If you want something, you have to want it. I mean really want it. In capitals.
And that means creating new ways of thinking and new habits of action that will take you to your goals.
You know this. You’re bright people, I know that.
And you’ll know, when the going gets tough; the tough very often get up and stand in front of the fridge or pantry, scanning for what’s got the most carbs in!
Sometimes we can find ourselves in front of that cupboard and we don’t even remember getting up!
Be assured. You are not alone. Because when life gets difficult, your mind will work fiercely to move you away from pleasure and towards pain.
There are ways to make this process a pleasure, not a pain. Tips and tricks which bring your mind on board with the way you want to change so your mind, body and soul are all cheering for you in this journey.
Here’s one – stop equating what you want to stop eating with love.
Anyone who wants to be slim cannot ‘love’ cake. Because here’s what happens every time you have a problem. Your mind starts waving the idea of cake in front of you as a solution.
Because the mind wants you to be happy. If it thinks you love cake, every time someone’s mean to you, every time you feel sad, mind will come up with a solution to make you feel better. It’s called ‘cake’.
If you keep telling yourself ‘food is my best friend’ you will struggle to let go of excess body weight. Every time you say that you are reinforcing your mind’s very literal interpretation of everything you say.
Food is fuel. It is not your best friend. If you don’t have a best friend, if, when you think about it, you feel lonely, that is the emotion that needs your attention. You can call a friend, join a Meetup group if you’re a stranger in town but don’t give food qualities it doesn’t have.
And here’s another. The renown hypnotherapist and author, Marisa Peer, advocates this; don’t say you’re losing weight, say you’re letting go of excess body weight.
They sound similar, but, she argues, the mind associates loss with something bad. We lose money, we lose people, we lose in love… all loss situations are seen by the mind as negatives. But, she says, the mind accepts ‘letting go’ as a liberating and freeing action and so it’s more relaxed and comfortable with that notion.
What do you think? Do you use words around food that hold back your progress?
Do you over eat when you’re sad? How would changing your food associations help you?