Have you ever searched “How to Lose Weight” on the internet?
I’m sure you get the same results I do – ads from Noom and WeightWatchers and the top diet and transformation plans.
They’ll tell you their product, plan, or supplements will help you lose the weight in no-time. Their marketers are SO GOOD, it’s probably sucked you in before…
Regardless the results you’ve seen in their programs, there’s a reason you’re STILL searching for ways to lose weight…
It’s because all of these results found on the internet are trying to sell you on their products, plans, and supplements.
They’re forgetting to sell you on the thing you need MOST.
It’s a skill.
It’s actually THE #1 Skill you NEED in order to lose weight.
It’s the skill of being an Opportunity Seeker.
How many times have you said you HATE dieting?
Eating healthy and giving up the foods you love? (Which you don’t by the way, CLICK HERE to check out the FREE 6-Page Guide I put together on that.)
How many times have you said you HATE exercising?
Look, I’m a coach and I’ve said these things HUNDREDS of times.
But that was all before I developed the skill of being an Opportunity Seeker.
You’re probably wondering what that really means and how it actually relates to fat loss…
That’s okay because before I picked up on this, so did I.
As an Opportunity Seeker, you are quite literally looking for opportunities.
You’re looking for chances to grow, change, or improve.
You’re looking for the benefit, the positive, or the bright side.
But there’s a catch…
An Opportunity Seeker does this in EVERYTHING
See, before I flipped the switch, my thought process looked a lot like this:
“I can’t have __________.”
“I hate this.”
“I have to ____________.”
“This sucks.”
“I’m missing out on _________.”
In this mindset, every part of diet and exercise is a chore that you have to labor through then find a way to muster up enough motivation to do it all over again the next time.
The problem with this mindset is that you eventually run out of motivation and willpower, which is the reason you quit and have yet to find a diet or exercise plan you can stick to.
Heck, you may have found the PERFECT program for you, but without the skill of seeking opportunity you stood little to no chance.
So, how did I develop the skill?
Let me show you how I did separately in diet, exercise, and stress management.
DIET
This one is tough…
You eat or face food more than once a day, which means you’re faced with far more chances to think about how much you hate yourself and your diet.
BUT, in true Opportunity Seeker form, this is also where picking up on this skill can make the biggest difference.
Somewhere along the way, we started following what I like to call the See Food, Eat Food Diet. This is the diet where you see food (or think about it really) and without thought eat it.
When you DON’T eat it and try to break up with the See Food, Eat Food Diet, things get pretty dark, gloomy, and negative.
It’s the act of breaking this habit where our most negative self really shines through….
You’re thinking about all the things you “CAN’T” have or about the way your life USED to look.
That negative self is like an angry beast ready to burst through at any moment. He or she clouds your vision of your long-term goal because it will do ANYTHING to fulfill your short term “needs.”
How do you keep that angry beast at bay?
Look for the opportunities.
This is why things like frequently revisiting your goals and keeping them so visible is SO important.
When you’re eating the salad instead of the candy bar, stop for a moment to think about what that’s doing for you.
When you see food that doesn’t quite fit your fat loss plan, before eating it, ask yourself what that will do to the pursuit of your goals.
Similarly, when you do lose the willpower battle and give in to temptation, look for the lessons learned instead of beating yourself up. Identify the takeaways and start setting forth your plan of attack for next time.
If you’re always thinking about what you can’t have, eventually those thoughts will win.
If you’re always thinking about the opportunity and how to move 1 small step closer to your goal, eventually your fat loss goal will win.
EXERCISE
Full transparency, this one was easiest for me.
Like many others, I’ve always loved a great workout. I feel accomplished and proud each time I finish a training session. It’s an easy box to check on my daily to-do list.
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have to work to find opportunities at points…
Do you have certain exercises you HATE?
Body parts you HATE working
Do you like certain days or training styles better than others?
Have you ever skipped or shorted reps of any of these?
I have…
Let’s use the example of Bulgarian Split Squats (one of the deadliest leg exercises out there).
They were my nemesis. I rolled my eyes and swore each time I saw them in my training program because no matter how many times I did them, they NEVER seemed to get any easier.
Bulgarians were SO frustrating to me that I found myself not really putting forth my best effort. I’d short myself on reps or grab lighter weights because I hated the exercise and always thought “What’s the point?”
Then, during one of my training sessions with my coach, he was talking about someone complaining about the exercises in their program again when all of a sudden he said,
“What they don’t realize is that the exercises they’re complaining about are actually the exercises they probably need MOST.”
Welp…
Ain’t it the truth….
I have no idea if my face turned red or if I showed any expression, but I felt busted.
It was like a lightbulb switched on, and I knew I needed that piece of advice WAY more than this other client.
It’s okay to dislike exercises and to prefer some over others.
What’s not okay is half-assing or skipping them because you don’t like them.
The next time you find yourself groaning about an exercise or near skipping because you don’t like it, stop and consider the opportunity or what it can do for you. Ask yourself how it can bring you one small step closer to your goal.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Another challenging one for me…
Sure, it’s a check off my to-do list, but it’s not always something wherein you see immediate results.
I’m the first to admit that I’m Type A, and I find ways to unnecessarily add stress to my life (Oops).
On the scale and in how I feel, I can see what my nutritional choices do for me.
In my strength and energy levels, I know what my workouts are doing for me.
But stress management, not always the case…
It doesn’t immediately change the number on the scale, nor does it make me feel as strong.
In all honesty, I thought stress management tactics made me look weak for a very long time. In my head it was like admitting defeat or that I was incapable of bearing the load given to me.
This was definitely a see it to believe it thing for me, but as soon as I saw how big of an impact this held on me, I was sold.
Focus levels improved.
My ability to tolerate these and larger loads improved.
Energy levels improved.
Recovery levels improved.
Mood improved.
Truthfully, my LIFE improved because I better managed my stress.
But the opportunity was hard to see…
In order to get there, I picked 1 or 2 stress management tactics and committed to them for no less than 30 days. While I may not see the immediate difference, I was one step closer to finding out a little bit more about myself.
It took practice.
It took work.
It took a lot of DEEP searching for the opportunity, but I got there.
So can you, as long as you’re looking for your opportunity to change.
