The obstacles to losing weight, however,
are not insurmountable. The National Weight Registry is tracking over 5,000 individuals
who have lost an average of 66 pounds and kept the weight off for five years.
Insights from their success stories are consistent with these five tips from
Dr. Rankin:
1.)
Focus on a change of heart, not a change of mind. Losing weight through changing
what and how much you eat doesn’t happen because you rationally decide to lose
weight. You have to have a change of heart; that is, you must get in touch with
your deepest, heartfelt desires.
Your motivation
may not be positive. Indeed, it may stem from a fear of loss. For example, you
may not want to get sick. Or you may not want to be ostracized. To get in touch
with your motivation, think about the negative consequences of not changing as
well as the positive ones. Getting fit must become a priority and your life
must be organized accordingly. Nobody can change you but you, and once you’ve
made the changes, you need to stay focused. Successful individuals keep their
motivation in the forefront of their minds all the time.
2.)
Practice self-discipline. Self-control is a muscle that, like other
muscles, needs exercise and strengthening. Change doesn’t happen because you
want it to happen. Each time you resist temptation, you are developing greater
self-control. Success breeds success. Facing down temptations builds strength
for future decision moments. Some of my clients throw away their favorite food
as a symbolic act that shows they have control over the food and not the other
way round.
Self-discipline
is required for behavior change, but does that mean that the lack of
self-discipline causes obesity? No. That would be like saying aspirin helps a
headache go away, so headaches are caused by a lack of aspirin — which is
nonsense!
3.)
Eliminate or reduce sugary, fat-laden foods. Such foods create physical changes
at a cellular level that alter how our brains and bodies react. When analyzing
your level of addiction, consider both physical dependence (changes at the
cellular level) and psychological dependence (the habitual repetition of a behavior
in an attempt to satisfy an emotional need). For example, how often do you use
a sugary treat to lift your spirits?
What is often
misunderstood is that these dependences exist on a continuum. You can be
mildly, moderately or severely dependent, and the degree of dependence
determines how difficult it will be to change.
4.)
Make history your teacher, not your jailer. You can learn from your mistakes.
Instead of [beating yourself up] when you fail to keep your promises to
yourself, seek to gain self-knowledge so you won’t repeat the error. No one is
perfect. Be sure to acknowledge what you are doing right, not just what isn’t
working.
5.)
Surround yourself with friends, family and colleagues who will support your
effort. Getting
fit and losing weight absolutely require others. Although you alone can make
the changes you need to make, you can’t make the changes alone. Not only in
terms of eating, but in all areas of our lives, we are much more influenced by
other people than we imagine. One of the most potent forces for positive change
is the emotional support of the individuals who surround you.
You must, however, ask for the support
you need. Don’t assume that others know what would be most helpful to you.
Similarly, you need to avoid those people who aren’t on the same page as you.
Social pressure can work for you or against you. Hang out with the right
people.
Change is difficult, and whoever finds a
way to bottle and market motivation and self-discipline will make a fortune. In
the absence of such a product, however, the next best thing is helpful insights
into the process of changing our behavior.
Dr. Rankin reminds us that, for better or
worse, our core, emotional values will ultimately determine our choices. Once
we identify our heartfelt desires, we can use them to create a healthy
lifestyle that reflects our best self. Our deepest values can be summoned to
keep us on track, especially when we are facing temptations and distractions.
They can also serve as our compass when we go astray.
If we are willing to remain diligently
committed to our emotional values, we can be confident that we will succeed in
realizing our health and fitness goals. And when we do, maybe some of us will
go one step further and give support to family and friends so that they can
join us in becoming healthier and happier.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carole-carson/weight-loss-psychology_b_881706.html
