Hey there. Weight loss is emotional. I think that is something we can all agree on. There’s history tied up in it, and there are feelings that surface every time we step on the scale, try on clothes, or think back to the messages we’ve heard about our bodies for years. I’ve spent much of my life, like many of you, being aware of my body and trying to change it. What I’ve learned is that the key isn’t to ignore those emotions, but to honor them and then create systems where emotions don’t run the show.
I’ve found that if you can make some parts of your weight loss journey almost automatic, it helps take the pressure off. That’s where minimum daily actions come in. These are the small goals you set for yourself that you know you can exceed. For example, if I typically work out for thirty minutes, I’ll set my daily goal at twenty. When I hit that goal, I almost always push beyond it. Even on days when I don’t want to go, I can tell myself “just twenty minutes.” By the time I’ve hit twenty, I almost always stay to finish the full workout, and sometimes I do more. That extra effort builds a powerful belief that I don’t just meet my goals, I surpass them.
This works for weekly goals too. If I aim to go to the gym five times a week, I set the weekly goal at four. When I hit four, I’ve already succeeded, and any extra trip makes me feel like I’m leading my own process. It flips the mindset from chasing your goals to charging through them.
I also use this mindset when I track progress. I encourage people to take scale numbers, photos, and waist measurements together. When you do all three, you take power away from the scale by making it just one part of a bigger picture. And here’s something that’s been a game changer for me…after I track, I stand in front of the mirror for one minute and talk myself up. That’s my “mirror build up” time. It resets my head and stops the number on the scale from setting the tone for my whole day.
This approach builds the foundation the fitness industry never taught us. It’s not about chasing magic. It’s about creating it. You can lead your weight loss process with calmness, consistency, and belief in yourself. And you’ll see that once you start doing this, you can apply the same approach to every other area of your life.
If you’re ready to build your foundation and work through the inside/out process with guidance, join one of my YLF programs.