Losing weight and keeping it off starts with making a mindset shift. Once you’ve made a mindset shift, it’s important to understand that sustainable change comes with making a lifestyle change. Long-term weight loss is a slow process, and it’s one that you need to think about continually making for the rest of your life. Fad diets don’t work, having an all-or-nothing mentality won’t result in long-term change, and understanding that, realistically, your lifestyle is what caused you to gain weight – so you need to change your lifestyle to lose it.

In this episode, hosts April Dirteater and Shalene Casanova are joined by Dr. Gary Mendoza to discuss the reality of fat loss (versus weight loss), with Gary delivering some hard truths. Unless you’re willing to do something very different from what you did in the past, you’re going to end up with the same outcome. Whatever changes you now adopt, your mindset has to be that this is how you’ll be for the rest of your life. This is your mindset going forward.

We also talk about aspects of personal training and taking a client-centered approach. Gary also offers great advice for clients when starting a fat-loss lifestyle change. Start by finding a coach who will listen to you and doesn’t overload you with information and tasks. Sustainable weight loss is all about doing small things you can stick with, eating protein with most meals, and, most importantly, planning and preparing your meals.

In This Episode: 

• The role of mindset in healthy weight loss


• How long it takes to make a new habit


• The importance of autonomy when reaching your goals


• What is needed to make a lifestyle change


• How to build intrinsic motivation with your client


• Advice for someone who wants to get started with weight loss


• Go to a coach that listens to you and doesn’t overload you


• How to lose weight and keep it off

Dr. Gary Mendoza’s background is in personal training. Gary holds both British and American qualifications in personal training. He represented GB at the first-ever IDEA personal trainer’s convention in Washington, USA. Whilst working as a personal trainer (PT), he studied nutrition, graduating with a first in Applied Human Nutrition from the University of Wales. 

He moved into training trainers and developed a successful nutrition and weight management course, teaching PTs the skills required to deliver a successful weight management program. These skills include nutrition, activity, and behavior change. This course formed the basis of his doctoral research. In 2006 he was awarded a Ph.D. in nutrition, specializing in a multi-dimensional treatment for overweight and obese males. A big part of this research looked at the psychology of change. Gary has since undertaken further training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and was fortunate to be trained by Professors Stephen Rollnick and William Miller, the founders of MI.

Gary’s other area of expertise is sports nutrition. He was the program leader for sports nutrition and advanced sports nutrition at Massey University in New Zealand and trained with Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA). Gary lectures in nutrition for sport and exercise at Bath Spa and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities and is an Academic Associate member of the SENr. 

He is the director of Stages of Change Ltd and delivers the Behaviour Change Workshop; this workshop teaches personal trainers sound behavior change principles. Gary is passionate about raising the standard of nutrition education and behavior change understanding in the leisure industry. He wants the industry to move to a more evidence-based nutrition and behavior change education style. He wants trainers to be able to deliver effective and safe nutrition and weight loss programs that help clients make the necessary lifestyle changes required.

Resources Mentioned:

• Gary’s Website


• Gary’s Instagram


• Listen to The Add Nutrition Podcast on Anchor


• Our Website

Instagram:

• @add_nutrition


• @the_addition_dietitian


• @redfitforever