Can sweet talking yourself help with weight loss?

July 24, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Ever troll the fitspo section of Instagram?

Ever do that, while gobbling Godiva and loathing yourself for being nada like the models on there?

(“Might as well stay here forever ’cause I’m never gonna look like *that*…”)

While you’re for sure not alone, I don’t hafta tell you that’s not a healthy practice. (Although I’m totally gonna. BTW: did you also know smoking’s not good for you?) Yes, you’re well aware of how opposite-of-good that is. But what you may not be aware of, is the following: by doing exactly the opposite when you hop on Insta, you stand to reach your weight loss and fitness goals far faster.

No, I don’t mean eating Godiva’s rival while surfing IG. (Although a salad’d obvi be far better for ya.) Rather, what I mean is altering your self-talk anytime you ogle the models whose health level you wanna reach. See, when we engage in negative self talk, something interesting happens. Because that’s the filter through which we’re operating, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Negativity breeds negativity. Why? It’s kinda like that whole “law of attraction” thing. But there’s no sorcery or vision board magic going on. The whole idea’s based on the fact that we get what we focus on. Everything else is a distraction headed in another direction.

So, what’s better for your health?

What’s better is to avoid differentiating comparison and competition altogether. What’s better is to instead use the beauties you see as legit fitspo by yes-and’ing them in a complimentary way. In other words, acknowledge that that chick at the gym’s a drop lifeless striking beauty. (Protip: being a hottie’s not finite. And putting someone down doesn’t build you up. No one wins a trophy. You both can totally have it and build each other up.) So, before you let that immediately turn into pity party about what you’ve not got in common, immediately look for something you do have in common. “She’s gorgeous – and so am I.”

Can’t find anything remotely similar about whatever your “hashtag goals” object is, and yourself? Then, start with the fact that you both have amazing, strong legs, arms, workout ethic, or whatever – and go from there. The more of these similarities you look for, the more you’ll find (and the more you’ll wanna work hard to match it.) And that will land you even more of those totally reachable health and fitness milestones you’ll soon share in common with whoever you’re trying to emulate.

In sum, eating sweets and throwing shade may not make you lose weight.

But sweet talking yourself and others definitely can!