Why ZERO Sugar Leads to ZERO Results: 5 Strategies to Shift Your Mindset and Reach Your Goals

Have you ever tried to quit something cold turkey? If you’re like most people, this probably didn’t work for you. Completely restricting ourselves from something at the drop of a hat often leads to further obsession, giving up, or overwhelm.

Take sugar, for example. If you eat more sugar than the average person then decide to impulsively cut it out of your diet, it may work for a little bit, but you won’t stop thinking about it. The more you think about “not eating sugar,” the more you’ll WANT to eat sugar. This cycle persists until you binge, feel guilty, and quit because you feel you “can’t commit.” "If you restrict yourself too much, it’s possible to create issues that stem from compensatory behaviors, such as binging and purging." (Butler)

The secret to successfully changing habits is to change your mindset. This also applies to starting something new. We often get overambitious and try to make changes at full force, which only leads to burn out. This is why so many New Years Resolutions fail. People want INSTANT results and success... but it’s a process.

You can’t go from never working out, sleeping in late, and eating junk food every day to being a green-smoothie-drinking, iron-pumping, gym rat overnight. You have to rewire your brain first.

The biggest reason people fail, quit, and get discouraged is because they make too many large changes too quickly. Even the world’s elite athletes and supermodels aren’t ALWAYS at their peak. They train for a season, reset, and then start over.

To truly see results, you have to trust the process. You have to give yourself grace over guilt. Expecting yourself and your results to be perfect is simply unrealistic, and that’s where many of us go wrong. Instead, think small.

Integrating tiny habits to reach your goals will help you stay on track. Having little milestones will encourage you to keep moving forward and stay committed.

Shifting Your Mindset

To reach your goal, make little, progressive changes. This allows for you to only bite off as much as you can chew from the beginning. Another mistake people make when wanting to make a change is waiting for the “perfect time.”

Have you heard yourself saying “I’ll start next week,” “I’m not ready yet,” or “When the New Year starts I’ll…”? If we take a step back we’ll realize these excuses hold us back. Truth is, there is no better time than now. Waiting for the “perfect time” only delays your progress and will lead to failure.

How Do I Start?

You may be thinking, “That all sounds great, but HOW do I start?” There are many small habits and strategies you can adopt to begin making a mindset shift. Let me share with you my top five.

#1 Make a Plan

Start with your ultimate goal in mind. Determine the big picture, and then break it down into smaller steps. What do you actually need to do to get there? If your goal is to lose 20 pounds in six months, analyze your current eating habits and workout routine, and then map out what you need to change to get there.

Stick with realistic goals! If you need someone to keep you accountable, hire a trainer! If you keep telling yourself you haven’t started because you “need new running shoes” or your “workout pants don’t fit,” purchase the supplies you need to move forward.

Break down everything you need and the actions you need to actually achieve that goal and make them as attainable as possible!

#2 Start BEFORE You Feel Ready

This one is easier said than done, but just start! Nothing happens if nothing happens. Instead of waiting for the perfect solution, start with what you have now. As you grow, make little improvements to bring you closer to your goals.

Exercise and nutrition lie on a continuum. You’ll never reach the “end” of your fitness journey, so take it one day at a time. Making little choices each day to bring you closer to those goals is better than doing nothing at all. No matter what that looks like, better is better.

#3 Make Changes As You Progress

Once you see some progress, refuse to remain stagnant. Stagnancy will lead to diminishing returns on your effort. As you improve in your journey, you have to make small changes to push yourself. One mistake people make when starting a new workout plan or diet is never reassessing or making changes to improve.

Taking a well-rounded approach will benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. Sticking to the same diet and workout routine gets monotonous which also leads to burnout and failure. Make small changes like increasing weight on a squat, changing your breakfast, or doing a different type of physical activity altogether. This will keep you from hitting a mental and physical plateau.

#4 Celebrate Your Little Victories

Celebrate your progress as you go! If you fail to see how far you’ve come, you won’t feel successful. When you have a large goal, it can feel discouraging if you “don’t see progress” as you work towards your goal.

Create mile markers to track your progress so you can stay motivated. Most importantly, celebrate when you reach those mile markers! The more fulfilled you feel throughout your journey, the more likely you are to stay consistent.

#5 Let Go of Perfectionism

No one can stay at the top forever. Even individuals including full-time athletes, models and fitness gurus fluctuate. We all go in and out of “shape”. No one’s perfect and aiming for perfection will always discourage you. Even if you had the most perfect plan and the perfect timing, your execution would have to be perfect, and life would have to go perfectly too… and that’s just not realistic.

We’re all human and sometimes we slip up. Eating too many cookies one day or postponing a workout doesn’t mean you “failed,” it means you have an opportunity to do better tomorrow. Stop letting one mistake dictate your entire journey. You can and will grow!

Reaching your goals IS POSSIBLE with the right steps and mindset in place. You don’t have to go on this journey alone, either. Having people to encourage you along the way will keep you motivated. If you need guidance and support to reach your own fitness goals, click here now for a FREE consultation.

Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Sources

Chris, Butler. “Nutritionists Explain 10 Ways a Restrictive Diet Can Lead to Bingeing.” Power of Positivity: Positive Thinking & Attitude, 14 Dec. 2021, https://www.powerofpositivity.com/restrictive-diet-bingeing/. (Date accessed May 19, 2022)