| Weight
loss is kind of like love. When you chase after it, it seems to
allude you. But just when you're ready to give up on it, that's
when you fall in love. You know why? Because when we drop our
worries and reveal the genuine person inside, it's like putting
up a banner sign: I'm happy. I accept myself. That kind of person
is ready to fall in love, and that's when it happens.
Weight loss often
happens for the person who forgets about chasing after it. This
doesn't apply to everyone, however, it's worth thinking about.
If you feel that you are obsessed with weight loss, and yet
you can't seem to lose the weight, please take a moment to reflect
honestly on the following questions: Do you spend a significant
portion of every day criticizing yourself for your weight? Do
you know that you need to eat less, yet you don't change your
habits? Do you know that more exercise would help you keep the
weight off, but you make excuses not to do it?
If you answered yes
to any of the above, take a minute to think about how many times
during the day you criticize yourself or your body shape. How
many times a day do you wish you looked different, or think
that 'if only' you could lose the weight, your life would be
so much better? These may strike you as silly questions, at
first. Brain researchers tell us, however, that our inner dialogue
can make an impact on our outer reality. The more times your
unconscious mind hears that you believe you're not good enough,
the more your experiences are likely to reflect that belief.
Replacing a negative
or self-critical thought with a positive one is a good practice.
Start with this moment. Identify one feature that you like,
even love, about yourself. Is it your face? Your eyes? Your
smile? Your feet? Imagine feeling as great about your whole
body as you do about that feature, right now. Practice accepting
yourself 'as is', every day. This is a positive practice that
may free you from obsession with weight loss and help you start
to drop those extra pounds. You might even fall in love. |
