The trait that separates those that achieve long-term weight loss from those that fail at the first temptation is grit. Grit is the difficult to define trait that makes the difference between sticking with your goals or caving easily. Those without grit will just coast and not try too hard or they won’t start at all.
You can find out how gritty you are using Duckworth’s grit scale. No matter where you land it is possible to preserve and achieve your goals.
Here are 6 ways we can develop grit and use it as a tool for weight loss:
1. Get Rid Of The Idea Of “Natural Talent”
Even the grittiest people fall prey to the false idea that the success of others around them is due to sheer talent or luck. Some natural traits do contribute, but at the end of the day it is the effort that counts twice as much. This promotes the idea that anyone regardless of skill can achieve weight loss if they are willing to put the effort in.
2. Find Your “Why”
You must think realistically about how the extra weight is impacting your life. Do you want to play with your kids more? Reduce your chances of heart disease? Reduce your blood pressure? You need to focus on why it is you’re doing what you're doing. This gives you a sense of purpose and vision that will continue to keep you motivated. This is what will anchor you when you’re faced with obstacles or temptations and help you to stay on the path to success.
3. Practice Consistency
Success is not like a lightning bolt that will hit at one point in time. It’s a culmination of hundreds or thousands of little choices that add up to something measurable. It isn’t glamourous, in fact, it is quite mundane. It is the routine that a person does over and over that will lead to massive weight loss. There is no magic or quick way to do it. It’s about sticking to a plan even when things get ugly or aren’t fun anymore.
4. Accept Your Frustration
In order to improve performance, we must do things that may be challenging for us. We need to get rid of the idea that just because something is hard that it is bad or not worth doing. If we have an attitude shift and see challenges as an opportunity for growth and fun, we will be more likely to succeed. We should embrace rather than fear challenges.
5. Surround Yourself With Gritty People
It is important that we surround ourselves with people that have similar goals and drives as we do. By immersing ourselves in that culture it is easier for us to continue to be gritty and go after our goals. Some examples of ways to do this are to join a club for the sport or fitness activity you like. For example, a soccer club or a CrossFit class. You could also join our weight loss support group on Facebook by contacting me at the info at the end of this blog. There are also 12-step groups such as Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) or Overeaters Anonymous (OA).
You do not have to try to do this alone! Being in a culture that promotes your success will make the journey easier and more enjoyable.
6. Keep Trying!
Excitement and hard work are very important, but we will most likely falter at certain points. No one is perfect which is why we have to plan for obstacles and plan for how we are going to keep pushing even if we aren’t perfect.
Grit won’t always help us lose weight if we have experienced severe trauma in our lives and are using our weight as a protective shield. It is important to seek help and work through the emotions if you are to have successful weight loss and keep it off.
We shouldn’t beat ourselves up when we slip, but rather take charge and refocus. Like the Japanese proverb says, “fall down seven times, stand up eight”.
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