The Psychology of Effort

In this post we are initiating the conversation about the concept of the psychology of “effort”, and how effort can impact our weight loss journey and process. So, to better understand more about the psychological concept of effort and the kind of impact it has, let’s take a deeper dive into effort! We will also discuss the concept of setting goals, the formation of habits (which will help in forming more positive ones in order to help with weight loss), and how to navigate through psychological roadblocks that may impact weight loss.

For so many of us, the journey behind weight loss can be a daunting and overwhelming process. Many of us have been on the hamster wheel of dieting and trying to lose weight for many years or have tried more diets than we can count. And yet here we are again, some of us at our wits end, unsure that The Livy Method will work. For many of us, this is our last attempt before giving up and accepting our current reality as our future.

How is The Livy Method different?

With this method, there is a completely different emphasis on how we should be treating our bodies as well as our mindsets. We are changing our focus to supporting our bodies by giving our bodies what they need, establishing good nutrition, and on lifestyle changes that complement the weight loss process. We are also challenging ourselves in a more cerebral and emotional way, by purposefully implementing tweaks that address issues we may have consciously or subconsciously. The Livy Method post and video is an excellent resource, discussing how this process is different from the other diets that are out there or what we have experienced in the past!

However, this method is not a quick fix and may require some amount of effort in order to attain success! Although many members come into this process with gusto, ready to do all it takes, many can also be challenged as time evolves and their level of success may not be reflected by their perceived effort. Everybody is different, with different histories, physiologies and health issues they may be working through, varying mental/emotional experiences, stresses, financial situations, as well as life challenges. To be straight up, some people may need a lot of help and time before their body may be willing to make changes or start to drop weight on the scale. Some may really struggle with the time and energy it may take to work through this.

This raises the question, what happens when one’s effort does not match their success on the scale? Many people use the scale to judge their level of achievement, yet discount any possible NSVs (non-scale victories) that they may have experienced or are experiencing. They may also not be realistic about the time that may be required to get their bodies healthy before they will begin to drop any weight.

Effort is a very interesting and complicated concept, as one may perceive they are exerting much more effort than they truly are, thus expectin