We all know the drill. You tell yourself that you’re going to eat healthier and work out more often, but then weeks pass by, and nothing happens.

Yay for good intentions! In my experience as a nutrition coach, I’ve learned that this result is usually due to some underlying reason why it’s difficult for these people to change their routines.

When I ask why they aren’t going to the gym or what their nutrition plan looks like, it turns out that they didn’t have a good reason for not exercising or continuing to eat all of the processed crap. The food just tasted really good, and it was easy enough to convince themselves that working out wasn’t a priority. They had no reason to do better.

These people know that they aren’t eating as healthily as they’d like to and that they aren’t exercising enough, but for some reason, it doesn’t seem all that important. As weird as this might sound, their behavior isn’t about the food or exercise. It’s actually emotional and psychological.

You see, there are always reasons for everything, but sometimes they aren’t obvious. There is a reason why it’s difficult to go to the gym consistently or to cook healthy food that you actually enjoy eating. This issue goes much deeper than just health or weight loss.

Let’s talk about the most common reason people have difficulty changing their habits and how to overcome it.

You’re not feeling confident

If you lack confidence, then it’s difficult to believe that you are able to do the things that you say you will do. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that they wanted to go to the gym but didn’t feel confident enough about their body to do so, I would be a millionaire. When you don’t feel confident, you can’t expect yourself to put in 100% at the gym or make healthy food choices.

A lack of confidence is not about weight loss or looking better – it’s about feeling empowered to go out into the world and achieve your goals. When you feel confident, you’ll be able to convince yourself that it is within your power to get what you want.

So how do you get confident? It’s simple, really: act confident before you actually believe it. No matter how ridiculous this might seem, acting confident (even if it feels forced) can increase your self-esteem. It’s not about tricking people – it’s about fooling yourself.

One of the best ways to do this is by speaking with authority about things you are knowledgeable about. Instead of saying “I don’t know,” say “I do know.” For example, if I ask how your day was, instead of replying unenthusiastically with “I don’t know” or even a plain “good,” ask me how my day was instead. Saying it with authority will make you feel more confident and increase your self-esteem.

Now I’m not telling you to act like a dick who doesn’t respect others. You can ask questions about things you are genuinely curious about, but don’t be afraid to take up the conversation with your own voice and opinions. Joining in on someone else’s conversation is an easy way to convince yourself to act confident.