💥Top Skillset For Effective Weight Loss Success!

146- There’s one skill that makes sustainable weight loss possible and it has nothing to do with dieting harder or having more motivation. In this episode, we explore the mindset-and-emotion skillset that improves follow-through, reduces self-sabotage, and helps you feel more in control of your choices.

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or tired of restarting, this simple shift can help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and compassion.

I’m here to answer your questions and help you make the best decision for YOU.

Book a free 20-minute consult here:
https://www.clarendasempowerment.com/courses/fl

#FeelLightMindAndBody #womensweightloss #healthylivingtips #emotionalwellness #holidaywellness #habitsforhealth #nutritionmindset #selfleadership

You can always find out more at:

https://www.clarendasempowerment.com/

Transcript

0:00

Today I want to walk you through what I believe is the most important skillset for sustainable weight loss. The one that makes every tool, every habit, every food choice easier over time. I'm Clarenda Price, former RN, Certified Life and Weight Loss Coach, and the host of this Feel Light Mind and Body podcast. I help successful, busy women feel lighter in their mind and body using simple science-backed strategies that work with your biology and your brain, not against them. Welcome to episode 146, the Top Skillset for Effective Weight Loss Success. So what is it? It's the skill of balancing your thoughts and emotions in a way that keeps you moving forward, even when it feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Think about it, at some point in your life you didn't know how to do what you know to do now. Things like walking, reading, driving, working a business, raising a family, or paying a credit card off. Now we do those things almost automatically unless there's been some kind of a health crisis that's affecting that. That's neuroplasticity at work. The brain's ability to form new pathways with repetition and intention. It's the same mechanism that makes weight loss sustainable when you learn how to work with your thoughts and not fight against them. Please note, anytime you're learning something new, it's going to feel uncomfortable. There's going to be some confusion and maybe feel overwhelming, but mastering doesn't mean you're doing it perfectly every time. Mastery is when you can experience a stressful day, have an urge or a setback, and still bring yourself back into alignment with what you truly want. It's a skill that everyone has to learn. Unfortunately, many people discount themselves and their ability to do it. They judge themselves and say things that feel very justified and true, like,"I've tried it all and I just can't seem to follow through" and I get it. I as well can oscillate in a day or in a week between following through with what I've said I'm going to do and not following through. But one of the biggest transformations that happen when you learn this skillset is how quickly you recover. You don't stay stuck as long, you don't spiral down as much, you don't make these human moments mean anything other than I'm human. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. It doesn't mean that you're not worthy. As I mentioned, I believe in episode 145, you learn how to have compassion for yourself without letting compassion turn to complacency. And that compassion, along with still moving forward, that's empowering. That's where you claim your power. Let this sink in. This is available for every one of us even if you've doubted yourself for years. Now your brain will usually provide objections to anything that's not familiar.

It does this for one reason: 3:09

safety. Your amygdala is designed to protect you from threats, and it views change- it sees it as a potential threat. So your brain reaches into the past for evidence, it searches for obstacles, it points out all the imperfections, it tells you: you don't have time, that you can't afford it, that you never follow through. These are the thoughts we've often labeled as limiting beliefs, but through my recent Rewire Certification, I learned something important. You ready for it? There's no such thing as a limiting belief. These beliefs are symptoms. Signals of the deeper protective wiring in the lower parts of the brain. When we rewire, we move out of that lower survival center of the brain and move up through the limbic system and into the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that is responsible for critical thinking, setting goals, self-regulation and problem solving. This is why so many women know what to do logically, but don't follow through consistently. The knowing is in the prefrontal cortex and the resistance is in the amygdala and the real work, the transformative work, is helping these parts of the brain align together instead of fighting each other. Let me give you a simple example. Sitting on the couch right now might feel great. It might feel safe and comfortable'cause it's familiar, but scientifically, your body still needs movement for longevity, muscle, and metabolic health. Unfortunately, we're losing muscle mass every decade if we don't intentionally maintain it. Your critical brain knows this but your protective brain doesn't care. It wants comfort and predictability. It wants a path of least resistance to conserve energy.

Same with food: 5:07

eating an unhealthy food 10% of the time can absolutely fit into a healthy lifestyle. But if your default becomes frequent snacking, late night eating, stress eating, your physiology will reflect it. Your cortisol will rise, insulin sensitivity decreases, cravings intensify, and energy drops. Remember this is biology, not personal failure. What's coming up for you as you're hearing this? Whatever it is, I encourage you not to dismiss it. I'm currently watching a very dear family member facing something that 20 years ago, she would've bounced back from a lot faster. It kind of feels like the straw that broke the camel's back. We're praying, supporting, and doing everything possible, but it's still heartbreaking. It is also a reminder of why this conversation means so much. She may watch this, so I want to say this to her right now: I love you and I'm here for you. Don't give up. There's still a lot of life left to live and we want to enjoy that with you. My friends, we can't change the past, but we can absolutely take the step right now in the present. We can choose what that next step will be. We can offer support to others, and others can support us. But the first decision, the uncomfortable decision has to come from within. This is why understanding your why nots is often more powerful than understanding your why. Your objections are running the show more than you think. They influence your nervous system. They determine whether you freeze, buffer, react, or take aligned action. But one empowered decision can interrupt that pattern.

Here's what I know: 7:00

the women who get great results are not the ones that have the perfect schedule or have the perfect amount of motivation. They're the ones who are decisive, committed, and resourceful, even when they're scared. Those are the women I get to coach and I'm so proud of them. I know it's not easy to say, "I want to try again. I'm going to do this." Every year I hear women say, "I'm not even going to think about this until January," and I get it. I used to think that way as well. And there's nothing wrong with choosing that, but what's truly powerful is choosing it with awareness. That's why I want you to pause and look at the benefits of what you're resisting. What would be the benefits say of eating healthier now? And then write out the drawbacks of waiting - of waiting until all the holidays are over before you choose to eat well and healthy regularly. Because until you bring those thoughts into the light, your brain will default into telling you the benefits for staying the same and the drawbacks for anything that's different, any change. That's how your brain protects you, not empowers you. Our brains are built for survival, not abundance. So yes, after doing this work, you may decide to wait until January or beyond, and that's okay. It will be an intentional, empowered, aware choice. And that will feel so much better than an avoidant or reactive choice. Many of my clients, including myself, will choose to maintain over the holidays. Others will continue to lose. And then there'll be some that'll say, I'm good with the fluctuation of, you know, two to five pounds because they know they have the tools and they can easily shed that right after. What do you think is possible for you? Take a moment and write down every thought that's swirling in that beautiful mind of yours. That is how you pull the thoughts from the subconscious to the conscious and that awareness is the beginning of your transformation. And yes, it's uncomfortable to do this alone. I get it.'Cause your brain's going to want to revert back to what's familiar or say, we'll think about this later, but you deserve clarity. It's worth it to have clarity over comfort. That's why I've added more time slots for you to choose from for a free 20 minute consult where I can help you walk through this. I can help you find peace of mind with the decision that you make and have a plan in place for how you want it to play out. A plan that aligns with your values, your health, and your lifestyle. My goal is the same as always, to help you enter this season with the sense of peace and ease. When you have that state in your body and in your mind, you can truly be present. That way we can focus on what truly matters. I know for me it's celebrating the real reason for the season, which is Jesus and hope as well as feeling so blessed to have the people in my life that I love, I care for and they care for me. This episode wraps up Nurturing November and I want to thank you. There were a lot of replies and messages from last week's weekly newsletter. I know I was pretty real there. That's part of November... was checking off things that need to be done but also giving myself the space to do what needed to be done, to listen, to go within. And I'm really proud of myself for doing that. Was I still busy with this and that and family things? Yes, but I balanced it out. And from some of you, I hear that you were doing the same, so be proud of that. There's more of us going through a difficult season than what we think. The highlights on social media doesn't tell that story, but thank you for those who have trusted me and shared with me as I've been real with you. And now I feel ready to really move into this next season enjoying it, empowered, have increased my self-awareness and growth. And I'm excited to lead you, to inspire you weekly through these podcasts as well. So if you found value in this, I highly encourage you to share it with another friend who may need this. When you share, when you like, when you heart it, it allows this to be shown to more people, to more women who are just kind of waiting and looking for something. Otherwise it kind of gets lost in the algorithm. I love you, I appreciate you, and I'm here to help you - help you find a sustainable plan that will be doable for life. You can book your free consult. You can find the link in the description of this episode. Until next week, be kind to yourself and be kind to others.