Managing the Expectations of Fat Loss

ex·pec·ta·tion/ˌekspekˈtāSHən/

Noun:

A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. A belief that someone will or should achieve something.

Often times we have a preconceived notion of what successful body change looks like in our head.  Let me know if you have ever thought these to yourself or said them out loud.

"I've been so strict with my eating and exercising for 2 weeks and I can't see a change yet."

"I've done everything my trainer told me to do, and I don't have Carrie Underwood's legs."

"If I don't lose 10 pounds this month, I'm just going to give up, because I clearly can't do it."

"What you mean I have to eat veggies and lean protein?  I just ran off 600 calories on the treadmill!"

"I want HER abs."

"I will try this for a week and see if it works; if not, I'll try something else."

If you can relate to any of those phrases above, then you are letting expectations sabotage your success!  Can you see the preconceived notions about body change?  We operate under the assumption that we can attain the body we want in a certain amount of time with effort applied when we see fit.  The truth is, all the statements above will only lead you to feeling rotten/disappointed/frustrated/etc.

I know that you are probably thinking, "Julie, I'm supposed to have goals, something to work toward, something to reward myself for!"

There is absolutely nothing wrong with having goals.  And there is nothing wrong with having something to work toward.  BUT putting a time frame and certain image in your head can be dangerous to your psyche.

Here's how to avoid the expectation trap:

• Don't claim other people's body parts:  You can't have HER abs, or that person's booty.  Why?  You are genetically designed for your own look.  I hate to tell you this, but no matter how hard you try, your legs won't look like Carrie Underwood's.  Aim for developing your best legs!
• Don't set a concrete time frame:  This one is tough!  We all have a special event, vacation, birthday we want to look great for.  Try not to attach success/failure to that date.  By attaching to a specific date, you are almost giving yourself permission to go back to your "before" afterward.  There is no magical date for body change.  It's a process!
• Avoid switching plans frequently:  There is no way you can know if something will work for you in 2 weeks.  Unless your health is being compromised, stay the course for a good 8-10 weeks and reassess at that time.
• Be realistic:  If you have 30 pounds to lose, think about how long it took for you to put it on.  Chances are, you did not gain 30 pounds in a month or two...why would it take such a short amount of time to take it off?
• Avoid the reward mindset:  If you are planning on rewarding yourself when you get to a certain goal, what happens when that goal is reached?  Do you go back to how you were eating before?  Do you stop exercising?  Having a specific reward in mind gives you an end point to what you are working on.  If you end your exercise and nutrition once meeting that goal, how will you maintain your physique?

What are your expectations?  How will you manage them?

If you are looking for a supportive community to help you manage your own personal body change, check out more about SparkFit right here.  If you need a boost to your exercise routine, check out the indoor Booty Camp at SparkFit.  All classes are free through 3/15/13.  We would love to have you!