Weight Loss and Lifestyle Change Start with Finding Your Why

Every member’s Profile journey is unique, but there are a few things our most successful members have in common. Connecting the basics of Profile – trusting your plan, enjoying nutritious food, and meeting with your coach – to a bigger “Why?” makes it possible to stick with healthy habits for the long-haul.

Finding your Why means discussing or writing down the big reason you want to change. Psychologists call this making an association to deeper core values. It’s easy to make that concept real if we just listen to a few of our Profile members.

For Shannon, losing 107 pounds meant she could become a healthier wife and mother. Clay’s 128-pound weight loss meant sleeping better so he could have more energy and a more positive outlook on life. To Emily, losing 96 pounds was about living life as an adventure.

Answering “What’s Your Why?” is an important member journey milestone. Some members know their “Why?” on their first coaching visit. For others, it takes a while to find answers that truly inspire long-term change. No matter when it happens, every member that finds a way to connect daily decisions to a broader “Why?” will see three key benefits.

Read Shannon's full story on finding the right formula for weight loss success.

1. A greater sense of purpose

There’s a big difference between having to change and wanting to change. People who want to change usually find a way to connect smaller choices and actions to a greater purpose. Let’s look at an example.

Maybe your “Why?” is to be the best parent or grandparent that you can be. If you are able to view your Profile journey as a way to keep up with little ones, you might find that it is easier to grab that mid-morning meal replacement. Making a mental connection between our behaviors and the things we value most in life makes it easier to stay the course.

2. Baby steps become big steps

Did you know that most of us make 200-300 food-related decisions per day? Saying “Yes” to the right things and “No” to the things that take us off course can seem like a constant challenge, but knowing your “Why?” makes it easier to understand that small decisions help us achieve big goals.

Will you measure the amount of salad dressing you use, or just eyeball it? Even if a little extra might not knock you off plan, grabbing the tablespoon is easier if you see it as part of your goal to become a better parent or grandparent. Connecting to your “Why?” helps you realize that a few seconds to measure is a small time investment that pays big returns.

3. More self-confidence

Lifestyle change isn’t easy, but finding your “Why?” is one way to make things less challenging. Aligning little things to a bigger purpose gives people more confidence to overcome any obstacles that may occur. You can make small barriers disappear once you know that the outcome is worth it.

If you measure that salad dressing, you are actually more likely to measure out other foods. When you keep portions in balance, you might be more inclined to take that walk after lunch. Over time, you begin doing things you never imagined because you are actually living the life you always wanted. It will feel like something magical happened, but in reality you are just benefitting from the confidence that comes from making hundreds of good decisions each day.

What’s your why?

What’s your why? What do you value most? What makes your heart sing? Profile Coaches will always be here to help you with the what and the how of lifestyle change, but our main purpose is to make sure you set and meet any goal that helps you realize your full potential. Working together, we’ll find confidence and success by connecting smaller daily decisions to your bigger life goals.