Rewriting Your Wellness Story: How Hidden Beliefs Sabotage Weight Loss

How Limiting Beliefs Sabotage Your Wellness Journey

When it comes to weight loss struggles, we often blame our diets or exercise habits—but what if your mindset is the real culprit? In this thought-provoking episode, licensed nutritionist Catina Wilson reveals how deeply ingrained limiting beliefs can sabotage your wellness journey without you even realizing it.

Catina explains that beliefs aren't just fleeting thoughts but function as our internal operating system, formed during childhood through family interactions, school experiences, and past results. These beliefs create powerful personal narratives that either empower us with thoughts like "I am capable" or limit us with destructive ideas like "I'll always be overweight" or "Nothing works for me." The most common limiting belief Catina encounters at Atlanta Wellness Clinic? "I've tried everything, and nothing works for me"—a belief that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The breakthrough comes through what Catina calls "the Truth Test," a simple but profound process for challenging negative thoughts. When limiting beliefs arise, ask yourself: Is this 100% true? Are there exceptions? When did I first start believing this? By examining these beliefs, finding their exceptions, understanding their origins, and reframing them positively, you can create new neural pathways that transform what's possible in your wellness journey. Through real-world examples and practical journaling strategies, this episode provides the tools to identify the hidden mental barriers keeping you stuck and rewrite your wellness story for good.

Ready to transform your relationship with weight loss by changing how you think? Subscribe to the Atlanta Wellness Clinic podcast for more expert insights and visit online to schedule your free 10-minute weight loss consultation today.

To learn more about Atlanta Wellness Clinic visit:
https://www.ATLWellnessClinic.com
Atlanta Wellness Clinic
1827 Powers Ferry Rd. SE, Bldg 1 STE 250
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
770-726-8978

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Atlanta Wellness Clinic podcast
hosted by licensed nutritionistand clinic owner, Katina Wilson.
We're here to kickstart yourweight loss journey because,
let's be honest, the only thingwe want gaining weight is our
wallets.
From medical weight loss andnutrition coaching to body
contouring, we help MetroAtlanta women get real results.

(00:24):
Let's dive in.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Your mindset might be the biggest obstacle to weight
loss.
Learn how hidden beliefs canderail progress and how to
rewrite your wellness story.
Welcome back everyone.
I'm Millie M, producer, co-host.
Back in the studio withlicensed nutritionist and clinic
owner, katina Wilson.
How are you, katina?

Speaker 3 (00:45):
I'm great today.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
How are you Doing well?
Doing well.
We always hear the term mindover matter, because limiting
beliefs can quietly shape ourchoices and stall our progress.
This topic hits home for somany of us.
Talk to us about how limitingbeliefs sabotage your wellness
journey.

Speaker 3 (01:02):
Great question Topic that you know we talk about
quite a bit here at the AtlantaWellness Clinic.
You know, when you think aboutbeliefs, they are essentially
the internal operating system ofour lives.
They're not just fleetingthoughts, they are deeply
ingrained convictions that wehold to be true.
And most of the time, thesebeliefs, you know, they're
formed, you know in in childhood, whether something has happened

(01:24):
to us, something was said to usby families, by school, by
experiences, even results thatwe've experienced, um, in the
past, and so they end upcreating this personal narrative
and this personal narrativethat you know we hold on to.
And so there are two types ofbeliefs, right?
So first there are empoweringbeliefs.
These are the ones that lift usup, they motivate us, they

(01:45):
drive us to our best selves, ourbest potential.
You know I am capable, I canachieve my goals, I can do the
hard thing.
Then there are limiting beliefs,which is what we're really
talking about today.
These are the things thatsabotage us and they hold us
back and they are not servingour best interests.
They tend to instigate worry,they instigate fear, they
instigate failure.

(02:06):
It causes us to think about thepersonal opinions of others or
external opinions of others, sothings like I'll always be
overweight, I can never losethis weight.
I'm just not the type of personto exercise.
I'll never win.
She's prettier.
He makes more money than me.
These are the kinds of thingsthat stem from something that

(02:27):
has happened in the past and nowwe're holding on to them.
And again, you know, when we'retalking about limiting beliefs,
these are the things that willhold us back.
They'll make it very, verydifficult for us to to get past
and to achieve the goals that weultimately want to achieve.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
It's so interesting how a thought can affect how our
body responds.
A lot of stress-relatedillnesses, I think, are just
related to our thoughts andreplaying those negative
thoughts in our heads.
Is there a common limitingbelief that you see pop up in
your clinic kind of consistently?

Speaker 3 (03:00):
Oh, absolutely, it's such a great question.
The number one thing that wehear all the time is I've tried
every diet, I can't lose theweight.
This is not going to work forme.
It seems like it works forothers, but it won't work for me
.
And so I think, you know, wehave to ask the question.
Well, let's take a step back,let's ask why, Is that 100% true
, you know?
And if it is, you know, arethere exceptions?

(03:23):
You know, to that, Because atsome point maybe you have lost
weight.
Like, where did those beliefscome from?
I think is critically asimportant when we go through
this process.
And so the first thing we askis like, is that really true?
There's a great book that Ilove, you know, and I read it
like once a year, and it'scalled Loving what Is is what
it's called, and Loving what Isis what it's called.

(03:46):
And Loving what Is is a greatbook, and it really centers
around beliefs, particularlylimiting beliefs, and so, again,
as I said earlier, limitingbeliefs are not like a fleeting
thought, these are deeplyingrained, you know, kind of
thoughts and feelings that wehave, and again, these are the
things that hold us back, and sowhen these thoughts come up you
have to ask yourself first, isit true?
And you might say, well, yeah,of course it's true.

(04:08):
Well, is it 100% of the time?
True, right?
And then are there exceptionsto when maybe that hasn't been
true?
And then when's the first timeyou really started to think
about this?
Right, Because it's importantto one find kind of exceptions
to the thought.
But then, more importantly,it's also important to recognize

(04:29):
like well, when did thisthought become like a real thing
for you?
And so it really does requirean individual.
Anytime you know you have theselimiting beliefs, it really
requires you to do the work.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
So how do these limiting beliefs show up in
day-to-day choices and habits?
I would imagine that it wouldbe subconscious You're not going
to grab a cupcake saying oh,when I was little, my mom called
me little piggy you know, whatI mean.
So how do those limitingbeliefs show up in our
day-to-day habits?

Speaker 3 (04:55):
You might be that person that I'm going to start a
diet and then by Monday you'restarting a diet all over again,
right, because something hashappened.
You know that maybe you felloff and then now you've stuck in
your head, like you know what,I'm never going to be able to
lose this weight, you know.
And so it just so.
I'm just going to go ahead andI'm just going to throw away the
rest of the week and maybe I'lltry again on Monday.

(05:16):
Or you may be that person thatknows you need to get into the
gym.
The doctor has told you theimportance of exercise, but
something about going to the gym, like you know, I'm too big.
I'm not the kind of person thatexercise.
I don't like to exercise, youknow, I exercise.
People looking at me, right?
Those are the kinds of thingsthat hold you back.

(05:37):
Or, weight loss aside, maybeyou're trying to go for a
promotion, right, and you know.
But you're nervous about thesteps that it takes.
You know, am I really ready forthat promotion?
Am I deserving of thatpromotion?
They always give it to the guy,they never give it to the woman
, they never give it to theblack woman, right?
Those are the kinds of thingsthat are limiting beliefs and

(05:59):
those are the kinds of thingsthat are holding you back from
your goals.
So that's how you recognize Iwant this thing, but something
is holding me back, something iskeeping me stuck from wanting
to make that next step.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
And if you don't pull it up from the root, you will
find yourself self-sabotagingcertain opportunities.
So I know you didn't sign up tobe a therapist, so how do you
help clients identify andchallenge those beliefs in your
coaching session?

Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, so we have the truth test, right, and we walked
through it a little bit earlier, right?
So you know, as we're talkingto clients, you know one of the
first things is we want tounderstand, like, how did you
get here, let's talk about yourjourney.
And we you Like how did you gethere, let's talk about your
journey.
And we you listen, right?
You have to listen to a lot ofwhat they're saying, sometimes
even like what they're notsaying, but we tend to hear the
most.
You know, I've tried everything, I can't get the weight off.

(06:44):
Is that true, Right?
And then we ask that question,ask yourself that question Is
that true?
Have you really triedeverything, right?
Can you really not get theweight off?
Or you know, I don't like toexercise.
I'm not the type of person thatshould.
I'm too big to exercise.
Is that true, right?
You know, are there differenttypes of exercises that you can
do.

(07:04):
So you have to constantly likeagain, it's part of doing the
work journaling.
So when you recognize that someof these thoughts are coming up,
write them down and then askyourself is it true?
Is it true 100% of the time?
Are there exceptions to when?
Maybe this is not true?
And then, when was the firsttime I really started to believe

(07:26):
this thought right.
And then, once you start tokind of isolate, like you know,
maybe this is not true.
This is where this comes from.
Isolate, like you know, maybethis is not true, this is where
this comes from.
Is there a way to flip it to apositive?
Maybe I can be the person thatexercises because I can do 10
minutes, I can do 15 minutes, Ican walk right, and so if you

(07:47):
can start to frame it in a morepositive way and something that
works for you, then now you'restarting to create a new neural
pathway, a new thought process,a new pattern, and now that
limiting belief becomes anempowering belief.
It takes work.
It really does take work.
Journaling is certainly helpfulas you're going through this

(08:08):
process, but it does requirework.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Definitely, and I know for me what's helped me is
when I have a negative thought,I will vocalize and verbalize,
not just think it, but I willverbalize an opposing thought or
a positive thought.
I will say it out loud so I canactually hear it, and then I
know it's not related to weightloss, but I know you were
talking about, is it true?

(08:31):
Is it true?
I've told myself so many timesI'm not a routine person.
I'm not a routine person.
I just don't like routine.
I don't like doing the samething at the same time every day
.
But every morning I will walkin the kitchen and make
breakfast, I'll make a cup oftea and I'll drink that tea
outside and I meditate.
It's like I do have a routine.

Speaker 3 (08:46):
Well, there you go.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
Is it true 100% of the time, and you just found
people where it's not right.
So, yeah, that's a no,definitely can't relate to that.
So we just want to leave peoplewith one affirmation or mindset
shift that you recommend forsomeone feeling stuck is it true
?

Speaker 3 (09:04):
right, ask yourself that right again, pay attention
to the thoughts that come upjust over and over, because
these thoughts they happen very,very fast, but they're
constantly coming up, theselimiting, but they're constantly
coming up, these limitingbelief thoughts, they're
constantly coming up.
So when they come up, you know,be prepared, keep a journal,
you know, right next to you,write it down and then again ask
yourself is it true?
And then go through the processIs it true 100% of the time,

(09:27):
where did this thought come from?
And then how can I reframe itto be positive?
Right, and you just easily justdid that, you know, in like
five seconds yourself, right, soit's an easy process.
Again, it requires work, itrequires a little bit of
practice, but it is a, it is away, it's a very easy way to get
past some of the limitingbeliefs that are that are
holding you back.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
We are taking all the limits and we're making them
empowering thoughts.
Thank you so much, Katina.
Your approach to blendingmindset with strategy is so
empowering Thanks again forsharing your heart and your
expertise.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
We'll see you next time.
Thank you.
That's a wrap on this episodeof the Atlanta Wellness Clinic
podcast.
If you're ready to kickstartyour weight loss journey, and
not just your bathroom scale andfrustration, visit
atlwellnesscliniccom or call usat 770-726-8978 for a free
10-minute weight lossconsultation, because the best
time to start was yesterday.

(10:25):
The second best time right now.
See you next time.