177. Intentional Weight Loss: Stop Hoping, Start Deciding

May 09, 2025

In this episode of Concierge Weight Loss, Kara Hackleman explores how shifting from autopilot to intention is the secret to sustainable weight loss. Whether you’ve been stuck in the all-or-nothing trap or silently hoping weight loss “just happens,” Kara shows how setting a simple, realistic intention each day can completely change your results—and your relationship with your body.

Through a guided “Mindful Minute” and a candid look at her own experiences preparing for a family wedding, Kara explains how intention doesn’t mean perfection—it means awareness, kindness, and small daily choices that add up to long-term success.

If you’re ready to stop swinging between extremes and start creating the life you want, this episode is your reset.

🔑 Key Points Discussed:

The Pendulum Problem: Why we swing between strict rules and complete autopilot—and how both prevent real progress.
The Power of Intention: Why “hoping for weight loss” doesn’t work and what to do instead.
Guided Mindful Minute Exercise: Reflective questions to check in with your body, mindset, and choices each morning.
Real-Life Story: Kara shares her own reflections preparing for her son’s wedding—and how intentional choices helped her ditch regret and feel confident.
Small Choices That Add Up: The big impact of simple habits like adding vegetables, taking a short walk, or swapping a sweet for fruit.
Why Intentional Living Becomes Autopilot: How repetition and kindness create sustainable weight loss—not guilt and overhauls.

🛠️ Resources & Links:

💻 Free Webinar: Doctors’ Secrets: How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
Get the practical, simple, and medically supported strategies to lose weight without extremes.
🎧 Want a daily reset? Replay this episode anytime you need a moment of clarity or encouragement.

🧠 Key Takeaway:

Weight loss doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by intention.
You don’t need to overhaul your life. You just need to choose one small, intentional action today… and then do it again tomorrow.

📲 Call to Action:

Loved this episode? Share it with a friend who needs a gentle reminder that she doesn’t have to be perfect—just intentional.

And don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and join Kara’s free webinar to take your next step with confidence.

Episode Transcript

09:12:35 Hey there, and welcome back to Concierge Weight Loss. I'm Kara Hackleman, your coach, your cheerleader, and someone who knows firsthand what weight loss isn't about extremes.
09:12:58 Hey there, and welcome back to Concierge Weight Loss. I'm Kara Hackleman, your coach, your cheerleader, and someone who knows firsthand that weight loss isn't about extremes, it's about intention.
09:13:10 Today's episode is all about that one word, intention. We're going to talk about how you start your day, why hoping to lose weight isn't the same as planning for it.
09:13:21 And how small, simple efforts done with purpose actually do add up to big changes.
09:13:26 If you've been stuck swinging between all or nothing rules or just running on autopilot and wondering why nothing's changing.
09:13:34 This episode is for you. All right. The problem with hoping for weight loss Let's be honest, we've all been there. You wake up, the day starts rushing at you, and before you know it, you're just trying to survive the schedule.
09:13:49 Maybe you think, hopefully I make good choices today or I'll try to eat something healthy today.
09:13:56 But hoping isn't a plan. And autopilot isn't the same as alignment.
09:14:02 And what I see so often is this pendulum swing. On one end, people are rigid and extreme, tracking every calorie, cutting out entire food groups.
09:14:12 Beating themselves up over a cookie. On the other end, they're checked out, going through motions and just hoping that the scale moves, hoping they did enough.
09:14:24 Neither one feels good and neither one leads to lasting change.
09:14:29 But there's something in the middle that's so much more doable and actually works.
09:14:35 And that's starting your day with intention. And it just takes a little bit of intention.
09:14:42 To point you in the right direction. Let's take a mindful minute. This is going to be a guided exercise. Before we go further, I want to walk you through what I call a mindful moment, a mindful minute. If you're driving or walking, just do this mentally.
09:14:57 If you're able to sit and breathe even better. I'm going to walk you through it and then I'll go back and talk you through it.
09:15:07 First, take a breath in through your nose.
09:15:13 And a long breath out through your mouth.
09:15:19 Now ask yourself. How does my body feel today?
09:15:26 What emotions am I starting the day with?
09:15:34 What something from yesterday I don't want to carry into today.
09:15:41 Just notice, no judgment, just awareness. Now let's decide.
09:15:47 What is one intentional thing I can do to support my eating today?
09:15:55 What's one way I'll move my body? Even just for a few minutes.
09:16:03 What thought… will I choose?
09:16:06 When things feel hard. Maybe something like one small step matters.
09:16:14 Or I don't need to be perfect. I just need to keep going.
09:16:20 One of my favorite things I like to think is what's the best thing I can do in this moment?
09:16:27 I don't have to think about the whole day just in this moment. I'll ask myself that again and again. What's the best thing I can do today for weight loss?
09:16:37 And then finally, why am I choosing to care for my body today?
09:16:41 Hold on to that answer. That's your intention. That's your anchor, your why.
09:16:47 It's going to be your motivator, your driving force. I wanted to write this podcast because I woke up thinking I really want to be intentional today.
09:16:59 A wedding coming up. Our son's getting married Memorial Day weekend and I had gotten down on myself thinking, I haven't done enough to get my body ready for weight loss for this dress for all the things. My dress fits me amazing. It looks good on me. I feel great in it. It's comfortable. I feel…
09:17:18 Like I look good. It's good. It's very comfortable. I'm going to have a great day. My dress does not need me to change in any kind of way.
09:17:29 But I kept thinking, I haven't done enough. It's not enough, right?
09:17:34 And then I started thinking, I'm just going to be intentional today. So I started off with thinking, what can I do today?
09:17:41 For my weight loss. What can I do? But what I didn't stop and think about until a little bit later was what was I already doing for my weight loss?
09:17:50 And I was minimizing everything I was doing, thinking I wasn't doing anything and then Thinking I needed to be really hard on myself, really tough.
09:18:01 And like beat myself into submission, right? To get my body as as fit as it could be.
09:18:08 I thought, okay, we have less than three weeks. What would I actually be doing that would make such big changes in my body? So first of all, I thought I have done so much. My body already looks fine.
09:18:22 I'm not going to make some huge overhauled change in just 18 days and make myself look completely different.
09:18:31 But what I didn't do was I didn't give myself credit for any of the things I was doing.
09:18:36 Like months ago, I added an extra exercise day so that I could maybe tone my shoulders up a little bit more. I was intentional with many of the pull-ups and push-ups and anything that I thought might like give me a little more definition. And I can tell you, I see more definition in my shoulders
09:18:55 It wasn't so much to lose a lot of weight, but I also don't want to gain weight either. I still am trying to be intentional with it.
09:19:03 So I thought about that last few months and everything I did. And then I started thinking about yesterday and I thought, well, what would I do different?
09:19:11 What was something from yesterday that I don't want to carry into today? Because I was looking at it through the filter of I had done everything wrong yesterday.
09:19:19 And today, today was the day I was going to be better.
09:19:21 I'm sure you've said that to yourself too. So I kind of just went through my day yesterday. What did I do? You know, I had a really great workout first thing in the morning. So I was super proud of that.
09:19:33 I ate within my hunger all day. I started looking at it from a different perspective of what I actually did yesterday. I did a lot of great things for myself. I got all my water and I prioritized my sleep. I moved my body. I enjoyed some sunshine.
09:19:50 I did amazing things. I started asking myself if I had planned on being intentional with weight loss yesterday, what maybe would I have done different?
09:20:00 Maybe. It's a nicer way to ask myself, a nicer way to assess the day than you did nothing right, okay?
09:20:08 So I started thinking, well, I had a couple pieces of chocolate.
09:20:11 And I thought, that's really not a bad thing. And I thought, if I was truly trying to be intentional. Maybe I would have swapped that for some watermelon. I had cut up some watermelon in the refrigerator.
09:20:21 And I'm sure it would have been delicious. So I could have.
09:20:26 Maybe swapped out the watermelon. The other thing I thought was I really didn't have as many vegetables as I normally would have. Maybe I could have added salad or some kind of steamed vegetables to some of my lunch or dinner.
09:20:39 And the only thing I really settled on that I thought, oh, I probably wouldn't have done that again. Everything else was.
09:20:46 Could have, maybe it would have made a difference. But the only thing I came up with, and this one you're going to laugh because people think I never have chocolate. I never have sugar anymore because I've lost weight.
09:20:59 But I do. We've gotten this new slushy machine And the slushy machine my husband's been on this kick of coming up with all kinds of combinations.
09:21:09 And for almost every day so far, all I've had was a couple little sips of something so that I could try it and tell them if I liked it or not.
09:21:18 And the machine is a novelty at the moment. It's brand new. So he's trying it every single day, some new concoction.
09:21:25 And yesterday, I think he gave me a red solo cup filled And it was very sugary. And I'm not saying anything bad about sugar, but probably a whole red solo cup I would not normally have of sugar.
09:21:36 Not without planning it intentionally. And that's probably the only thing I could think of that I really would have on purpose changed.
09:21:45 I thought of things like maybe I would have taken a walk outside later in the afternoon to get a little more sunshine and to be out in nature or to have stretched some and maybe done some yoga to feel good mentally and in my body.
09:21:59 Those were really the only things I can come up with yesterday that would have been different.
09:22:04 And so it really helped me to really help to come into a good clean place to be able to make plans for today.
09:22:12 So how does my body feel? Well, mine feels a little stiff. I don't know how yours feels. Maybe your stomach's upset or something.
09:22:20 What emotions am I starting with today? Well, I can tell you I was starting with regret. That's the whole point that I wanted to do this intentional mindful moment because I had started my day with regret.
09:22:33 And I noticed now I don't have the regret since I've done this.
09:22:37 Something from yesterday, I talked to you about that. I did not want to carry into today regret or mindless eating or anything that I thought I had been doing before.
09:22:50 So when I switch to what is one intentional thing I can do today to support myself?
09:22:55 I think I'm going to get outside maybe and take a 10 minute walk. I think I should have some time still when I get done with my And I want to add some vegetables to my lunch. I think that would help my body feel better.
09:23:08 I also think that if I want something sweet, I'm going to have some of that watermelon that I put in the refrigerator. And I think that that with what I already am doing is plenty. I think it feels very doable.
09:23:20 And I think it would be helpful for my weight loss. I think it would help me maintain and make me feel great about how I take care of myself.
09:23:29 I mentioned how I'll move my body, even if it's just for a few minutes. I already did the CrossFit today and started my day at 6 a.m. With that. Not saying you need to, but that's what I've learned fits best into my schedule. And I think I'd like to take 10 minutes
09:23:44 That I should be able to do that when I get off work. And my husband's golfing, so it shouldn't be a problem today with the schedule or things being different. So my plan.
09:23:55 As we plan it, we don't just hope, right? My plan is when I get home to bring my stuff in.
09:24:00 Set them down and then go right back out and enjoy 10 minutes. I might even find, I think there's a podcast that I haven't listened to yet. I think that 10 minutes could easily turn into 30 if I find a podcast that's longer.
09:24:12 Not that I need to, but I could really look forward to that today.
09:24:16 And then the thought I'm choosing when things feel hard I take excellent care of my body.
09:24:24 And this is just me asking it what it needs. So in the moments.
09:24:29 From day to day in the moments throughout the day, I'm just going to say, what does my body need?
09:24:34 I already take such excellent care of it. And that's that thought that I'm going to keep bringing with me.
09:24:40 Just that thought that I take great care of myself and then asking it again. Is there something else it needs?
09:24:46 I love to provide for it. It's kind of like being a parent. I love to provide for my child. I love to love my child and I'm learning how to love my body too.
09:24:56 It was a learned thing. So you might have heard me use that word. I'm learning how to love my body too.
09:25:02 So, and I'm choosing all of this. Because I really enjoy the life that I've created and it my healthy body, my healthy life, it just gives me more of that and so I really feel a lot of pride that I have made my body as healthy as it is. And so I'm choosing
09:25:21 To take care of my body today because I feel really great knowing that I have made myself as healthy as I can.
09:25:30 All right, so what intention really means in weight loss? We've went through the mindful moment. I've explained even my answers to you. So here's one thing.
09:25:41 That no one tells you when you start a weight loss journey.
09:25:45 Big changes don't come from massive efforts. They come from repeated small, super simple efforts done intentionally.
09:25:56 When you wake up and decide, I'm going to eat a balanced breakfast before I get too busy.
09:26:03 Or I am going to walk 10 minutes on my lunch break. Or like I said, for me, as soon as I get off work.
09:26:09 Or I'm going to pause before I reach for that snack tonight.
09:26:14 Maybe that you're going to slow down while you're eating so that you can actually hear your body say, thank you, I've had enough.
09:26:23 Instead of finishing your plate. You're creating momentum. You're retraining your brain to make aligned choices.
09:26:30 You're not hoping for weight loss. You're choosing it over and over. And eventually.
09:26:37 That intention becomes your autopilot. You no longer have to think so hard.
09:26:42 You just live it. And that's how your new normal is built.
09:26:47 Set yourself up for success. Not regret. Let me say this one clearly.
09:26:53 When you don't set an intention the day it runs you.
09:26:58 And when you do set an intention. You're leading your day with kindness, not pressure. You've been able to think about what you needed, what would make it work easier for you.
09:27:09 Setting your intention gives you a simple plan to follow, a way to feel accomplished without being perfect.
09:27:16 A sense of trust in yourself because you followed through. You knew what you needed and you did it.
09:27:22 It removes that end of the day regret where you say, oh, I wish I had eaten better. I meant to move more today.
09:27:29 Like I said, or how I was thinking. I wasted so much time and I only have three weeks left before this wedding. I should have done so much more.
09:27:39 You get to stop wishing and start deciding. No regrets.
09:27:46 So here's your invitation today. Don't try to overhaul everything. Don't go to extremes.
09:27:52 Don't wait for the perfect Monday or the perfect mindset, the perfect thought, right?
09:27:59 Just start today with one clear intention, just one. And then honor that one thing.
09:28:04 If you do that again tomorrow and the next day, I promise you, you will wake up one day living the results that you used to just hope for because you chose them intentionally.
09:28:17 If today's episode made you pause, take a breath, and feel just a little more hopeful, I want you to keep this momentum.
09:28:25 You can listen to this mindful minute again anytime. Save this episode and play it back whenever you need a reset. And if you want to help.
09:28:35 If you want help creating a weight loss plan that feels realistic and doable for your life.
09:28:41 I've got something for you. Take my free webinar, Doctor Secrets, How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off. It's packed with practical strategies And you'll leave knowing exactly what to do next.
09:28:52 Sign up for that at coachingara.com forward slash sign up. And don't forget, you don't need to do it all. You just need to do the next Simple, doable, intentional thing.