Everyone slips up from time to time. We know how to help you get back on track.
Training Supervisor Tabitha Panetta has a great deal of experience working with patients at Medical Weight Loss Clinic. She’s seen patients reach for a goal and knows that occasionally we slip up. We overindulge. We don’t make time for exercise – and it’s hard to get healthier when that happens.
But getting back on track is all part of the Medical Weight Loss Clinic program. Everyone is on a journey and will face this challenge.
Just like it’s important to find ways to boost your willpower (link to post), it’s also key to learn from those times when we slip off track. Tabitha reminds our patients not to be too hard on themselves. Change will come. Here’s some advice she has to keep your motivation up during those challenging moments.
Learn to let go
Every decision we make in a day doesn’t have to be perfect. And knowing when to move on will help us meet those health goals.
“If later - or tomorrow - you are still thinking about your weekend cheat then those have become negative and hindering thoughts,” Tabitha says. “We leave it in the counseling room and move on. We have goals to accomplish!”
Reflect on choices and make a change next time
“Eating at your event might not have gone as planned but you have an opportunity to reflect on how you would handle this obstacle differently in the future,” Tabitha says. “Next time, don’t skip lunch. Instead, eat a supplement before you go so you’ll feel satisfied with healthier choices – like shrimp, fruit and veggies. There won’t be a need to binge on carbs and sweets.”
More ways to measure success
Tabitha notes that losing any amount of weight – be it 20 pounds or 100 pounds – is a goal achieved through many successes. She asks patients to take all of those efforts into account.
“The fact that you now drink 64 oz of water per day, that you are regularly exercising or that passing on sweets may not be as difficult as it once was - that’s all part of the new habits the new you has accomplished.”
Celebrate it! These changes are just as important as numbers lost on the scale.
“These new habits are going to be the key to keeping your weight off,” Tabitha says. “You have earned every pound lost by achieving many small goals on your way to reaching the ultimate goal you set out to obtain from the beginning. So, every success is a step in the right direction.”
Focus on the big picture
Weight loss and health goals are best met when we think about the reasons we want to achieve these goals.
“Know your motivation and keep the big picture in mind,” Tabitha says. “Focus on what you did accomplish. The fact you made it this far, you are still working on it and you haven't given up. It's a lifestyle change and that doesn't always come easy - but it will be worth it in the end.”
Always find the positive, Tabitha tells her patients. Never stop trying. And know you’re not alone.
Want help getting back on track with your health goals? Our experts at Medical Weight Loss Clinic can help. Call 248-353-8446 or visit us online to book a consultation.
