Simplicity, Complexity, Consistency

This is a map of us. Or rather, the interplay between various factors that can influence our weight. Wild, right? Biological, economic, psychological, social factors and others all play a role in determining our weight and ultimately our health. Change one thing and it can affect a whole host of others.

Figuring out long-term weight loss can be complex. So much so, that many people just give up, or don’t try for very long—or never really try at all. And so, 2/3 of US adults are now overweight or obese. There’s more than one way to skin a cat and lose weight, and I can honestly say I’m not a proponent or disciple of any particular diet—other than I do believe that the more whole foods you incorporate into your diet, and the more you cook for yourself, the healthier you’ll be and the more weight you’ll potentially lose.

But before you even weigh (see what I did there?) your diet and weight loss options, you need to do something: commit to simplicity and consistency. In weight loss, as in life, the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) applies nicely. Find something that is simple enough that it realistically fits into your life and aligns with your values. Is going out to dinner with friends an important part of your life that you highly value? Don’t start a dieting scheme that requires you to count every calorie, have a PhD in nutrition science to analyze what’s in your favorite restaurant food, and causes you to avoid going out to eat at all for fear of ingesting that no-good, very bad [insert food group here]. You won’t stick to it.

But simplicity isn’t the only thing that matters; consistently matters as well. Day in, day out, committing to doing the thing that will help you lose weight is the key to seeing results. Most people fail to stick with a dieting scheme or don’t implement it long-term. They try Paleo one week, Whole30 the next, Weight Watchers the following week, and Keto to round out the month. I’m exaggerating, but you get my point.

What most people should to do is stick with something long-term to see some results, tweaking things from there to continue seeing progress. Long-term means more than one week, or even 30 days. Having nutritional ADHD will not get you results. Sticking to something for 90 days or 6 months? Now that will get you some results and meaningful data, which you can use to further refine your plan and keep the success going.

Simplifying things makes being consistent easier. Focusing on one or two things that relate to your weight and health (e.g., food, exercise, sleep) and breaking them down into one or two simple, repeatable behaviors and habits that you can do consistently over time is the only real way to make lasting change when it comes to weight loss or anything else that relates to your health and wellness.

Long-term behavior change and weight loss aren’t easy and definitely aren’t straightforward, as the map above shows. But jumping from one thing to the next, and then racing off to try the next hot fad introduces more complexity into an already complex scenario, and you’re unlikely to see long-term results. Doing one or two things at a time reduces unnecessary complexity and (bonus!) allows you to be more consistent, getting good at that thing and seeing some success. And we all know that success begets more success.

Case in point: New Year’s resolutions. Only about 8% of people actually stick to their resolutions past the end of January. Typically, it’s because they resolve to do too many things all at once (complexity), which don’t fit well into their lives, and are too daunting to do consistently long-term. As my granny would say, they bite off more than they can chew.

Having a considered plan for how you’ll tackle weight loss or other health and wellness challenges can be the thing that makes or breaks your chance of long-term success. Increase your odds of success and work with me to put together a plan that takes into account your unique strengths and situation, and respects your vision of how you want to live your life. Getting the support, expertise, and accountability that will help you show up consistently for yourself and your goals can help you take something complex and make it simpler, turning your resolutions into reality and your goals into accomplishments.