Losing Weight With Your Mind

Losing Weight With Your Mind

While it might not yet be possible to simply will yourself to lose weight through activities in the mind, how you think has a huge influence on weight loss. Your attitudes, mindset and ideas about food, exercise and lifestyle all combine to create you as an individual and your own thought processes can determine how well a weight loss plan goes. The key to success is about getting your mind in shape before you start on your body.

According to author of The Manhattan Diet, Eileen Daspin, it’s crucial to train your mind not to crave unhealthy snacks before embarking on a diet plan, in much the same way that you might run a few miles before attempting a marathon. By isolating trigger foods and cutting these out individually for 10 days at a time, the book suggests that you can break habits and are much less likely to crumble at the thought of a mid-afternoon biscuit than if you walk into your plan with willpower alone. What’s certainly true is that you need to address the mind first and that losing weight is far more than mind over matter. To help you prepare ask yourself some questions to get you thinking!

Do you want to lose weight? – What?! No, it isn’t a trick question. Is it outside pressure or a heart-felt feeling? Is it a faraway dream or a real ambition? Be honest from the get-go.

Are you clued-up? – Are there diet and exercise plans swirling around your mind? With so much information it’s not surprising, so get some real solid advice to clear your thoughts.

What has hindered you in the past? – Chances are you’ve tried to lose weight in the past. Reflecting on past mistakes, failures and successes can help you change how you feel and think about your diet plan today.

Is your mind finding excuses? – Allow your mind to mull over what thoughts have played out to stop you following your weight loss plan. Is each one justifiable? How can you combat negative excuses with positive messages?

What’s going to be different this time? – If life gets in the way, or seems to, then how is this going to change? Be prepared in your mind for challenges along the way that could knock you off focus.

Do you have support? – How do the words and actions of others affect how you feel and the thoughts that spring from that? Making sure you have the right backup is important for confidence.

Does your home reflect a lighter feeling? – If you live in a cluttered space then that is going to create a sense of anxiety. If you want to be lighter then do you need to let go of something or resolve an issue that is apparent in other areas of your life too, such as your home? Could clearing your home help unburden your mind and help you lose weight too?

What are your stress triggers? – What do you do when you feel stressed-out? If you reach for comfort food then becoming aware of when and why you feel upset might help you recognize and deal with these weak weight loss moments more easily.

Does your food inventory reflect a healthier life? – Look at the food you have stocked up on and take a moment to think about what each item represents – someone on a weight loss plan or somebody who is not? Don’t shop for food out of habit but give it some thought.

What exercise will help you lose weight? – Open your mind to a wide variety of cardio activities and strength training exercises. You might find that what you thought would work best won’t. There is probably a lot more fitness options than you ever imagined.

What do you think when you see a fit person exercising? – Be honest, do you have any negative preconceptions about a type of fitness or the type of person who does such and such an activity? Are you letting prejudice and presumption dictate rather than facts?

What do you want to achieve? – Without goals it’s easy to let your mind wander. You don’t need to be obsessed of fixated on something to keep it in mind but clear ideas can help you focus.

Are you thinking thin? – If you don’t think you can ever be the weight you want to be then you’re affecting your motivation and replacing this with must-dos that you believe you’ll never achieve.

Need some help? The first thing to think about is getting some professional, expert advice. Keeping fit is crucial to accompany any weight loss plan, so if you’re mind is set on losing weight then contacting us should be part of your thinking too!