7 Gentle Mindset Shifts to Help You Reach Your Health Goals

Reaching your health goals or achieving plant-based weight loss isn’t just about food. It’s about what’s happening between your ears when life gets messy, motivation dips, and perfectionism is the go-to.

After coaching hundreds of people in our plant-powered weight loss program, certain patterns show up again and again. Not with food choices, but with mindset. The thoughts we think after a “slip.” The stories we tell ourselves when things don’t go as planned. The pressure to do it perfectly or not at all.

This post breaks down the mindset shifts that support long-term weight loss and help you stop starting over, let go of self-sabotage, and build trust with yourself. These shifts aren’t about forcing motivation or figuring out your “why.” They’re about learning how to keep going imperfectly, consistently, and with a whole lot more self-compassion.

This post is inspired by a podcast episode you can watch above or listen to here.

Whether your goal is weight loss on a vegan / plant-based diet, better overall health, or simply feeling stronger and more at home in your body, these mindset shifts create the foundation for change that lasts.

1. Stop “starting over” — keep moving forward imperfectly

Progress comes from continuing imperfectly, not restarting every time you mess up (we all mess up, hello being human!). Let go of the all-or-nothing, perfectionist loop and focus on making the next best choice, even after a night out with the girls or noshing on a few too many cookies.

2. Replace judgment with curiosity

Instead of shaming or bullying yourself, get curious. Curiosity is more accessible than self-love and leads to better awareness, learning new patterns, and building sustainable change.

3. See challenges as guidance, not failure

Challenges aren’t proof you’re doing something wrong or you’re hopeless:  it’s information. Each struggle points to what needs your attention. When you look at it like that you have your very own roadmap for growth.

4. Practice delayed gratification

Shift from instant gratification to planned pleasure. Doing things that support your health and well-being before rewarding yourself builds self- trust and strengthens long-term consistency.

5. Remove “good” and “bad” labels from food (and emotions)

Food isn’t morally good or bad. Different foods produce different results. The same goes for emotions. Allowing your emotions to be there will help you experience them instead of turning to food when you feel a certain type of way.  When you drop the belief that there are “bad” emotions it makes it easier for you to be open to emotions instead of reaching for the ice cream.

6. Untangle body acceptance from body size or weight. 

You don’t earn love, respect, or acceptance from you or anyone else by changing your body. That comes from your thoughts and beliefs. And you can do this right now, not at some future, smaller weight or size. The number on the scale or how your body looks does NOT determine your worth, your goodness, your loveability, or even your mood. How you think about your body determines that. Everything else is just information.

7. Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need

Slow is sustainable. Doubling your timeline reduces pressure, allows mistakes, and helps you build habits you can maintain for life.

At the end of the day, lasting change comes from patience, self-compassion, and consistent choices. Start where you are, keep moving forward, and stay curious.

If you’d like support along the way, check out Drop It Club, our plant-powered weight loss program that opens a few times a year. It’s full of awesome Dirties working toward their goals together, cheering each other on every step of the way. I’d love to see you there.

Xo
Molly