This year, no matter what…

Decide to have the body you want.

No matter what 2020 brought. No matter the uncertainty of 2021. You don’t control any of that. You control you. Even when you think you don’t.

What’s possible for your weight and health in 2021?

If you base your answer on what you’ve done or haven’t done in the past, please stop. Your past doesn’t equal your future. Unless you let it.

It feels hard to believe that you can do something you haven’t done before. My clients always start out in some form of disbelief:

“After turning 50, I’d given up on losing weight,” said Teresa who lost and kept off 20 lbs. for over two years now.

“But I hate exercise, and I love sugar,” said Chris who’s down 23 lbs., and enjoys her regular walks and healthy eating, even leaving room for cookies 😊.

“I’ve never been able to lose any more than 20 lbs. before I put it right back on,” said Holly who’s lost close to 50 lbs. while still enjoying food and wine.

These clients didn’t use willpower. They changed what they believed was possible. One small step at a time.

I challenge you to do it, too. Ask and answer these three questions:

1. What do I believe is really possible for my weight and body?
2. What thoughts do I have most often about my body and ability to change it?
3. What’s the most positive thought that I can believe about my body and my capabilities?

That last one is key. The goal isn’t to fake it. If a positive thought is too hard – doesn’t feel true – move toward neutral. Try something like this for a start:

1. I’m not a fan of exercise (a move away from “I hate exercise”)
2. My body might surprise me (rather than “I’ve never been able to keep weight off”)
3. I’m open to making progress
4. I have a strong body
5. I can learn from my success in other areas to help me lose weight and keep it off

This is your starting point. It’s not what you eat, your exercise…any of it. (That was your focus in the past, right?) You’ll only be consistent with those actions – and I mean really consistent, not a few weeks or months – when you start out with the right mindset. And keep that mindset throughout all the hard stuff.

This is your year. Yes, you can do it this time. It will be worth it.

You never have to end up “back here” again. The actions are easy. You know what to do. Start managing your mind to get it done.