Psychological Hurdles preventing weight loss + 5 tips to beat them!
Hey sis! I hope that things are going well in your life, and that with it being halfway through the year, you are halfway to your goals. Even if you are not, it is never too late to start. One of the toughest things about making a lifestyle change, when it comes to dieting and weight loss especially, is the psychological part. I mean, just think about it, who doesn’t know that they are supposed to eat vegetables (besides your standard 2 year old of course)? So there has to be something else at play here, and that something else is psychological hurdles.
What are Psychological hurdles?
Okay, I see you, asking all the right questions. Psychological hurdles are the non physical factors that are stopping you from achieving your weight loss goals. If you have been following my posts, you know at the end of last month I did a juice fast to try and relieve some bloat before my trip (check out my experience here if you haven’t read it). During that juice fast, it wasn’t hunger that I struggled with the most, it was cravings! Most of the time I wasn’t hungry I just wanted to eat. This happens to me whether I’m fasting or not and has always been one of the biggest hurdles to my lifestyle changes. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t succumbed to cravings every time I’ve had them, so today I thought I would give you a couple things I did to beat out cravings and help you move closer to your goal:
- Do Something – This one should be simple enough. Whether it is some quick yoga, a walk around the block, or some work you have been putting off, giving yourself something to do to take your mind of food often helps.
- Go To Sleep – Ever seen that meme that says “ I was so broke I went to sleep for dinner?”. Yea do that. During my juice fast I often went to sleep when I really wanted food in between juices, and it worked like a charm. Until I was up late at night of course, but if you’re not fasting, one midday nap could save from a diet-killing binge, and even put you in a better mood.
- Don’t let yourself get too hungry – If you’re fasting, you may not be able to help this one as much, however on a regular day, keeping a diet-friendly snack with you can help keep the cravings away by keeping you satisfied and not hungry. Your cravings stronger the hungrier you are so some celery sticks, raw almonds, or air popped popcorn can keep those nasty thoughts at bay ( well the ones about food at least).
- Drink some water – This one works but is only temporary. Drinking a full bottle of water can make you feel full for a limited amount of time, so I recommend using this tip in conjunction with another one. Maybe drink a bottle of water to keep your mind off of food just long enough to head over to the gym for a fun class, or to get yourself a nice snack.
- Phone a Friend – I used this one a lot. I’m not sure if I’M that friend, or if all of my friends just like to talk but I can be on the phone for like 3 hours talking about anything. When I would start thinking about food I would just call the friend and talk… and talk and talk. The conversations were good enough to make me forget about food until I could get to some water, a snack, or both.
So that is some info on psychological hurdles to dieting and 5 tips on how to combat them. Let me know below how you combat these hurdles, and if you use any of the methods I listed here. You can also join the BGH Circle of Sisters to help you throughout your weight loss journey here: membership.blackgirlhealth.com.
And don’t forget to live your best life sis!
XoXo
Nikki