A common mistake made by people when coming up with any plan not just weight loss- is not the plan itself but how they are going to stick to it. With this in mind it is important to plan how to overcome situations that threaten your weight loss goals.
For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.
This is just given as an example. There are many things to tempt you against your plan in every day situations and you cannot possibly plan to avoid every one of them. Just the fact that you do see possible difficulties and that you take the time to plan against them, this will make sure that mentally you are prepared for temptations and you will find it far easier to avoid them.
If you write your plans and goals down, this will ensure that you are able to see them more easily.
Be conscious, stay in control. Eating is a habitual process in the same way that many bodily functions are. In other words it is not something we generally think about in any extensive way. This is one of the biggest mistakes dieters make. They forget that the key to weight loss lays in the mind as much as it does the stomach. By taking conscious control over what you feel and eat you can mentally counter the cravings. This is not to suggest you should mentally torment yourself but rather ask yourself the right questions before you make a choice of what to eat.
You will be confronted by temptation, you cannot avoid this but if you think about the side effects and the results of what you are going to eat, you will be be stronger and resisting will be easier - just remember you are greater than the urge, you don't have to follow it.
What you need is to feel that you are in control of your thoughts and emotions and doing this will create a feeling of fulfillment and you will start to feel more empowered.
Coping with eating Triggers. Its an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.
Dealing with external triggers is fairly easy. Don't have things in the house that will tempt you, don't go near the shop selling your favourite fattening food. The internal triggers are sadly a little harder to deal with.
Now while it is not always possible to eliminate the emotional triggers it is possible to adapt our responses to them. For instance replacing eating with a form of exercise even if it is just a brisk walk will go a long way to avoiding the vicious cycle of submitting to cravings.
A good way of filling up is liquids. A great deal of the time, we eat because we are dehydrated. Did you realise that feeling thirsty is often difficult to tell from feeling hungry? This is why smoothies have gained such deserved and widespread acclaim, they can play a major role in the weight loss fight. They are very low in calories and they are also a very efficient way of getting your advised '5 a day' fruit and vegetables.
Your body may well be used to snacking and to stop this you need to fool it into thinking it is full. One of the easiest and healthiest says is to drink liquids. However please ensure that the drinks are healthy, not carbonated, sugary drinks, they won't help at all with your diet.
The best liquid to drink is actually plain and simple water - you can drink flavoured water if you find the plain stuff too boring. It is simply the best way to flush toxins from your body and ensure your metabolism works well.
An important thing not to be forgotten, is that you need to treat yourself. There is no fun at all if you have goals and then you don't treat yourself. It is well known that rewards ensure you have a sense of achievement and this then leads to your body releasing positive endorphins into the blood.
Set yourself some specific goals, for instance to exercise for 30 minutes each day for 2 weeks, or to cut down by 300 calories a day, you need to give yourself a reward, a special treat. Make the reward a real treat, something maybe that you have wanted for a while, maybe a DVD or something like that. Rewards are a very important part of your long term plan and will make your dieting much more enjoyable.
For instance think about situations where you will encounter temptations. If there is a vending machine you have to walk past in your work place to get to your desk then you may wish to consider an alternative route to your workspace, or if this is not possible, refraining from carrying small change with you when away from your desk.
This is just given as an example. There are many things to tempt you against your plan in every day situations and you cannot possibly plan to avoid every one of them. Just the fact that you do see possible difficulties and that you take the time to plan against them, this will make sure that mentally you are prepared for temptations and you will find it far easier to avoid them.
If you write your plans and goals down, this will ensure that you are able to see them more easily.
Be conscious, stay in control. Eating is a habitual process in the same way that many bodily functions are. In other words it is not something we generally think about in any extensive way. This is one of the biggest mistakes dieters make. They forget that the key to weight loss lays in the mind as much as it does the stomach. By taking conscious control over what you feel and eat you can mentally counter the cravings. This is not to suggest you should mentally torment yourself but rather ask yourself the right questions before you make a choice of what to eat.
You will be confronted by temptation, you cannot avoid this but if you think about the side effects and the results of what you are going to eat, you will be be stronger and resisting will be easier - just remember you are greater than the urge, you don't have to follow it.
What you need is to feel that you are in control of your thoughts and emotions and doing this will create a feeling of fulfillment and you will start to feel more empowered.
Coping with eating Triggers. Its an interesting fact that a lot of the eating you do happens when you are not actually hungry. The reason for this can be explained with a little psychology. We respond naturally to mental cues or triggers. These can be internal or external in nature. An example of an external trigger is the smell of fish and chips or in the case of this author the sight of a chocolate gateau! Internal triggers take the form of stress, boredom, anxiety and anger to name but a few.
Dealing with external triggers is fairly easy. Don't have things in the house that will tempt you, don't go near the shop selling your favourite fattening food. The internal triggers are sadly a little harder to deal with.
Now while it is not always possible to eliminate the emotional triggers it is possible to adapt our responses to them. For instance replacing eating with a form of exercise even if it is just a brisk walk will go a long way to avoiding the vicious cycle of submitting to cravings.
A good way of filling up is liquids. A great deal of the time, we eat because we are dehydrated. Did you realise that feeling thirsty is often difficult to tell from feeling hungry? This is why smoothies have gained such deserved and widespread acclaim, they can play a major role in the weight loss fight. They are very low in calories and they are also a very efficient way of getting your advised '5 a day' fruit and vegetables.
Your body may well be used to snacking and to stop this you need to fool it into thinking it is full. One of the easiest and healthiest says is to drink liquids. However please ensure that the drinks are healthy, not carbonated, sugary drinks, they won't help at all with your diet.
The best liquid to drink is actually plain and simple water - you can drink flavoured water if you find the plain stuff too boring. It is simply the best way to flush toxins from your body and ensure your metabolism works well.
An important thing not to be forgotten, is that you need to treat yourself. There is no fun at all if you have goals and then you don't treat yourself. It is well known that rewards ensure you have a sense of achievement and this then leads to your body releasing positive endorphins into the blood.
Set yourself some specific goals, for instance to exercise for 30 minutes each day for 2 weeks, or to cut down by 300 calories a day, you need to give yourself a reward, a special treat. Make the reward a real treat, something maybe that you have wanted for a while, maybe a DVD or something like that. Rewards are a very important part of your long term plan and will make your dieting much more enjoyable.
About the Author:
If you really want to lose weight, ensure that you take a look at the great articles and a wonderful free book - 211 pages and details of the Lose 10 pounds in 10 days diet. Don't miss out Learn about great foods to eat
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment