No Progress? These 3 Smart Tips Will Ease Your Mind

Ok, so you dove head first into eating better, exercising like crazy, and drinking more water but you’re still feeling frustrated about your results… Maybe, after several weeks of killer workouts and spot-on nutrition, you recently hopped on the scale and expected to see more progress and a much smaller number staring back at you or you thought you’d be rocking your 6-pack abs or you’d finally be cellulite free by now.

Frustrating, right? Not so fast…

I know you’re in a hurry to get fit, healthy, and end your war with body image — maybe you’re even still dreaming about getting that summer beach body. But if you’re serious about making lasting changes this time…

…If you’ve dedicated yourself to break free from yo-yo dieting that destroys your metabolism

…If you’re hoping to transform not only your body but also your mindset

…If you’re tired of fighting an internal battle with yourself that leaves you feeling worthless and stuck…

Then you may want to press pause on being so hard on yourself when it comes to making progress.

Cliché for the Day:

Transformation Takes Time.

You didn’t get “here” overnight and you won’t get “there” in a day or even a week, but if you’ve made changes, then you are changing. Trust in the process and use these 3 Smart Tips to help you see that results are more than skin deep:

  1. Remember what you have been doing – Celebrate all of the steps you have taken, even teeny tiny ones, toward your health and fitness goals. Celebration and Acknowledgment are pivotal for adherence to a new habit. Accentuate the awesome fact that you have been drinking more water, moving your body more regularly, saying no to soda, getting enough sleep, or eating the right amount of food at each meal because it’s in these little daily changes that big results become a reality.
  1. Observe how you are feeling – Health and fitness improvements start on the inside. Scary as it may be, shifting your focus away from the scale and the tape measure can actually accelerate physical changes. As energetic beings, our bodies respond to every thought we have. A positive outlook on taking care of yourself triggers the biochemicals that reduce stress and keep you motivated toward reaching your goals. Begin to note the positive improvements in your energy, mood, and behaviors. When you notice how good it feels to meet your own needs you become fueled with the energy to follow through with lifestyle habits that align with your goals.
  1. Recognize where you have made changes that you never thought you would – Did you ever think you would get up to work out in the morning? Or carve out time at lunch or after work to mediate? Did you scoff at the idea of planning meals ahead of time but now enjoy packing your lunches and snacks? Are you surprised by your ability to remain self-aware during times of stress? That’s progress. These are all areas many of us think we’ll never be able to change even though we express a strong desire to master them – but you have begun to do exactly that. Recognize that you are on the right path, doing the right work for the right reasons. Again, progress.

Once you’ve begun to celebrate and recognize your efforts then you can begin to dig a little deeper into how to take this journey to the next level. Sometimes transformation is just one little shift away.

Next week we’ll dive into the exact questions you need to be asking yourself so you can determine where to create those little shifts that lead to big results.

For now, use these 3 Smart Tips to remind yourself that you are making progress, you are changing, and your diligence is paying off.

In Love & Gratitude,

Signature missi

Missi Holt

P.S. Here’s a great mantra to help you connect gratitude for what is right now:

“Stop right now. Put down the task at hand. Recognize what is great about your life and your health right now. Carry this gratitude like a badge of honor.”

Missi Holt

Missi Holt is the fitness and nutrition editor for Early to Rise. She is a master nutrition therapist, certified yoga trainer, Certified Turbulence Trainer and an NSCA certified personal trainer (CPT). She also provides fitness and nutrition therapy through her own organization, Whole Life Health.