7 Signs You Might Benefit From Some Additional Mindset Support After WLS
Mar 21, 2023If you find yourself struggling to stay on track after your WLS, feeling unmotivated, living in a near-constant state of fear or frustration with your health and weight results, or spiralling out of control with your eating or old unhealthy habits, it might be time to consider getting some additional mindset support and working with a coach.
Whether you’re feeling like you’ve reached a confusing crossroads, or hit a brick wall, or are simply feeling lost or scared that you’re slipping back to old ways, getting some additional mindset support can help you discover the best path forward, getting you back on track and feeling motivated and empowered. Getting support is a proven way to improve your results and there are many ways to do that. One effective way is to get a coach. Not only do coaches ask the right questions to help you gain clarity and forward momentum, they provide resources and support that can assist you to figure out your next steps and hold you accountable for setting and achieving your goals.
While some signals are obvious, it’s not always clear when it’s time to seek outside help to stay on track. Here are seven key indicators that getting some additional mindset support might be a worthwhile investment that you’re ready for.
If any of these signs apply to your current situation then get in touch with us to get the coaching and support you need to turn things around for you.
1. Everything You've Tried Doesn't Work
If you’ve tried to follow an eating plan, to stick to an exercise program, or to stop yourself from eating certain foods, but always give in, or talk yourself out of taking the actions, and nothing seems to work, it’s a sign you need some outside help.
There are plenty of ways to create a balanced lifestyle, to move your body regularly, to avoid triggers and to eat healthily, and if nothing is working then you haven’t found the strategy that works best for you yet.
A coach can help you create a system that helps you look after yourself more and more over time, so you can see the results you’re looking for. Just like any goal, nothing happens overnight. The strategies that a coach works out with you will require consistency and effort. However, if you do the work, you will see changes.
2. You Can't Control Your Eating & You Know It
There are plenty of people out there who have had WLS but who lose control of their eating again. If you are in that boat, then you need some help. For anyone who has ever tried to reduce their weight or create a healthy lifestyle, there’s nothing worse than knowing your eating is out of control but not knowing what to do about it and how to change it. A coach can help in a few ways.
The first way is by getting to the root of why you are consistently over-eating, mindlessly eating, eating unnecessarily or eating the foods that you know are moving you backwards. The second way is helping you to set up a plan that anticipates your triggers and then replaces your eating with more empowering behaviours.
When you have a plan that clearly shows you how to interrupt your old pattern and how to condition new, nurturing and positive behaviours, you can breathe a little easier. You don’t have to be worried about spending the rest of your life beating yourself up for sabotaging yourself time and time again. For more tips and strategies on dealing with emotional eating, check out our video on dealing with cravings and emotional eating.
3. You Feel Stuck & Don't Know How To Move Forwards
You’ve read books and blogs. You’ve listened to podcasts and watched YouTube videos. You’ve purchased or downloaded recipes or movement programs. You’ve dived into the Fresh Start resources. All of that made a difference, but now you’re in a position where you don’t know how to move forward appropriately.
A coach can help when you feel stuck and don’t know what move to make next. A coach will offer a different perspective to your situation, and guide you through the right steps to get away from that place of feeling stuck. Often people feel this particular sign but suffer in silence. If you feel this way even though you’ve had WLS, then seek help. There is a way out!
4. You Don't Have A Plan For Staying On Track
It’s been said that ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ and there’s a great deal of wisdom in these words. Creating and sustaining a healthy lifestyle in today’s busy, modern world requires ongoing effort. It certainly doesn’t just ‘happen’, even though your procedure might well have initially given you a sense of control, with your decreased appetite and stomach volume.
Proper planning allows you to anticipate the challenges and strategise solutions that will work in your particular circumstances, and also supports the creation of healthy habits. You can read more about the importance of planning and how to start here. A coach can help you come up with that plan, saving you time and effort and eliminating the confusion and frustration, thereby helping you to get the results that you want.
5. You're Gradually Gaining Weight Over Time
Although it’s completely normal for your weight to fluctuate after WLS, when you start to notice that the trend on the scales is now definitely going upwards, or your waistbands are getting tight and uncomfortable, then it can be very disheartening.
The momentum that you were enjoying might have stopped but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get it back. You can see tips on how to get more momentum and feel more motivated here. A coach can help you discover the proper steps to put in place to get you feeling motivated and help you to clear your path so you can get moving in the direction you want.
6. The Thought Of Going Back To Where You Were Terrifies You, And It's Pretty Much All You Think About
It’s very natural to be concerned about going back to where you were health-wise and weight-wise before your surgery. Being in a near-constant state of fear is not a great place to be though. One important principle to remember is that the past does not equal the future.
When we’re feeling fear we will usually seek comfort in some form, and that often translates to emotional eating or unhealthy behaviours that give us instant comfort in the moment, but that don’t have a positive impact on our health in the long-term.
Working with a coach, you can discover how to shift yourself into a more resourceful state without relying on food. A coach will help you to discover and tap into your inner strengths, as well as help you have confidence in yourself, so that you can feel excited about the future, rather than scared.
One of the most important aspects of creating a healthier lifestyle is being consistent with your actions. It’s all very well doing all of your healthy actions when life is feeling manageable, but if your healthy choices and behaviours are the first things you drop because ‘life gets in the way’ or you don’t feel like it, then achieving and sustaining your desired results will always be a yo-yo experience.
One element that can impact consistency, especially in the early stages when you’re establishing a healthier lifestyle, is a lack of accountability - and if that’s an issue for you then a coach can really help. If you’re lacking in motivation to be consistent and can’t hold yourself accountable, find someone who will!
7. You Struggle With Consistency
When you have a coach, you’re setting yourself up with an extra layer of accountability. Someone is holding you to your words and actions. Someone is cheering for you and expecting you to follow-through with your habits. Now you have to act, or you’re wasting your time and your coach’s time. That extra layer of accountability can be a game changer. It can teach you what it takes to be accountable, so you can start holding yourself to the same standards.
What To Look For In A Coach
If any of the signs above apply to you and your situation, it may be time to seek help in the form of a Fresh Start coach! All of our coaches:
- are fully qualified as Health and Wellness Coaches;
- understand WLS and what you’re going through, no matter how recently or long ago you had your surgery;
- are supportive, friendly, encouraging and experienced at creating a safe and judgement-free space over the phone for you to explore your current challenges; and
- have a track record of supporting WLS clients to make permanent and significant mindset and lifestyle changes.
Coaching Isn't For Everyone
Coaching isn’t a magic wand though and it isn’t for everyone, so we’ll only work with you if you’re willing:
1. to reflect on yourself and look inside to discover your inner strengths and solutions;
2. to do the work to create change and aren't hoping for a quick fix; and
3. to open up and be honest with yourself and your coach.
Final Words...
Having an experienced coach on your side can make all the difference in your WLS journey. Our coaches can help you make difficult decisions, build confidence when making lifestyle choices and help you determine the best path forwards.
If you’re looking to get started, contact us at [email protected] to set up an initial complimentary 15-minute discussion to explore your current challenges and your coaching options to get you moving in your desired direction again.
