change:
1) Anticipation
- The exciting stage of change where we anticipate the benefits and make our transformational plans.
2) Regression
- When things get worse before they get better
3) Breakthrough
- When we finally see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel
4) Consolidation
- When we turn the benefits of change into business as usual.
Thoughts on above stages applied to weight loss.
Anticipation:
Agee with above!!! This is the wonderful stage when you feel that childhood idealism anything is possible and everything you try will work!!! You will be able to do it and stick with it. You will be successful!
Regression:
Your adult self with learned cynicism chimes in a casts doubt. “This is just a gimik,” and “they are just trying to scam people out of their money,” or “I have tried in the past and have failed, will this be a waste of my money?” And let’s face it all of the valid concerns are real concerns! The issue here is will you accidentally pass over a good thing because of this learned cynicism?
Breakthrough
You did your homework, you decided this time you will persist, and you are losing weight! Ironically in the weight loss world, this seems to be the hardest hurdle!!!
I know shocking. But haven’t you noticed anytime you hit a “micro” goal, or suddenly people start noticing and commenting you “look great” that you actually start to stall in your ability to “stick to the plan?”
I am not sure why this phenom seems to happen, but it really happens!!
For me, apart from the “sugar withdrawal” stage, is the hardest part of weight loss!!! In fact this past year anytime I hit my own “micro goal” I wouldn’t tell my husband!! I had learn, the hard way, anytime I seems to tell him my progression I suddenly would be “splurging.”
This is the time to PERSIST.
Consolidation
When you have been persisting for so long, the “process” actually becomes ingrained! In it actually a lifestyle.
The kicker here, when it comes to weight loss for those with a history of “adiposity” being able to change the way our brain is “wired” can take YEARS!!!
In fact many don’t realize this, many are stuck in the “it takes 3 months to change.” That is BS!!! Like an alcoholic needs to just abstain for 3 months and suddenly they won’t be an alcoholic?? NO WAY.
It’s about forming new pathways in the brain. The old pathway will always be there. It’s more about both forming and making the new neuro pathways (ie way of thinking/living/doing/habits) and then making those pathways strong!!
And this can take years!! #bummeriknow After all, thinking about how many years you have been living/acting off these old pathways that caused you to gain weight!! It kind of makes sense it would take years to form new ones that can overcome.
But knowledge is POWER. Knowing this you now know why you likely failed in your weight loss attempt in the past. Because you didn’t realize it was normal to fail!!! Those “failure” pathways will be there, of course, you will give into them. But now you know as long as you persist, you will continue to build new pathways that can help you get to your “goal.”
Interesting article to help you start reading about how the brain can actually change and form new neural pathways that affect behavior:
The Neuroscience of Behavior Change Helping patients change behaviors by understanding the brain
