Are You Ready to W.I.N. the Mental Game of Weight Loss?

W.I.N. is a powerful acronym that comes from the famous Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz. It stands for “What’s Important Now?” Often, athletic coaches instruct their players to ask themselves this question at least 35 times a day to train themselves to focus on what matters most, in the moment, at any given time. This same acronym can be applied to your weight loss journey.

Ask Yourself, “What’s Important Now?”

When you ask yourself, “What’s Important Now?”, it forces your mind to consider and act on your priorities. Once you decide something is important and contemplate the W.I.N. question, you are reminded that NOW is the time to act and move toward your goals!

You face many critical choices and decisions throughout the day regarding your weight loss journey. Your responses to those choices (the decisions you make) have a long-lasting impact your weight and health. To win at weight loss, you must ask yourself this powerful yet simple question as often as possible: “What’s Important Now?” Pausing to ask yourself this question will allow you to prioritize your choices and subsequent behaviors.

The 5 C’s To Win the Weight Loss Game

If you have been hibernating through the long winter months, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and get your spring/summer game on! Like athletes, weight loss winners must start by getting their heads in the game. This mental game revolves around five critical characteristics, otherwise known as the 5 C’s:

Commitment
This is your pledge, your dedication to yourself. You must work hard and put your heart into the game. To begin, find your “Why.” Ask yourself:

• Why do I want to do this?
• Why is it important to me to lose weight?

Then, write it down and/or take a picture of it. Before you make a change, give yourself a good reason to do it in the first place.

Whether it’s because you want to live longer for your grandkids, improve your physical and/or mental health, or fit in your favorite jeans, if you remind yourself of your “why” when you want to give up, you will be less likely to do so. Remember: a commitment is a promise to yourself that you will do what is necessary to achieve your goal.

Composure (Self-Control)
To be successful at weight loss, you must learn to maintain composure, especially under pressure. Learning new coping skills, habits, and behaviors is essential to tolerate emotions, cravings, and situations that may derail your efforts.

Concentration
Concentration is another critical skill not only for athletes, but also for people who want to lose weight. Focus on the healthy habits that will propel you toward your goals. Do you fuel your body with the RM-approved foods? How much water do you drink? Is exercise part of your routine? To create lasting change and achieve your goals, you must make healthy living practices habitual and concentrate on the behaviors that will help you succeed in your weight loss efforts.

Confidence
Believing you will succeed is more than half the battle. If you have been a yo-yo dieter or have failed at weight loss in the past, having confidence in yourself may be a challenge.

Focusing on your strengths helps build confidence in your ability to lose weight. You are likely too critical of yourself and tend to forget about times you have succeeded. You can begin to build confidence and achieve your goals by changing your self-talk. Tell yourself:

• This time will be different
• I am capable of success
• I can do it

Consistency
Consistency is the key to weight loss success. If you want to change the quality of your life, you must set yourself up to win. Find a weight loss program (like Red Mountain Weight Loss®) that allows you to grow consistently and produce the real results you want. We offer a variety of medically proven programs to help you lose weight fast — and sustain it for life! You’ll receive everything you need to assist with your transformation back to health and well-being.