Can you actually lose weight during Covid instead of coming out of isolation 20 pounds heavier?
What if I told you that now is the BEST time to work on weight loss?
I get you Moms. You’re tired, you’re sitting for the first time today, and you are in a house full of sweets.
Step away from the candy and think about this instead.
Do you believe it is possible to lose weight right now during COVID?
If you believe it, you can do it. If not, it will never happen. And we are changing those negative beliefs right now.
I know – you are thinking: What? This lady is crazy. Does she know my kids? My husband? Has she seen my pantry?
Listen ladies. My husband bought the store out of Macaroni and cheese. I believe there is enough in my home right now for a month ? and I?m still losing weight.
And so are my weight loss clients. In fact, they lost over 50 pounds in their first week. I am SO proud of them. And you ABSOLUTELY can to.
Here?s the secret: it starts with your thoughts.
And if your thoughts are just excuses for reasons why you can?t lose, you are never going to lose the weight and keep it off.
What Are Your Weight Loss Blocking Excuses?
Think about this: What were your weight loss blocking excuses BEFORE COVID?
Here?s what I hear from my Superhero modern American Moms:
Excuse #1:
Before COVID: My schedule is too crazy. I?m running kids around and have no time to prioritize myself.
During COVID: My schedule is too crazy. I?m supposed to be working, teaching kids, and managing this chaos. I have no time to prioritize myself.
What? The exact same thought? How can that be? The circumstances are so different – you are no longer running to kids activities. Instead, you are stuck in your house with these kids and literally NOWHERE to go. Your schedule looks completely different but the excuse is exactly the same.
I mean did you ever dream that something like this would happen to your schedule? I didn?t. And when the unthinkable happens and your schedule suddenly clears – why on earth would you still feel that you don?t have time?
Here?s the secret: It?s the thought that is the problem, not the circumstances.
As long as you continue to believe you are too busy to prioritize your weight, your health, yourself, you will never find the time to make this change.
Excuse #2:
Before COVID: I don?t like to cook. We eat out all of the time. And I just can?t focus on eating healthy when the tempting stuff is right in front of me.
During COVID: I don?t like to cook. We are eating IN all of the time. And I just can?t focus on eating healthy when the tempting stuff is right in front of me.
Wait? how can you be thinking the exact same thing when you have literally gone from eating out 90% of the time to eating at home 90% of the time? Aren?t the restaurants and fast food joints to blame for this problem?
No, it?s just a thought. Who would have dreamed that restaurants would literally ALL close down or become much more difficult to access at the same time? Unfathomable. I?m sure in your previous dreams that would have been a fool proof plan for weight loss. Has it been for you?
But your thought that you can?t make good food choices persists, despite restaurants or no restaurants. Despite you being in near complete control of your food choices without distraction. Hmm.. I know you are starting to think now. What is the common denominator here?
One more example to drive the point home.
Excuse #3:
Before COVID: I know I should get my weight under control. I do worry about the impact my weight has on my health and the example I am setting for my kids. I don?t want to get sick and blame myself because I caused it from overeating.
During COVID: Check this out. I know I should get my weight under control. I do worry about the impact my weight has on my health and the example I am setting for my kids. I don?t want to get sick and blame myself because I caused it from overeating.
I hear this all of the time but it has never been more true than right now. Obesity is a risk factor for poor outcomes with COVID. Being overweight puts you at increased risk for getting sick. And you are setting a 24-7 example for eating habits to your kids right now.
Where can you place that blame?
That?s where weight loss coaching helps.
How about we don?t place blame. Instead, let’s recognize that the reason you are not losing weight is simply thought errors.
Thought errors that you had before COVID. Thought errors you continue to have during COVID. And thought errors you will continue to have after COVID unless you recognize them and change them.
It?s not the circumstances to blame. Your circumstances have done a complete 180 turn-around in the past month. No more busy kids activity schedules, no more dinners out, more potentially life-threatening reasons to lose weight, and you still think the same.
Circumstances changing are not going to cause your weight loss. Changing your thoughts or excuses about those circumstances will. And, until you recognize that, those thoughts will continue to run your life.
How Changing Your Thoughts Leads to Weight Loss
Think of Pam, my weight loss client who is rocking it. Pam popped in my office this pas week. She has lost 11 pounds in 2 weeks. She gave me a huge smile and said, ?Guess what? I?m losing weight and I?m still on my meds.? You see Pam was blaming her medication for her weight.
The first week I challenged her with a simple thought, ?Pam,? I said. ?I know lots of people on those meds who aren?t overweight. You don?t have to be overweight just because of those medications. I guarantee you that you can lose weight ON those medications.?
Pam stopped mid-sentence. She teared up. At that moment, Pam got real with herself. Her crutch had suddenly been taken away – what was Pam to do? Someone who knows these medications had just confirmed that they were not in fact what was keeping her overweight.
Suddenly confronted with this truth, Pam had 2 choices: come up with another excuse for herself or get real about why she is overweight. Pam chose to get real. And her weight is falling off. That?s the magic of weight loss coaching. And I genuinely want that for each and every one of you struggling with your weight.
What excuses are you using for not losing your weight right now?
It?s so easy to blame COVID, but were those variations of the same excuses you are using today there long before COVID? And will they be there after? Until you get real with the excuses, you simply will not change your weight loss journey. You may find the next fad diet but you will have excuses for stopping that as well.
Right now is a perfect time to prioritize weight loss. Start by asking yourself, ?What is the excuse I am using to hold me back??
Is it time, is it convenience, is it simply prioritizing yourself?
If you haven?t lost the weight, there is a thought in the way. Period. You have to change the excuses first to lose the weight for good. Check out my post on How to Stop Stress Eating During Times of Crisis for more thoughts to help: https://doctormome.com/post/how-to-stop-stress-eating-during-times-of-crisis/
I’m getting ready to start my next Weight Loss for Modern American Mom’s group!
If you are interested in working with me, you can schedule a consult with the following link: https://emilyvinzantmd.as.me/schedule.php
Or start by Losing 5 Pounds THIS Week through https://long-resonance-423.ck.page/2f9479bd77