The 3 Keys To Weight Loss That No One Is Talking About… Not Even The Experts!
More often then not, the men and women that consistently struggle with their weight are those who mistakenly focus only on the physical factors of weight loss. These individuals become consumed about what foods they should eat and which ones they should stay away from. They also tend to have an unhealthy view about exercise. They may exercise too much or avoid it altogether. Approaching weight loss in this manner is a recipe for disaster. A lifetime of yo-yo dieting and constant guilt is often the result.
While eating the right foods and exercising on a consistent basis is important, there are other, equally important components to losing weight. The overlooked factors in successful, long-term weight loss is mindset, your thoughts and attitude. Let’s take a look at how each of these is critical and can either make or break a person’s weight loss efforts.
a. The Mind: The mind is one of your most potent weapons against weight gain. Individuals that tend to stress out pretty easily or who find themselves overwhelmed by life might turn to food for comfort. They may begin to use calorie-laden carbohydrates as well as sugary, salty snacks and foods to brighten their mood and/or to relax.
The problem with this coping mechanism is that its effects are only short-lived. After the pounds begin piling on, the individual typically becomes depressed because they have gained weight, which can in turn leads to more overeating. Expert yo-yo dieters may find a way to lose the extra weight, often times by severely restricting their caloric intake, but are likely to eventually re-gain the weight.
Learning how to manage stress and find other ways to cope is extremely important to long term weight management. Exercise, a hot bath, time with friends and even counseling can be great alternatives.
b. Thoughts: What a person thinks will be crucial in their own personal battle of the bulge. Thinking positive thoughts is important even when setbacks occur. An individual needs not only think positively of themselves but must believe that they can lose the weight and keep it off. When they do, their daily decisions regarding exercise and eating properly will begin to support that contention.
c. Attitude: Attitude is everything. If a person has a negative attitude, they will likely act in ways to sabotage their own success, both consciously and subconsciously. This will result in unwanted weight gain. Losing those extra pounds will be difficult until an individual begins to improve their attitude.
A dieter’s mindset, thoughts and attitude are often the overlooked keys to lasting weight loss. While a diet low in bad fats, sugars and simple carbohydrates and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats is an important part of losing weight, there are other factors just as crucial, perhaps even more so. When a person has the right attitude and mindset, and are constantly playing the right tape in their head (their thoughts), they are more apt to make good decisions about what they eat and whether or not they exercise on a consistent basis, both which will improve their chances of getting down to a healthy weight and then maintaining it.
| MindBodyFX.com is the original source for the article above. |
