<i></i> <i></i> <i></i> -4<p>In this bustling age of trending weight loss and fitness freaks, it has become highly relevant for all of us to become part of this superficial loop. But everything aside, the health benefits of fitness are inarguable and thus in our attempt to assist you gear into the right mindset for this important phase of your life, we have compiled 19 shockers that will keep stemming your weight loss regimen if your mind wavers to these thoughts. Read on;</p> <h2>#1. You have an all or nothing approach</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-1-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Some people believe that you can be either on a diet or off one. For people who lack what it takes to practice moderation, sticking to one diet becomes increasingly difficult. For instance, if someone is following a strict cabbage soup diet, they might be very disciplined about it at first. However, as soon as they slip in the slightest, their diet goes down a very dark road. They might have gone out to grab a basic cheeseburger as a reward for their efforts and ended coming back home with cheese fries, a case of beer and dessert to boot.</p> <p>Thinking in the short term regarding your diet means you will always be dieting rigidly instead of being flexible with what you consume. Rigid dieting has been linked to eating disorders, binge eating and increased body mass when compared to flexible dieting. When it comes to your health, things can’t just be categorized into black and white. A healthy balance is what is going to ensure that your diet evolves into a lifestyle rather than remaining a fad.</p> <h2>#2. You think that your new lifestyle is temporary</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-2-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Thinking in terms of short term goals rather than lifelong achievements is a mind block that prevents people from maintaining healthy weight loss. If you keep viewing your diet as a means to drop some pounds and then quit, you won’t ever be successful.</p> <p>People who want to diet just until they reach their goal weight, fail to understand that the weight will come back the moment you stop eating the way you were when you were on a diet. In fact, gaining back weight is even more harmful the second time around. When you diet excessively, you lose muscle which means you’re only going to gain fat now. Every time you waved from your diet, all you’re going to do is further slow down your metabolic system and make it even harder for yourself to lose weight.</p> <p>If you don’t want to lose 20 pounds only to gain back 30, it is time to stop viewing your diet as a punishment rather than a lifestyle adjustment that’s going to bring you a lot of good.</p> <h2>#3. Thinking about what you shouldn’t eat rather than what you should</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-3-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>If you view your diet as something that is making you quit all the things you like, you are bound to end up resenting it and quitting eventually. Rather you should make an effort to see your diet as a means to incorporate newer foods into your lifestyle that weren’t playing an active role in your life beforehand. Instead of being sad that you need to cut out processed fruits from your diet to lose weight, think about all the more space in your calorie count that you can spend on trying out different fruits. A good diet is one that does not only eliminate harmful things, but also adds beneficial things to your diet.</p> <p>Moreover, adding beneficial foods, like protein and vegetables, in your diet makes you feel fuller and healthier and fuller instead of deprived and hungry, making you less likely to cheat on your veggies with some sugary snacks!</p> <h2>#4. Want Vs. Need</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-4-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>There is a world of difference between telling yourself you can’t eat something and telling yourself you don’t want to eat something. Traditional dieting methods call for the former approach, by telling people they can’t eat certain foods. This can be a misleading perspective for several reasons.</p> <p>One reason is that telling yourself to completely boycott certain foods leads you to think that maybe dieting is a means to an end rather than the end. Another damaging mindset that it strengthens the belief that some foods are to be avoided completely, making you feel deprived.</p> <p>On the other hand, if you reach the point where you don’t want to eat anything that disrupts your dieting patterns, that’s when you know your diet is going to be successful. Next time you have to pass up something you like, instead of saying you can’t eat them, think of all the reasons you don’t want to eat that particular food. When you’re on a diet, trying to get in the mindset of wanting to eat what is good for your body is not only going to make you feel better, but will also bring you closer to your goals.</p> <h2>#5.You link bad eating habits to being a bad person</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-5-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Food can never be either completely good, or indefinitely bad. Yet people find ways to link food with being a good person or a bad person. Eating something healthy cannot make you a good person just like eating something that’s bad for you will not make you a terrible person. Not only is the idea absolutely absurd when you truly think about it, but also, the definition of good or bad varies greatly from person to person. What a meat lover would consider delicious, a vegan would consider an abomination.</p> <p>Furthermore, even if you do consume what can only be categorised as a thoroughly unhealthy meal, it in no way links back to your morals. It just means that you haven’t yet implemented great eating habits because of reasons that have nothing to do with how good of a person you are.</p> <h2>#6. You think eating less is the way to go</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-6-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>This is one of the most frustrating misconceptions out there. While it is true that your body needs to be in calorie deficit to lose weight, simply eating less is not going to help your cause. The correct way to create a negative energy balance is by eating good food that is lower in calories than unhealthy alternatives.</p> <p>Changing what you eat rather than how much you eat is what is going to bring about a positive change in your life. By eating healthy food, you will end up feeling fuller throughout the day, meaning you won’t have to reach for junk food as much as you used to. Consciously consuming less food takes so much willpower that you are more likely to stray away from your goal.</p> <h2>#7. You’re setting the wrong goals for yourself</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-7-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>While setting goals is an important part of accomplishing anything, setting the wrong goals can set you up for failure even before you have started. If your goals are too vague, you will never know if you have accomplished what you set out to achieve making you feel like your efforts haven’t amounted to anything. Set a goal that is near impossible to achieve, and you will want to walk away because your efforts seem futile in the face of how out of reach your goal seems.</p> <h2>#8. You’ve developed bad eating habits</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-8-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Habits can be a pain to kick as they become a part of your daily routine, making you feel like your day would be incomplete if it didn’t go a certain way. If your habits include daily exercise, getting enough rest and a well-rounded diet, everything will look up for you. However, if your habits include eating a breakfast pastry to go with your sweetened coffee as you take the elevator to work, we have bad news for you.</p> <p>However, you don’t have to completely cut off all bad habits. You can take it one step at a time and start replacing your older habits in favor of newer healthier ones. Your morning pastry can become a piece of fruit and you can start taking the stairs to work.</p> <h2>#9. You are afraid of becoming a social outcast</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-9-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Humans are social animals, largely dependent on the approval of those they surround themselves with. Social contact with other people is what keeps most people healthy and happy. Most of our social interactions revolve around the phenomenon of food. Our business meetings, social dinners, parties and nights out are all centred around something to eat or drink. At times like these, the innate need to be socially accepted can take over and make us forget about what is really good for us. If a colleague bakes cookies, or someone asks you out for happy hour, chances are you won’t say no. The best way to ride past this problem is to make your eating habits public and say no politely, instead of making a big deal about it.</p> <h2>#10. You fear fat</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-10-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>The media coupled with popular opinions from all around have led the masses to be afraid of fat. People have been led to believe that fat is a dangerous macronutrient that has no place in your diet. However, kicking fat completely out of your diet makes your diet low energy that won’t get you anywhere but instead will make you feel stuck and tired.</p> <h2>#11. Food is a source of comfort for you</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-11-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Most people turn to food whenever they’re stressed or emotional. While that might help them out in the short run, it can soon become a habit. Before you know it, you’re gorging down tub after tub of ice cream just to go through a regular day. Most people tend to think of food as the bad guy, when in reality the root cause for their problems is the stress. If you can figure out what triggers you and makes you tense, you can work towards combatting your issues and being healthier.</p> <h2>#12. You’re fixated upon what used to work for you</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-12-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Initial weight loss can prove to be a heady rush for the most of us. You seem to be making minimal effort and are dropping pounds and can’t help but be ecstatic. Just because something works for you at first, doesn’t mean it is going to continue to work out for you in the long run. Clinging to something that is clearly ineffective can be counterproductive or at times, even destructive.</p> <h2>#13. You don’t think making an effort is worth it anymore</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-13-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>The more weight you have to lose, the easier it is going to be to drop the initial few pounds. However, you are bound to hit a weight loss slump sooner or later when nothing seems to be working. The trick is to not get discouraged and keep trying to make a persistent effort, even when the results don’t seem as promising.</p> <h2>#14. Going to the gym embarrasses you</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-14-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>The gym along with its hall or perpetual mirrors and flawless looking people manning the treadmill bothers you so much that you don’t feel like heading over there at all. It is important to remember that while people might seem incredibly flawless to you, everyone is as self-conscious about their looks as you are. Embarrassment is just another hurdle you will have to surpass if you need results.</p> <h2>#15. You’re Depressed</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-15-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Depression is often linked directly to a gain in weight. You can be eating more because you’re depressed or you could also be depressed because you’re eating more. Either way, the correct way to combat this situation is to look at the root cause of your problem and take it from there.</p> <h2>#16.You’re constantly comparing yourself to others</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-16-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Most of us have been guilty to falling prey to external pressures at one time or another. The first time we meet someone, the first few moments are always spent in sizing each other up to see how you would fare against them in a multitude of scenarios. However, this habit can prove to hamper your weight loss journey. If you keep comparing yourself to someone else, you might end up getting discouraged and not try at all.</p> <h2>#17. Low self esteem</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-17-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Low self esteem affects all facets of your life, your health being one of them. People who suffer from feelings of inadequacy often tend to be unhealthy. Not only are they more prone to emotional eating, but they are also the ones most likely to give up even before they begin.</p> <h2>#18. You’re fixated upon the wrong goals</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-18-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Most people lose weight just for the purpose of looking good or shedding pounds. While all these are valid reasons, the core reason for losing weight needs to be wanting a healthier lifestyle for yourself. If you are looking to just lose a few pounds, chances are you will lose motivation as soon as you reach your goal and end up gaining more than you lost in the first place.</p> <h2>#19. The wrong time frame</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-28-9-2207-19-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>How you view your weight loss journey can affect your progress to a great extent. If you see it as something you need to stick to for 6 months, chances are you’ll bear the fruits of your efforts for only that time period too. It is important to view your diet as a lifestyle change rather than a temporary fad to fixate over if you want the effects to be long lasting.</p> <i></i>