Thin Blog

Posts Tagged ‘positive thinking’

All too often people start a “diet” and lose a few pounds and then for one reason or another just give up. Have you ever tried to lose weight and were zipping along on your weight loss journey and ended up gaining more weight than you had on your hips before you tried to lose the weight? I want you to think about you thought process that you had from the moment of motivation to the moment of failure realized.

Does this sound familiar?

You have been gaining a few pounds for the last few years and have tried to lose weight. You have made a few attempts before you decided to get really serious about the weight loss. You debated it in your head over and over and resolved to lose the wight once and for all. You decided that this was going to be your weight loss expedition that took you all the way to the beach in that cute bathing suit. You were now ready to make it happen but then realized that this was the 8th or 9th time you have made this decision. So here you sit, at your computer to ready to lose the weight but this time in the back of your mind you are beginning to doubt your ability to actually shed the extra weight. You are beginning to think that you are never, ever going to be that slim person you always desired yourself to be.

The thought process described above is one that will lead you to failure more often than it will lead you to success. You will never be able to take your body where the mind will not go. The mind is always on, it is always active and it is always in charge of your direction in life. What you need to be able to do is start to think positive about yourself and that you have the ability to lose 20 pounds or to lose 100 pounds. You have to put your mind into the direction you want your body to go. You have to stop approaching your “diet” as if you failed it before you started. You must begin to believe that you do have the ability to overcome the stumbling blocks you always tripped over in earlier attempts at weight loss. You need to start allowing yourself to believe in your ability and approach your eating habits with the belief that losing weight is not only possible but probable. You need to be able to transform yourself at the very core of yourself which is not in your belly, but in your mind. To do this you should look for a good support group that understands what you are experiencing. You really need the support to not only cheer you on but be there to help you gain the knowledge that will make the choices you need to make easier to figure out. A good support group will not only teach you facts about weight loss but will also help you re-think how you look at yourself. With the proper knowledge, combined with support you will be able to break out of the belief that “you” can’t lose weight no matter what you try to do.

So right here and right now you need to stop allowing negative thoughts permeate your thinking and start to fill the brain up with the belief that you can do it. If you believe you will not eat that chocolate you will will be able to resist it. (Most of the time) If you believe you can do a bit more exercise than you will do the exercise you have dreaded. Actually, after a few sessions of exercise you will even begin to enjoy the benefits of a workout.

In closing, take your mind out reverse and start to assume that you can lose weight and that it IS possible. Once you get your mind in the process that it can be done the body will fall in line with your desires. Get your mind right and your body will be okay too.

How often do you find yourself complimenting people, counciling friends and even strangers on ways to realize their “wonderfullness”. Yet, how often have you shed tears when realizing that you are unable to be as kind to yourself as to a stranger on the street. Where do you find the ability to be kind to oneself, when you have had an inner voice telling you otherwise?

In the past, I have found it difficult to look at myself in the mirror and say, “You look great”. Most of the time I want to say, “You look like crap, how could you wear that, are you going to leave the house like that, etc” This kind of self talk is very negative and damaging. I didn’t know how to change that and I know I don’t deserve the inner abuse.

One of the most dynamic ways to begin to change your life is to create a positive internal environment. You can do this by beginning to feed yourself more positive information. Negative self-talk can have a fatal  impact on your spirit, your sense of self worth and your desire to get fit and healthy.

I have been watching Oprah’s Big Give on Sunday nights and her motto is to “Give Big”. I was then reminded of a movie a few years back called Pay It Forward. After mulling the shows around in my mind a bit, I came up with a strange twist of a challenge that would benefit all. 

Every time you say something nice about someone, do something kind for a neighbor or even think about giving someone a compliment then you must also pay it inward. For example, you run into a friend while shopping and tell them how wonderful they look, then you must then say something nice about yourself by paying it inward. If you go online and leave an hug or encourage a online buddy who is having a bad day, then you also pay it inward and say something or do something nice for yourself.

The intent here is to use your natural, built-in kindness as a jump start for positive self-talk. Each time you do a something kind for someone also becomes a clue to pay it inward. This one act will provide a way to take your mind off autopilot, to raise the awareness of your strengths and to bring more positive thinking into your day.

I strongly believe in positive thinking.  A great thinker called Earl Nightingale once said, “We become what we thing about”.  Lets give ourself a gift today by paying it inward, any takers?