A Fixed Mindset vs. A Growth Mindset: Why It Matters When It Comes To Weight Loss

The work that I do includes learning about the conscious and subconscious parts of our brain, and the role these play in our everyday behaviors. My focus is on our conscious ability to shift the mind, how that affects who we are, and all of the outcomes we see in our lives, including our weight and our body.

Because science tells us we only have access to 5% of our mind, or more accurately, only 5% of our brain is under conscious awareness, it’s important to understand how to most effectively work this part of our brain!

One of the ways we can learn to work with the conscious part of our brain is to look at the concepts of Growth and Fixed mindset, especially if you struggle with your weight. 

Keep in mind that it is possible to have a growth mindset in certain areas of your life and a fixed mindset in other areas of your life.

Fixed Mindset

Someone with a fixed mindset assumes that intelligence, qualities, abilities, and talents are fixed traits that cannot be significantly developed. In other words,  you feel like things “just are the way they are”. That you don’t have control over what’s “happened to you”, and you just have to learn to deal with it. 

People with a fixed mindset view the success of others as just “lucky”. This happens a lot when struggling with weight. We assume others are “just lucky”, or we overemphasize the role genetics plays in our outcomes. It can feel very disheartening or make you feel hopeless and defeated.

If you’re starting that new food plan with a fixed mindset, as soon as you run into a challenge or a setback, you’re more likely to assume the plan is not working for you. You’ll be more likely to say things like, “I’m just this way”, or “see, nothing ever works for me”. And you will prove yourself right by giving up on your plan, therefore reinforcing your belief that you’ll never find a solution that works for you. 

What I want you to know is that what you believe is possible for you, has a big impact on what actually is possible for you. 

Growth Mindset

When we look at the belief systems and mindsets of successful people, we most often find what’s called a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, you assume that qualities, abilities, and talents are something that can be improved or changed significantly. They can be developed with learning, intentional focus, and dedication.

When you have a growth mindset, you’re somebody that thinks that qualities can be developed and changed over time with education, intention, and commitment to the process. When you’re faced with a challenge you’re able to say “I’ll meet this challenge head-on”, or “I will certainly figure this out.”

Interestingly, when it comes to weight loss, I’ve noticed that people that have a growth mindset in many areas of their lives revert to a fixed mindset with their bodies. They can be extraordinarily successful in many areas, but when it comes to their weight they’ll say (and believe) things like, “There’s nothing I can do. I’ve always been this way. It’s always going to be this way.” And they come up with all the evidence for why this can’t be changed for them.

Is It Possible To Change Your Mindset?

Science shows us we can absolutely retrain our brain, both from a neurochemical standpoint – we create a different neurochemical response in the brain by how we perceive things. And also from a mindset standpoint – becoming the conscious observer of who we’re being in our environment from day-to-day. 

Take time to think about where your mindset is. Do you have a fixed mindset vs. a growth mindset when it comes to being able to change your body, shape, and size? What areas of your life do you tend to have a growth mindset? What areas do you tend to have a fixed mindset?

Practice developing your growth mindset by asking, “What would a person who has a growth mindset do in this situation?”

In my signature program, The Shift, we work on discovering your own belief and behavior patterns. The waitlist is open for the last round of The Shift for 2022. This is the last time The Shift will be offered in this format at this price! Make sure you get on the waitlist today!