Decisive Moments | Decisions that Matter within Your Weight Loss Journey

Photo by Elena Leya on Unsplash

Many factors contribute to losing weight, especially as we age. There are many barriers that often get in the way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, as a Certified Behavior Change Specialist and being on my second weight loss journey, I've noticed and learned through years of research that it's often not life's barriers that get in the way of achieving weight loss success. Barriers, unforeseen events, and life's obstacles will always come into our lives, and many stick around longer than expected. But if we think about our life's issues, and recall the event, we can often pinpoint areas where we could have chosen a better option or path. So, do life's obstacles cause us to take unwanted actions?

Let's be honest, sometimes it's not any one particular event that causes us to derail from our wellness journeys. The decisions and the actions that follow often start within our mind, which leads us to choose certain behaviors, and the results follow.  The decisions you make can either add to your success or prolong your success. One decision can lead to a host of negative or positive outcomes. Referenced in James Clear's book, Atomic Habits, these decisions are called decisive moments. According to James Clear, decisive moments are "a handful of moments that deliver an outsized impact…and set the options available to your future self."

Decisive moments are vital in reaching our weight loss and wellness goals. Given the way our human brains have been habitually wired, one negative decision can cause a downward spiral and lead to a host of negative behaviors that can hinder our progress. Cluster all of your negative decisions over several days, weeks, and months, and suddenly you've gained 3 pounds, following an additional 5 to 10 pounds, then suddenly you're back where you've started, caving into your old habits and living the older lifestyle that you do not desire.

Author: James Clear, Atomic Habits., page 161

Within those daily decisive moments, we should consider all the possible outcomes of our behaviors and consider the impact of the decisions we will make. Yes, this may be easier said than done, but with habitual practice it gets easier by the day. Through behavioral change techniques, you can learn how to train your brain to think twice about your actions. It's as simple as pausing and taking a step back to analyze your thoughts and the possible consequences of the actions you desire to take. Will this action lead me closer to my goals or further away? Am I adding to the person I want to become, or am I prolonging the process? How will I feel after I take this action, will I feel good about the decision or worse? Those small decisions matter and encompass a great deal of our wellness journeys. Making small impactful decisions throughout our day is what will keep us on course, and "adds to our identity," as James Clear states in Atomic Habits. 

I would be remiss to say that considering each decisive moment wouldn't take time to cultivate.  Not being as reactive will take time when we're approached with moments and decisions. It will take time, but by adapting behavior change techniques such as creating self-awareness and cultivating an environment for success, the decisive moments get easier.  With practice and careful thought, you'll master the desire to choose walking instead of vegging on the sofa, choosing fruit as a side instead of French fries, and stopping when feeling full versus overeating. The tiny, small decisive moments you choose will ultimately accumulate to create the healthy lifestyle you desire. You have the power, within each decisive moment, to choose the path that will bring you closer to your weight loss and wellness success. 

Mindfully choosing the right actions has been one of the primary factors in helping me achieve weight loss success. Is it tough sometimes, yes. But making those small healthy choices gets easier with time and practice. You can also apply this in all areas of your life to create the lifestyle you desire in other areas. Do you have a desire to leave work at a decent time, decrease dine-out by cooking more homemade meals, or do you have a desire to read more books? There are many areas within our lives where decisive moments matter and the choices we make will determine our outcome and we have the power to choose success.  Think about your wellness goals and take the time to think through the decisive moments you encounter daily that may impact your desired lifestyle.  Consider the daily choices you encounter and look for areas where you could make better decisions to improve your lifestyle. Start small and momentous results will follow.

Be True, be balanced, be well.