‘Mind over Matter' Weight Loss

Never before have we had such a range of options available for weight loss - it can be downright confusing! What's more, many of us have tried many of the options out there - often more than once. There comes a time when you may need to stop looking for ‘quick fixes' and just accept that if you are going to lose weight, it will be up to you and no one else. It's simple ‘mind over matter'.

Consider a parallel - another problem that many people struggle with - quitting smoking. There are all types of programs to help you quite smoking. There's nicotine gum, and the patch, and counseling, and hypnotherapy. But for many people who have successfully quit, what it all comes down to is just making up your mind to do it - quitting cold turkey, as it were.

Of course, weight issues are a little more complex because you can't just ‘quit' eating! But essentially, it's the same issue. We each have control over what we put into our mouths, even if it feels out of control at times. We all have choices. Also, in this day and age, we all have a pretty good idea of which foods are causing us to gain weight. We all know what a healthy diet looks like, and we all know that exercise helps a lot, too. The trick is to start acting on all of these things that we already ‘know'!

It's simple mind over matter, really. The ‘matter' is that the food is there, and we want to eat it. The ‘mind' means having self control. If you know you shouldn't eat it, then don't. It really is as simple - and as hard - as that.

Most weight problems, when you come right down to it, are behavioral issues. That means that there is seldom any medical reason for gaining weight and keeping it on (though there may, of course, be exceptions to this. Some people do have legitimate medical conditions that make it more difficult for them to lose weight.) For most of us, though, it's because of bad habits. We all know what they are. We know that eating at night is bad, for example, because there's no opportunity to work off those calories - but we do it anyway. Everyone knows that snack foods and candy don't do you any favors, but the impulse to snack on them may seem overwhelming.

Start by taking stock - make a list of all the unhealthy eating habits you plan to eliminate. Be firm, yet realistic. If you find it difficult to assess your eating habits by yourself, you can enlist some help, of course - ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist or dietician to go over your eating habits in detail, or join a personalized weight loss program where the same type of service is provided.

Once you have a clear idea of which foods need to be eliminated and how you can improve the quality of your meals, just start doing it. Don't wait until next week, or until after the holidays - just start. Be determined and single minded. Keep in mind that this lifestyle change may end up saving your life, or at least improving your quality of life in a big way. You are doing it for yourself, and for everyone in your life who would like to see you healthy and happy. Here's another hint - if you slip up and make a mistake, don't let it stop you. Start again, with the very next meal. Your whole plan will not be ruined because of one or two mistakes, but if you use those mistakes as an excuse to abandon the plan altogether, that's a totally different story.

Here's the last step - even after you have achieved your weight loss goal, make those changes permanent. All too many of us become ‘yo-yo dieters' - we diet successfully, then gain everything back, then have to diet again. Over time, this can put more strain on your body than if you had never lost the weight in the first place! So make sure that you come up with an eating plan you can live with, and be prepared to live with it for the rest of your life. That doesn't mean you can never enjoy your favorite dessert again - but it does mean that, the morning after, you get back to healthy eating.