How To Overcome The Mental Struggle Of Losing Fat

Before I began drafting this article, I was thinking hard about what I should write since this would be the very first article on my fitness blog. There are already plenty of guides, articles, and videos on losing fat, so I decided to write about something rarely discussed in the fitness community - the mental struggle to lose fat. When I started out on my fat loss journey, it was a mental struggle every day. However, don't let that turn you off because once you get used to it, it isn't a drag.

Trying to lose fat takes a toll on your mind because you're changing your eating habits and restricting the foods you love to consume. Ironically, your own body starts fighting against you in your effort to improve its health. It's a fight where you are your enemy. Sometimes it feels hopeless, and you want to give up when you don't see the expected results. Well, you don't have to worry if you feel this way because I'm here to give you some helpful tidbits. Yeah, you might feel hopeless sometimes but trust me, if you persist on this path, you'll surely get what you want. So, let me begin by laying down some cold, harsh truths:

• You can't avoid the laws of physics

• It's a time taking process

• It's a life-long goal

• It is all about self-control 

• Your mindset matters 

Allow me to elaborate.

You can't avoid the laws of physics.

We all know that there are laws of physics which are immutable and constant everywhere and for all time. The same is true for fat loss as it relies on one such law of physics, namely the second law of thermodynamics. The second law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. To illustrate what this implies, let's try to recall the food chain. We know that plants get their energy from the sun, herbivores from plants, and carnivores from other animals. And finally, when carnivores die, their decomposed body becomes organic matter used by plants for nutrition; thus, the cycle continues. Did you notice something? Energy does not get created out of thin air or vanish out of thin air; it only changes forms. You might wonder, what does this have to do with my mental struggle in losing weight? Well, I'm stating this because it is a necessary truth. You don't magically add fat or "cut" it. Your body turns the energy from food into energy used by the body's cells. When you exercise, the energy you receive from food turns into physical energy. Once you embrace this truth, you'll stop looking for magic pills or secrets to fat loss because you'll realise that there is no other way to lose fat but to burn more energy (or calories) than you consume. There are good copes and bad copes. Lying to yourself or living in denial isn't a good one.

It's a time taking process.

These days, where everything is instant, it's becoming hard to deal with things that require patience on our part. One helpful phrase to remember whenever your patience runs thin is this: "it's not a sprint but a marathon". I can't stress enough how reminding this phrase to myself has helped me cope with my impatience. Affirming it whenever I'm on the verge of giving up has helped me stop and reconsider giving up. If you're obese and looking to lose fat, you must engrave this phrase in your mind. Yes, you can lose fat drastically in a shorter period, but the problem with such an approach is that you're bound to relapse and gain more fat than before. For sustainable and long-term results, you'll have to take it slowly and stop yourself from rushing things. It will help your fitness journey and translate to other areas in your life. 

It's a life-long goal.

Every marathon has a definite end, but your fitness journey is indefinite. Your goal should be a life-long adherence to staying fit. When I tell this to people looking for advice on how to keep fit year-round, they get discouraged. Even I got discouraged when I learned that my results wouldn't last if I stopped adhering to a workout and diet plan. I felt it would take everything out of me and that I'd have to practically live in the gym and eat bland food for life. That's what every beginner imagines would happen, but that is further from the truth. 80-90% of your results will come from 20-10% of your effort. You just have to do resistance training for 45-60 minutes at least three days a week and follow a good diet plan; that's it. If you are new to working out, you'll start seeing the fruits of your labour in at least three months. You won't accomplish anything if you overcomplicate things and keep thinking instead of doing the work. 

It's all about self-control.

Many know self-control plays a crucial role in almost all areas of life. But we love avoiding accountability, especially when we must be accountable. We try to find every excuse to avoid doing something we find uncomfortable. However, we can't complain about not getting the results we desire while choosing to avoid working on all the factors under our control. Our weight is under our control, unlike our height or the colour of our eyes or skin. Even if you suffer from hypothyroidism or slow metabolism, you can still lose fat. Sure, it'll take longer for you in that case, but the fundamental principle behind fat loss doesn't change. Sometimes even situations might not allow you to follow your strategy or plan, but even that is not an excuse for not being able to achieve what you want. You will face resistance or pressure from your environment to stay the way you are because it is partly responsible for your condition. However, you have to be determined to fix it and yourself. 

Your mindset matters.

I know the word has been abused to death by many in the "influencer" sphere and has lost the power of its meaning. But you have to trust me on this one. Your mindset matters a lot. That is because your mind will play all kinds of tricks on you. It's a war you're fighting against yourself. When you're starting, it will not be fun because it'll hurt. The soreness from working out and hunger from reducing your energy intake will hurt. You just have to accept that you can't keep avoiding pain; it is necessary. I love how David Goggins puts it: "you have to build callouses in your mind." You also have to internalise that life is unfair; you don't always get your way. Nonetheless, you must persist even if you're constantly at a disadvantage.

Your mindset towards food is also critical. Adopt a "food is fuel" mindset. Following a diet plan will be more challenging if you have a "food is pleasure" mindset. Yes, it is acceptable to eat foods that please you sometimes. But if you only seek pleasure out of it, you will not improve your condition. Look at food as fuel for your body because, at the end of the day, that is what it is.

Conclusion

I keep returning to these points whenever I struggle to maintain my fitness. This article is just the essence of what I have learned, presented straightforwardly; the fundamentals of the mental game of fitness. I hope this helps whoever is reading it.