The Book That Put Language to How I Coach My Clients: You Are More Than Your Weight
1. You are more than your weight
“You are not your weight.” (p. 24)
This might be one of the most important mindset shifts. Many people tie their success, confidence, and worst of all, identity to a number on a scale.
Negative body image doesn’t just affect how you feel; it affects what you do.
In many cases, it actually prevents people from engaging in health-promoting behaviors at all.
Shift the focus: from what’s wrong → to what’s strong
I love this! Shift: What’s wrong with me? → What’s strong about me?
We’re often so focused on fixing our “flaws” that we completely ignore our greatest strengths.
Technique to try:
Identify a strong quality you already have
If you can’t think of anything, ask someone you trust
Then ask, “How can I apply this strength to my goals?”
I’ll give an example:
I know that I have strong leadership qualities. I earned a leadership award in college and have been promoted in multiple roles since I was 17. Connecting with people and engaging others comes naturally to me.
I use that same ability to lead and motivate others on myself. I create structure by setting small, simple, and truly doable goals and following through, even when I don’t feel like it.
Value your body for what it can do
Another technique that stuck with me is learning to appreciate your body for what it does - not just how it looks.
Another real-life example:
I’ve always felt like my legs are disproportionately large to the rest of my body. I’ve got big t-rex legs! All jokes aside, when I take a step back (pun intended), my legs allow me to:
Move quickly out of the way in a dangerous situation
Get active to fuel my cardiovascular health
Help others, especially when it comes to physically moving a lot of sh*t
And interestingly, I’ve had people tell me they’re jealous of my legs.
Perspective matters.
We all have fleeting thoughts about wanting what others have - but that doesn’t make our current body any less valuable.
Technique to try:
Pick one body part and ask:
What does this allow me to do?
How does it support my life?
Do this once a day. See how it shifts how you see yourself over time.
If you’re looking to dig into these concepts further, I recommend reading The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss. You can purchase it through my Amazon affiliate link here.
