Hey,
Last week I was at a restaurant.
The person next to me ordered —
A double burger. Large fries.
And a Diet Coke.
I did not judge.
But I did think —
This is exactly how most people approach weight loss.
Fix one small thing. Ignore everything else.
And feel like progress is happening.
🧠 The Small Lie We Tell Ourselves
Our brain is brilliant at one thing —
Making us feel like we are making progress — when we are not.
This is called the Licensing Effect.
When we do something healthy — our brain gives us permission to undo it immediately.
Sound familiar?
"I walked today — I deserve this samosa" 🍟
"I ordered Diet Coke — large fries are fine" 🥤
"I skipped lunch — big dinner is okay" 🍽️
"I had salad — dessert is justified" 🍰
"I went to gym — this biscuit does not count" 🍪
Every single day.
Multiple times.
Without even realising it.
📊 How This Silently Kills Weight Loss
Real numbers —
Morning walk — burns 300 calories ✅
"I walked today so I deserve this" — office biscuits + evening snack = 400 extra calories ❌
Net result — gained 100 calories despite exercising.
This happens every single day to millions of people.
They are walking. Gymming. Eating "reasonably."
And wondering — why is the scale not moving?
The exercise is not the problem.
The mental accounting is.
💡 Why This Happens — The Psychology
When you do something virtuous —
Your brain registers a moral credit.
And immediately looks for ways to spend it.
"I have been good — I deserve a reward."
The problem?
The reward always costs more than the virtue earned.
One samosa cancels one hour of walking.
One large chai with sugar cancels 20 minutes of gym.
The math never works in your favour — when you play this game.
✅ The Simple Fix — Separate The Two Completely
Stop letting good habits justify bad ones.
Walk because walking is good for your heart — not to earn food.
Eat well because your body deserves fuel — not as punishment.
Drink water because you are 60% water — not to cancel last night's dinner.
When you separate movement from food permission —
When you stop the mental accounting —
Everything changes.
This is exactly what helped me lose 25KG.
Not perfect days.
Not extreme discipline.
Just stopping the daily small lie I was telling myself. 🙏
🎯 This Week's Action
Next time you finish a workout or a walk —
Catch yourself before the thought arrives —
"I deserve a treat."
And replace it with —
"I showed up for my body today. That is enough."
No reward needed. No punishment either.
Just consistency. Day after day. 💪
Until Monday! 🙏
Dr. Pulkit Trivedi Professor | Walker | Runner | Weight Loss Coach in Progress 📍 Ahmedabad, India
P.S. — If this made you think of a moment where you cancelled a good habit — forward this to one friend who needs to read it. That one forward could change how they think about weight loss forever. 🙏