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Retrain Your Brain! This is where it all begins.
Too many people today struggle with weight loss...
“Hey! I thought this article was going to be about retraining my brain”?
“Yes, yes, I am getting to that....please have patience”.
Losing weight actually all starts with how you think. It is not just about counting calories and busting butt at the gym. If you want to lose weight and keep it off you first have to "choose" to make mental changes.
Retraining your brain to break those psychological barriers takes a conscious decision to "rethink" your "choice".
The next time you're upset, or sad, or mad....don’t dive into a box of cookies or a container of ice cream. Stop. Think. Redirect.
Time to retrain your brain:
Change how you look and feel about yourself, your health and food by thinking first.
Take a moment and think, "Am I eating because I’m upset, mad, or depressed?" If the answer is "yes" then find something else to make you feel better. Go outside for a walk, read a book, do some yoga, draw, paint, or watch an uplifting movie.
When starting a new, healthy life style, keeping a food journal can be very beneficial. Write down EVERYTHING you eat and HOW you felt when you ate it. You could learn a lot and maybe even start to see a pattern to your eating habits; which may give you the epiphany you need!
Don’t get caught up in excuse making. Everyone is busy! We all have the same 24 hours. Just focus on one thing at a time. If you fall don't be unforgiving, just get back up and start again.
Multitasking can be your worst enemy. Eating while at the computer, eating while talking on the phone, eating while driving, eating while working. All these habits can make you overeat.
The challenge is this; you really aren't focusing on how much you are putting into your mouth. The brain takes 15 to 20 minutes to realize the stomach is full. Try to make your meal last at least 20 minutes so your body has time to feel satisfied. Savor your food! Take a bite. But your fork down. Chew. Swallow. Repeat -- this is actually very difficult to do...but super beneficial for your health and digestive system!
Do not think of weight loss as “going on a diet” -- it’s not a diet. It’s called, “eating healthy”.
Tell yourself you can have whatever you want, but you are choosing to select healthy foods. This is empowering when you do so.
By allowing yourself mentally to have whatever you want, you will feel less restricted and deprived. YOU absolutely CAN have whatever you want to eat...but you are making a choice to change.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Let's change those results! By making even small changes, you can reap big benefits.
Just Eat Real Food. If it’s advertised on TV it probably isn't “healthy” for you. If you have to question whether or not it’s good for you....it probably isn’t good for you. FIVE or less ingredients would be key when shopping for "healthy" items. If you can't pronounce the ingredient...it's probably not good for you either!
If you have a mishap with your food choice, don’t beat yourself up over it. Just choose more wisely on your next meal. People live in this disillusion that if they make a bad choice in the day the whole thing/day is completely ruined. That simply is NOT the case. You made one bad choice...move on to the next choice and make it better next time. It's like this...if you dropped your phone. What would you do? Would you say, "Well crap! Now it's wrecked!", and then proceed to stomp up and down on it to make sure it really was broken? Of course not! You would pick it up, brush it off and continue on with your day.
Teach your brain the difference between being hungry and being thirsty. Seventy-Five percent of Americans may suffer from chronic dehydrated.
Most people don't drink enough water and many times we confuse thirst with hunger. The next time you are craving something sweet, don’t give in, stop and try drinking a full glass of water. You may be pleasantly surprise that the craving goes away.
Retraining your brain to a healthier lifestyle will take practice so don’t be too hard on yourself. Breaking your mental barricades and conquering your cravings can be difficult, but it can be done.
Make exercise part of your day.
You are important.
Your health is important. Without your health, nothing else really matters.
Replace negative self-talk with a positive statement. When retraining the brain, you will find old unhealthy thoughts will naturally occur. Make a note when this happens and a conscious decision to refocus on the positives and “create a positive viewpoint”
Affirmation:
· “I eat healthy, nutritious foods that benefit my body”.
· “I drink plenty of water that cleanses my body”.
· “Every day in every way I am getting healthier and healthier and feeling better and better”.
· “Every passing day my body becomes more energetic, and vibrant.”
· “I have all the energy I need to accomplish my goals and to fulfill my desires”.
Some days may be better than others. Embrace it and just keep going! Feel good about yourself, no matter what happens in life. Just know that each time you wake up; you have another day, another chance, to make things better.
You got this! For more assistance with living positively you may find our book helpful -> I Am Still Writing My Story
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