Have you been playing hide-and-seek with your weight? You keep losing it, or at least you try to and it keeps finding you and when it does, it returns with a vengeance? That's what happens to most people.
If you're like most people, you start out gung ho and you lose 10 or 20 pounds, maybe even more. You feel great about losing the weight, but find it hard to resist certain foods and feel you're depriving yourself.
Well, there's a simple solution to losing weight and keeping it off. That solution lies between your ears.
First, stop telling yourself that losing weight is hard. When you think that losing weight is hard, you're reinforcing a negative belief. And every time you say it aloud, you're further reinforcing that negative belief, and that makes even an even greater impression on your brain. It's called auto hypnosis.
Second, find several photos from your 'thinner days'; ones where you're having fun. Put your photos in prominent places so you'll see them throughout the day. Remember the emotions associated with those pictures. Thoughts and their associated emotions release electrochemicals which affect your body. When you recall the positive emotions associate with those photos, you're reprogramming your mind and sending endorphins to your body. Those endorphins make you feel better physically.
Now, you want to start adding healthy foods to your diet, and no, diet isn't a dirty four-letter word. You're already on a diet . . . you eat; that's a diet. If your diet contains a lot of foods that are high in processed sugars, "white" grain products and fat, you're eating high-calorie, low-nutrition foods that can lead to weight gain. Begin exchanging some of those items for healthier foods each day. Have a piece of fruit, a veggie or a whole grain snack that provides healthy simple and complex carbohydrates. Graham cracker are healthier than cookies.
Your body needs carbohydrates. They break down into sugars that fuel your brain. Simple carbohydrates are found in processed and refined sugar, fruits, veggies and dairy products. Complex carbohydrates are found in legumes, whole grains and starchy foods. Avoid processed and refined sugars as much as possible.
If you try changing your diet all at once, you might feel you're depriving yourself. Deprivation creates negative feedback. You don't want negative feedback. Your body is accustomed to your eating habits; you want to change the way you eat gradually so it's not such a shock to your system. You won't feel you're depriving yourself because you're still eating the foods you're accustomed to. You'll be eating nutritious foods and soon your body will crave those instead of high-calorie low-nutrition foods.
Next, make sure you drink enough water. Granny was right. You do need six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Yes, you do get water from food, coffee, tea, sodas and power drinks, but that's not sufficient. You wouldn't take a bath in any of these beverages because they wouldn't get you clean. Well, they don't clean your insides either. Water helps decreases the likelihood of kidney stones, kidney and bladder infections and constipation. It helps control diabetes, helps lower your blood pressure and prevents a host of other illnesses.
Sodium, sugars and starches are hydrophiles; they attract and hold water. You've seen it in action: salt and sugar clump in their storage containers; crackers and cookies get soggy and stale. Water retention increases your blood volume which increases the pressure on your arteries. The result is elevated blood pressure.
If you've noticed that you can hear your heartbeat, it's because of the water attraction factor. Drink some water to help rid your body of the excess sodium and sugars in your system. You'll feel and see the difference water makes. You don't have to give up any of your favorite beverages just make sure you get adequate water. If you find water 'boring', add an orange, lemon or lime slice to your water or even a drop or two of fruit extract.
And finally, consider exercising at least 15 minutes a day for three days a week. Put on your favorite music and dance a bit. It will boost your metabolism. You'll lose weight faster, help your heart, and you'll have less loose hanging skin. If you have limited mobility, do modified exercises. It's still exercise!
I lost 80 pounds in six months by following these common sense tips to lose weight and keep it off. You can too.
First Publication
http://www.wooxie.com 31 January 2010
© 2010 Michelle Hoskinson
