15 Positive Affirmations for Weight Loss
Positive thinking through weight loss affirmations can keep your healthy living journey alive by feeding your brain with true and uplifting thoughts and ignoring negative thinking traps, which only block or slow down your weight loss journey.
“I’m skinny. I’m skinny. I’m skinny.” *taps sparkly red shoes together three times*
*still not skinny*
You may be thinking that weight loss affirmations or the law of attraction sounds pretty “woo-woo” and as silly as tapping sparkly red shoes together and saying magic words, but today I’m excited to show you why and how you can use affirmations on your weight loss journey!
Why use positive affirmations for weight loss?
Because if you change your thoughts and attitudes, and you will change your life.
It’s not enough to have outward change, we need inward change and healing to lose weight.
We’ve all seen people who lose a massive amount of weight (think of the Biggest Loser) and gain it all back because they had not changed their thinking that led to the weight gain in the first place, so eventually their actions came back in line with their thinking and they regained their weight and reverted back to their unhealthy habits.
It’s why I struggled for years after my gestational diabetes pregnancy to lose weight. It’s why I let insulin resistance be my excuse for why I “couldn’t” release weight.
But what if, instead of going straight to new food rules and workout regimens, we start with our thoughts. We purposefully choose to fill our minds with what is true and good and the future we want to create for ourselves.
Eventually as we focus and speak these truths over our lives amazing things begin to happen.
- Our brain begins to believe us.
- We stop self-sabotaging.
- We can stick to our healthy commitments.
- We start to love our body just as it is.
- The weight begins to release.
Parent Yourself with Affirmations and Mindfulness
We can’t just stop thinking negative thoughts–that’s only half of the equation. We need to REPLACE them with true, vibrant, life-giving thoughts and affirmations.
An affirmation isn’t just going to automatically change your thoughts. It takes work to notice a negative self-talk, stop it, and then replace it with your positive affirmations.
I kind of think of it like parenting my three year old. He often doesn’t listen the first time (okay, he never listens the first time!). But as I patiently and consistently teach him habits and positive choices, he begins to change little bit by little bit.
Affirmations are one way you can parent yourself with love and grace on your weight loss journey. Just because I am working to be a healthier version of myself does not mean that I hate my current self or am mean to my body or am unhappy.
My joy is not rooted in my pant size or what I’m eating for dinner tonight. My joy is tethered to Jesus and my friendship with Him. I hope yours is too.
15 Positive Affirmations for Weight Loss
1. I have a strong brain and strong body that is capable of losing weight.
So often we tell ourselves, “It’s impossible for me to lose weight because ____________ –my hormones, my body is broken, PCOS, diabetes, I have three kids, my work schedule is too crazy. But the truth is someone out there with your EXACT same set of circumstances is losing weight and getting healthier.
2. I show my body gratitude by nourishing it with healthy foods. (Source)
When my brain tells me I can’t say no to sugary sweets. I’m addicted to carbs. I could never eat healthy for the rest of my life– this is my mantra. And the truth is there are so many delicious healthy foods!
3. I move my body every day to be strong and confident.
“I don’t feel like working out today. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Girl ,they call it a WORKout for a reason. Some days it’s gonna feel like work, but just get moving. Do something active for 5 minutes and then see what happens. I bet you’ll feel better and want to keep going!
” No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening– it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” -Hebrews 12:11
4. Every choice adds up.
“This one bite, one exception, one deviation from my healthy plan doesn’t matter.”
Don’t let the “just this one time” derail your efforts. Every small choice adds up. Keep adding bricks in the direction you want your road to go!
5. My body is powerful and wise. I cherish and accept it today. I challenge and lead it for tomorrow.
What if we took every negative thought we’ve had about our body being disgusting, broken, scarred, ugly, and unlovable and replaced it with the truth that our body is a powerful, wise, and loved. Start talking to your body like it’s a temple and you will begin treating your body as a temple.
If you wouldn’t say it about your daughter’s body or your niece’s body–don’t say it about your body.
6. This is a journey and I’m just going to take it one day at a time.
Listen, you may have a lot of weight to lose like I do and I know how discouraging and insurmountable losing weight can seem–so let’s just take it one day at a time. Don’t rush ahead in your mind or defeat yourself before you even begin.
Just focus on today.
Just focus on the step in front of you.
7. I will not wallow in the past. I move forward with joy and energy and purpose.
Sometimes looking back is just as discouraging as looking ahead. You’ve tried so many things so many times before, there is no point in trying again–you’ll only end up disappointed.
Take off the judges robes and put on the scientist’s lab coat.
- What things about diets in the pasts did you enjoy?
- What felt easy?
- When did you go off course?
- How can you adjust for the future?
Refuse to judge your past self and focus on the future.
8. Pursuing health is valuable and worthwhile.
Is losing weight easy? No. But it is VALUABLE AND WORTHWHILE.
Start with a clear understanding of your why. Make sure it is personal and energetically positive. Why is losing weight and being your healthiest self valuable and worthwhile to you?
9. I am loved and supported in my weight loss.
Someone in your life loves and supports you in your weight loss journey. Ask them for help. Ask them to cheer you on and check in with you!
If you can’t find anyone in your in-person life that is supportive Facebook and Instagram and Twitter have incredibly kind and supportive communities. Try looking for hashtags like #intuitiveeating #nobswoman #strongwoman.
Build the supportive community of your dreams.
10. I feel my feelings, I don’t eat them.
Listen, I have a long way to go when it comes to emotional eating. While a peanut butter cup or chips and salsa may give me a quick “hit of happiness” TRUE JOY comes from reaching my goals and owning my choices.
11. I keep my promises to myself.
Be the woman (or man) you say you are going to be. If you say you’re getting up early to walk, keep that promise to yourself even if you only walk for 10 minutes. If you say you’re enjoying a salad at lunch or eating 100 grams of protein today or lowering your blood pressure or running a 5k–keep your word.
12. I am kind and consistent in my efforts.
Kindness and consistency will go much further in your weight loss efforts that self-deprecation and extreme yo-yo dieting.
13. I choose to bless my body. I choose health and life for myself.
Use this mantra to help you take steps to choosing more nutritious foods. Ask yourself, “Is this food choice a blessing for my body?”
14. Food does not control me.
So often our food choices do feel like they control us and we are just at the whims of our cravings. Repeat this affirmation to yourself.
You aren’t a lab rat or a dog trained by food. You can choose food that blesses your body.
15. Releasing weight is a joyful experience.
You get to choose the type of weight loss journey you have. Choose to release weight with joy, not through gritted teeth.
Other Weight Loss resources for mindset, affirmations, and healthy living…
- Made to Crave book — Super helpful resource from a Christian author.
- PNP podcast — This comes with a language warning, but the hosts are masters of reprogramming thinking for weight loss. They have a paid program but lot’s of free content on their podcast.
- Satisfied: A 90 Day Journey Toward Food Freedom — Well rated journal from a psychologist and addiction specialist.
I created these weight loss affirmations for myself, specific to the challenges and negative thoughts that my wonderfully creative brain comes up with to derail my weight loss efforts.
But you can, of course, create your very own weight loss affirmations for your healthy living journey! And you don’t have to just use them for weight loss, truth affirmations help me be a better mom, wife, and business owner too!
I hope these weight loss affirmations inspire you to practice affirming and speaking the truth over your life. Your mindset is key in losing weight and keeping it off for good!
What weight loss affirmations have helped you in your journey?
Have you found mindset to be important in losing weight?
Chime in below in the comments!
These are great ideas! Reminds me a lot of my cognitive behavior therapy classes back in grad school. It works!
Yup! My counseling undergrad coming through. 😀 😀
I especially love this one: My body is powerful and wise. I cherish and accept it today. I challenge and lead it for tomorrow. It’s amazing what our bodies tell us when we take the time to listen to them :).
Me too! So important to remember. 🙂
Such a great way to stay positive and motivated. Love how you pulled from the Bible too.
Thank you!
Yes, girl!!! The enemy’s lies are real, aren’t they? We don’t have to let them define us. Love this post!
Thanks Leslie! I agree!