Choose Right, Not Easy
Our self-esteem affects weight loss, weight maintenance and the choices we make. Self-respect is closely tied to how we treat ourselves, how we treat our bodies, and how we allow others to treat us in relationships.
A great way to gain self-esteem is to act and respond to situations in a respectful way. You strive to make the right choice, even when it’s difficult. And no, not just because people are watching, or someone might find out, but because it gives you pride. Because inside you’re proud of the decision you made. You avoided the easy route. You took the right route. This proves difficult sometimes because the right route often feels harder, more complicated or self-sacrificing in the moment. But later on, or in the grand scheme of things, the payoff beats the short-term sacrifice.
How it Creeps Up
People end up 10, 20, 50 or 100 pounds overweight based on taking the easy route over and over. That’s how people end up divorced. Or they end up with children with major behavioral problems because they took the easy route during childhood tantrums. It’s much easier to say, “Okay, fine, have the toy, eat the cookie,” than it is to hold your ground and wait out the screaming, kicking and crying. But in the long-run, you build respect. The same goes for your body. You’ll have more respect for yourself, your relationships and all the other areas of your life, if you make the hard choice first.
In order to improve your self-esteem and respect yourself, you’ve got to make the right decision, especially when no one else will know or comment. You’ve got to feel good about what you’ve done and the choice you’ve made, whether it’s the decision to go exercise, eat right, shun the junk food in your shopping cart, or engage in addictive behaviors, drink too much, or hang out with negative people. These seemingly small decisions pop up multiple times per day. Buy the celery, or buy the chips? Go to the gym or sleep in? Drink three glasses of wine, or one? Hang out with healthy friends, or ones who eat fast-food?
Think About Your Future Self
In an instant you can make the right decision. But it’s hard, because you’re giving up the reward: the sugar, the party, the fun. But when you choose the option with delayed gratification (no hangover tomorrow, no “I ate too much” guilt), you know you’ve done what’s right. Those decisions build self-esteem. They tell you “yes, I can!” Or, “I’m so proud I didn’t eat that,” or “I’m worth it!” And that self-esteem affects weight loss. Because you begin caring about the future you, and not the you that wants a donut in that singular moment.
Small Decisions Become Habits
As you continue to build that self-esteem, it becomes easier and easier because it becomes a habit. Making those right decision that create a sense of pride start to build and multiply. You’ll feel your esteem and self-respect grow. Difficult decisions become far less difficult; more automatic. Wake up for a jog six days in a row, and all of a sudden the idea of hitting snooze seems crazy. That self-respect begins the journey to losing weight, or simply making more caring choices for your body and soul.
It does take thought. You must stop and remember that you’re worth it. You need to pause, breathe in the respect you have for yourself, and then make the decision you deserve.
131 Method
If you want more help understanding how self-esteem affects weight loss, we invite you to join the 131 Method. In addition to teaching the concept of diet phasing (simply changing up the way you eat every few weeks to keep your metabolism guessing), a whole team of Registered Dietitians, chefs and experts help you through the process. Because what’s weight loss without self-respect? That’s a diet, and we don’t do diets.
