Just a few years ago, I was 10 kg heavier. And I hated that. I tried what it seemed like everything to lose the extra weight. And I did lose it, I lost it many times in fact. But then I gained it all back.
I would go on a strict diet, lose the weight, then go back to eating, and gain it all back in no time.
I was confused and disappointed. What was I doing wrong? I was so disciplined. Why couldn’t I lose the weight for good?
It took me years of trying different diet plans, fasting and exercise regimens. And at the end I did it! I managed to lose all of the extra weight.
But to my utter surprise dieting was not what did it.
What do I mean, you ask?
Well, whilst it’s true that dieting might help you lose weight, it’s not what’s going to help you keep it off.
Until I realised that I need to work on changing my habits – those that made me put on the weight in a first place, I stayed heavy.
And that’s where mindfulness played a crucial role for me.
I had the habit of binging on sweets when I was bored, anxious or stressed. Mindfulness helped me notice the pattern and select a different action to soothe myself in moments like those, such as going for a walk, listening to music, cuddling up on the sofa with a good book, talking to a friend etc.
It took me a year to get to my desired shape and stay there. It was slow and steady progress, but the result was permanent.
But weight loss is just one small example, where changing your habits works wonders.
After my success in losing the weight, I went on to improving other areas of my life too. I developed a exercise routine, daily meditation habit and many others.
And it works every time. It’s almost like a magic. You can change anything you like about yourself.
How freeing is that?
But of course, there is a secret. And it’s this:
You must start slowly.
Why do diets fail? – well they are too restrictive and too extreme in most cases.
People usually start dieting on 1st January, they put themselves through hell for a few days, maybe weeks, denying themselves all of the foods they love.
But guess what? That is unsustainable. You can only do it for a short amount of time, and then you are bound to break. And that’s when all of the weight comes back.
So instead, you should implement small changes – one at a time. And only introduce a new change, once you’ve gotten comfortable with the one before.
I often speak to people about their morning routines. They would say – I’m just not a morning person. I’ve tried waking up early but I can’t function in the morning.
When I ask them what time they usually wake up in the morning, they reply something like 9 am, 10 am. My next question is, and what time would you like to wake up – the answer is 5 or 6.
What I usually advise in this case is not to go from waking up at 9 to waking up at 6 overnight. Instead, start by setting your alarm for 8 AM and stick to that for a month. Let your body and mind adjust. Then move to 7 AM, and only aim for 6 once it feels natural. Anyone can become a morning person—not by forcing it all at once, but by gradually shifting their habits and making sustainable changes.
Our bodies are incredibly efficient machines, designed to save energy by creating patterns—habits—for the things we do regularly. And that’s a good thing. Imagine if you had to re-learn how to tie your shoelaces every single time you put on your shoes. That would be exhausting, right?
Habits free up mental space and make our lives easier. But while some habits—like tying your shoes or brushing your teeth—are useful, many others form unconsciously and end up holding us back. Whether it’s hitting snooze every morning, reaching for snacks when stressed, or scrolling endlessly through social media, these patterns can quietly shape our lives in ways we never intended.
And here’s the truth: there are no shortcuts to changing them. Lasting change takes awareness, patience, and consistent effort. But the good news is, just as your brain learned those unhelpful habits, it can unlearn them—and replace them with ones that serve who you truly want to become.
Motivation gets you going—and habit gets you there.
Zig Ziglar