This Mindset Trap Is Slowing Your Weight Loss

Anna Pelzer
Aug 8
5 min read

Updated: Aug 31

You want to feel better in your body. You’d love to drop some weight, have more energy, and feel strong and calm again. But something keeps holding you back… and chances are, it’s this: You’re waiting until you “feel ready” to start.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

So many women in the menopause transition, especially those juggling full-time work, families, and a million other responsibilities, put their goals on hold, thinking they need to wait until the timing is “just right.”

But here’s the truth: That perfect time doesn’t exist.

And waiting until it does is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

Maybe this sounds familiar?

You’ve been thinking about getting back into a healthy routine. You’ve even researched some meal plans or workouts. But every time you consider diving in, something stops you.

You tell yourself:

“I’ll start after this project wraps up.”

“Once the kids are back in school, I’ll finally focus on me.”

“I want to enjoy a few more treats before I have to give them up. Maybe after the holidays, my birthday, (insert imaginary time here)."

“I’m just not quite motivated enough to start working out.”

Here’s why this happens:

We’ve all been sold the idea that to lose weight or improve our health, we have to go all-in. That weight loss means giving up our favorite foods, eating boring meals, and pushing through painful workouts.

Of course you’re hesitating – who wouldn’t?

Add menopause symptoms like fatigue, poor sleep, and mood swings on top of a stressful job and a packed calendar, and it’s no wonder this feels overwhelming.

But this belief that you need to “feel ready” or go all-in from day one? It’s completely backwards.

Here’s what we’re doing instead: starting before you feel ready.

Because once you do, things starts to move in the right direction.

When you let go of the idea that you need a “perfect” moment or a “perfect” plan, and instead start with something small and doable, you make space for progress to happen.

So let’s talk about why waiting to feel ready is actually keeping you stuck, and what to do instead.

Why Waiting Until You “Feel Ready” Is Holding You Back

1. It delays the very progress you’re craving.

Every day you wait is a missed opportunity. If you had taken even the smallest step a week ago, you’d already be a week into your journey. You could already be feeling a bit lighter, sleeping better, or having more energy throughout the day.

In my work with clients, I’ve seen this time and again: someone spends months -- or even years -- waiting until things calm down or until they feel motivated enough to start. Meanwhile, they could have been building consistency and seeing results.

2. It creates overwhelm and “paralysis by analysis.”

The more you think about getting started, the more overwhelming it feels. You overthink your options. You scroll Instagram looking for healthy meal inspo, download five meal plans, and save twelve workout videos... but never actually start.

This spiral of research and planning gives you the illusion of productivity, but it can stop you from taking real action.

3. You stay stuck in all-or-nothing thinking.

This mindset of “I have to do everything perfectly or not at all” is one of the most exhausting, and completely unnecessary, parts of trying to lose weight. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent enough.

Ready to learn what to do instead? Keep reading.

What to Do Instead: Small, Consistent Steps (Even Before You Feel Ready)

Here’s the good news: You don’t need to overhaul your whole life or wait until motivation strikes.

You just need a plan that works with your lifestyle, and some support to stay consistent.

Here’s what I recommend instead:

1. Take small, doable steps.

You don’t need to do everything all at once. In fact, that’s the fast track to burnout.

Instead, start small. Maybe it’s swapping a fancy coffee for herbal tea. Maybe it’s doing a five minute meditation audio before bed.

Small actions are easier to repeat, and consistency is what leads to real change. I help my clients stack these small habits over time so they become second nature.

2. Be kind to yourself.

Self-compassion isn’t a luxury. During menopause, it’s a necessity. You’re dealing with hormonal changes, daily stress, and a full schedule.

Shame and guilt are not motivating. Kindness is.

If something doesn’t go perfectly (because life happens), you haven’t failed. You’ve just learned what doesn’t work for you, and that’s valuable information.

3. Focus on the trajectory, not perfection.

What matters most isn’t whether you were “perfect” this week. It’s whether you’re moving in the right direction.

Are you making more nourishing choices than you were a month ago? Are you becoming more aware of your stress levels and triggers? Are you showing up for yourself more often?

If yes, you’re on the path. And that matters more than being perfect for three days and quitting on day four.

How I help with this inside my 12-Week Menopause Transformation 1:1 Coaching

In my program, we work together to build your new routine step-by-step. We start with you: your schedule, your favorite meals, your energy levels.

Together, we set realistic, behavior-based goals that actually fit your life. And if something isn’t working, we adjust. No guilt. No shame. Just smarter strategy.

You’ll get:

Personalized nutrition guidance tailored to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle
Gentle movement and stress-reduction practices, like yoga nidra and meditation
Support between sessions through chat, so you’re never doing this alone
Celebrations for your wins (yes, even the tiny ones)

I’ve seen this approach change lives. One client, for example, started by committing to one nourishing lunch per day and a 10-minute daily walk. Within weeks, her digestion improved, her energy lifted, and the scale started moving -- not because she did anything extreme, but because she started.

“What if I set goals and don’t follow through?”

That’s a great question -- and one I hear all the time.

Here’s the thing: this isn’t a cookie-cutter program where you get a list of rules and are left to figure it out on your own.

You’ll have me beside you, every step of the way. We’ll set your goals together, based on what feels doable for you. If something gets in the way, we don’t ignore it -- we get curious. We find a different action that fits better, that you are confident you can stick with.

No guilt trips. No harsh rules. Just real support that works with real life.

You don’t have to be ready. You just have to begin.

Here’s what we covered in this post:

Waiting to feel “ready” is a trap that keeps you stuck.
You can get started with small, kind, consistent actions before you feel ready.
Perfection isn’t the goal -- progress and consistency are.
With the right support, you can start seeing results without overhauling your life.

Imagine what’s possible when you stop waiting. You build momentum. You gain confidence. You feel stronger, calmer, lighter -- in your body and your mind.