THE HEAD GAME OF WEIGHT LOSS: WHAT TO DO SO THAT YOU NEVER QUIT

Now that it’s time to act, the process of losing weight is quite simple. I am not saying it is easy, but what is required in the realms of nutrition and exercise is straightforward. What makes it complicated is you.

Losing 20% of your bodyweight and becoming an Executive Athlete is a head game. What you say to yourself when you’re facing a challenge will make the difference between failure and triumph.

OVERWEIGHT IS UNACCEPTABLE

To win the head game, you first must accept that being overweight is a problem — a problem you must solve. You are used to facing these kinds of problems at work, and not accepting anything less than exceptional results from yourself and those around you.

Bring that same mindset to your weight problem and you’ll be well on your way to solving it.

WEIGHT LOSS IS A SKILL

The second step is to believe that weight loss is a skill, a skill that can be learned. This means stopping the limiting belief that says, “I am just a big person and always will be”.

This parallels the work of Carol Dweck. In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Dweck outlines two different mindsets: the fixed and the growth mindset. The mindset that you adopt determines how you view yourself, how you approach problems and whether you believe transformative change is possible.

If you have tried to lose weight before only to stumble in the first week, you are probably prone to fixed mindset patterns. This provides myriad ready-at-hand excuses: “I’ve tried and I can’t do it”, “I’m just no good at this stuff” or “I’ve just learned to accept that I’ll never be in shape”. This is closed thinking, and it virtually assures that success will remain forever out of reach.

Chances are that, as an executive, you have experienced highs and lows but you understand that setbacks are only temporary. Your career is proof that you have the skills that come from the application of the growth mindset. To become an Executive Athlete, you’ll need to utilise this same skillset and be prepared to let expert advice change your mind. You’ll need to execute unemotionally.

Both a growth mindset and a fixed mindset are self-fulfilling prophecies. The belief that any skill can be learned produces results that reinforce the power of belief. Equally self-reinforcing is the fixed mindset, which quits the moment it encounters difficulty.

This is often an exciting discovery, and it’s a great place to start our journey towards self-improvement and a healthier and happier future. There will be challenges ahead, but how you choose to approach them will make all the difference. Do you choose a fixed or a growth mindset? Do you choose to conquer or to be conquered?

If you’ve let yourself down before, it’s time to unburden yourself of those past failures. This attempt will be unlike all the others. You are an executive, so you understand that success is earned. Whatever your journey has been, looking back on your professional life should make one thing clear: you are not made of such malleable stuff that you let your past shape your future. You are the master of your own destiny.

It’s time for executives to look themselves in the mirror and ask: when did I start accepting average-at-best results for my health and fitness? In no other realm of my life do I ever accept average, so why is it ok when it comes to my health? If you value who you are, what you create and how you affect the lives of those dearest to you, nothing less than a complete commitment to improving your health will do. You owe it to yourself and to those who depend on you.

Let’s begin.