Most people would not associate joy with losing weight. 

Joy is an emotion expressed in a physical way. It could be jumping for joy over losing your first 5 kilos. It could be laughing uncontrollably when you see yourself doing a Zumba class for the first time. Or, it could be doing a dance while trying on a new dress 2 sizes smaller, or those favourite skinny jeans at the back of your hanging space.

We feel joy when we feel confident, we feel joy when we feel in control and have a sense of power over our life, we feel joy when we know we can lose weight and maintain that weight loss, and we feel joy when we feel loved, fulfilled, and valued.

“Joy does not come from other people, it comes from within.”

Most people who want to lose weight have associations which do not bring them feelings of joy.

What if you could switch your thinking so that your intention on your weight loss journey was to make it a joyful experience?

Here’s how it might look:

1. Eating mostly fresh unprocessed foods that look and taste like food. Eating mindfully and enjoying any company takes the focus away from food. No need to count calories or macros, just follow your program. Avoid hunger and cravings when you eat the recommended foods that keep you ahead of hunger.
2. Your body needs to be loved and cared for. Celebrate daily healthy behaviours that involve activities that feel more like play. Have fun. Some people don’t like structured exercise but enjoy dancing. Walking in your local neighbourhood or park, riding a bike, playing frisbee in the park with the grandkids, any movement to keep joints and muscles strong and your mind active as well.
3. Be honest with yourself and study what you seek. What new thing can you do each day that will have a positive outcome? Don’t listen to misinformation or damaging and unnecessary comments. Learn to say no, especially to negativity. Be consistent in your efforts and only do what moves you closer to your best life.
4. Be aware of social media addiction or over-consumption as this creates more clutter in your life. It robs your time that you can never get back. Find what brings joy to you. Simple things like starting a hobby, learning a language, catching up with old friends (call one now), enjoying nature or the beach, helping out a charity, giving blood, volunteering. Joy is a personal thing. Doing something for people who can do nothing in return can be a source of great joy.
5. Remember that you don’t have to always feel happy. Some days we feel more mellow than others. It may mean staying in your PJs all day and reading, playing board games or taking pleasure in a Netflix series. It might be that taking a bushwalk or doing some gardening is what you need as your escape for the day.
6. Develop a mindset that celebrates each small step you make. Small daily health habits lead to new life skills that enforce how you now feel about yourself. Often by removing things or clutter from your life you make space to enjoy new healthy activities. It might be yoga, meditation or breathing exercises. It doesn’t have to take lots of effort, just small incremental change one day at a time, but you are always moving towards your goal.

Having an eating plan that reduces hunger and cravings and fills you with nourishment will make the above much easier to achieve. Having the extra bonus of a structure program will also make the above even easier to stick to.

Why let go of yesterday?

Because yesterday has already let go of you  – Steve Maraboli

If you’re ready to start adding joy to your diet why not try our 8 week online step-by-step program? To get started click on Lose Weight Now at the top of the page.