Many of us have limiting beliefs about ourselves in at least one area of our lives. Almost everybody wishes they were more confident – but how do you get that way?
The good news is that self-confidence really can be learned and built on. It comes from repeated practice and small successes which build into large successes. With the right commitment and effort, you can build your self-
Do the scales show the same number every morning, no matter how much you exercise and how little you eat? Don’t get frustrated. Remember that the number on the scales isn’t the only way to measure success. When the scale bums you out, here are three other ways to gauge your progress.
How do you feel?
You should have more energy, sleep better, and feel less stressed. If you are using lots of air in your breathing and really working your muscles, you should FEEL a difference in your body right away. The first thing most people report is an increase in their energy level and improved feelings of well-being. Many customers report that they are able to accomplish much more during the day because they feel so “revved” up.
How do your clothes fit?
Try on the same pair of jeans and shirt every four to six weeks. Many customers have dropped clothing sizes and lost excess fat and inches — in many cases without seeing a huge change on the scale — but they now have leaner, more “tightly-packed” bodies. The goal is to burn fat, not muscle.
“The shorts that I thought I would have to wait weeks to fit into now look good (shirt tucked in or out). It seems to have given me the latest encouragement that I really needed. I was becoming frustrated with the slow weight loss but it must have been the muscle/fat exchange that everyone speaks of. The shorts I fit into now, at 131 pounds, were tighter last summer at 122 pounds. All I know is that I am feeling great, looking great and definitely set to keep on going.” – Shauna
How much can you do?
Keep a journal and track how many stairs you can climb before feeling winded or how many miles you can walk. Or maybe you notice you can keep up with the kids at a park or an amusement park—and even have energy at the end of each day.
If you’re feeling discouraged by slow progress on the scale, think about your real goal. “Losing weight” may not be the real goal for many people. We often say that our goal is to “lose x number of pounds” because we closely tie weight to health, success and being accepted, plus weight is easy to track.
But your real goal is probably about health or energy levels or confidence or feeling comfortable. Your real goal is to have a better quality of life, in a physical, mental and/or emotional way. That type of goal is not measured by weight alone.
