Weight Loss Begins in the Mind

Losing weight is more about how the dieter thinks about food than food itself. Lasting weight loss success involves planning and the right mindset.

Terminating a life long pattern of turning to food for feelings other than hunger is vital for any weight loss plan (lifestyle change) to work. Filling emotional needs with emotional solutions and using food for physical nourishment only, is key to any effective weight loss plan. Seeking comfort, security, love or solace in appropriate ways allows the dieter to manage their food intake intelligently and effectively.

Tips for Successful Weight Loss
The successful dieter plans for success well before starting a weight loss plan. Just as a star student prepares for finals, the dieter who prepares for success before beginning will reap a higher level of achievement. A mind that has been prepared for change is better able to work with that change. Choose a weight loss start date of less than 30 days (not to be confused with procrastination) to begin both physical and mental preparation.

• Eliminate all foods from the household cupboards that are not on the healthy eating list. (A local homeless shelter will make good use of them.) Begin stocking only foods compatible with healthy eating.
• Learn to read food labels and consider purchasing whole, unprocessed foods instead (found mostly on the outside isles of the grocery store.)
• Since water is a staple for every effective weight loss program, plan for a way to have it nearby at all times. You will need to use this water as a replacement if you are a pop drinker.
• Monitor thoughts for negativity or victim mentality. Such thoughts will sabotage success. Take note of the urges to "make yourself feel better by eating" and acknowledge what emotions you are feeling at that time.
• Begin thinking of nurturing things that are not food related that you can do to "make yourself feel better." Some examples may be, walking, riding your bike, talking with a friend, reading, listening to music, etc. Make a list of these things and start implementing these alternatives.
• Pamper the body, mind and spirit with personally meaningful non-food activities or things. Don't forget meditation or prayer. Affirmations also can help you to "change your mind."

You will undoubtedly experience discomfort during this process. Just remember that these steps you are taking will eventually become new habits and the discomfort will subside with practice and time. Just like the cigarette smoker who stops smoking. Eventually, the pain and discomfort subsides as life goes on, only leaner and healthier. 

The Obesity Effect

Odds are good that if you step on the scale this morning, you are not going to like what you see. It’s gotten so bad that the Center for Disease Control now estimates that 1/3 of American adults are overweight; another 1/3 are obese.


Why is obesity such a concern? The health data is so alarming. It’s an epidemic that is causing concern at the highest levels of government. It has an impact on so many areas, cost, quality of life and productive workforce. We are really putting ourselves at such a huge disadvantage in a global economy by having a nation that is vastly overweight.

Dr. David Thatcher, previous Surgeon General of The United States says, “We have addicted ourselves and our children to sedentary lifestyles and diets that are high in fats, salt and sugar.”

Obesity dramatically increases the risk of diabetes. It increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension and many forms of cancer. Think about the costs of healthcare and the role chronic diseases play. Obesity is a major factor in all the diseases just listed.

Healthcare costs are staggering. About 147 billion dollars a year are spent directly related to obesity and the underlying related health conditions

Adult obesity rates have doubled in the past 30 years. We’ve been grabbing food on the go, sometimes supersized instead of sitting down to that home cooked family meal. On average, we consume 300 more calories every day than 25 years ago, and we are not burning them off. Today, we spend less time walking and more time driving, sitting in front of the computer or TV.

Food retailers do have a role. When consumers choose more and more fresh, unprocessed whole foods, the retailers will fall in line to provide what you buy. Even if fresh foods cost more, it’s worth it. It’s going to cost you one way or another, either your health or money. Either way you pay. It’s best to pay on the front end, buying nutritious foods. And those backend healthcare costs may only get bigger. In children, obesity rates are about 4 times higher than they were 40 years ago.

Part of the problem is that we don’t see the full impact of obesity in children until many decades later. So the children who are now growing up obese are 20 to 30 years down the road going to have horrendous problems that we’ve really not seen before.

So, what can we do? Maybe taxing sugary drinks like soda would help, as Washington State has done. But the beverage industry has successfully fought such a tax in several other states. Meanwhile, at the White House, the first family is leading by example. The First Lady has made fighting childhood obesity her signature effort with her “lets move” campaign, which encourages kids to get more physical activity. 1/3 of today’s children and adolescents are overweight or obese.

With ballooning healthcare costs and threat of crippling disease, we need to act soon. We have a generation of children alive today who may live shorter lifespans than their parents, for the first time in 200 years, and the major cause for that is obesity.

Fast But Unhealthy Food

Last night I watched a television program called “I didn’t know I was pregnant.” It just so happened that some of the women were morbidly obese (over 300#). It showed their daily struggle and pain living day to day. My heart went out to them.

One gal, pregnant and diagnosed with gestational diabetes, struggled with her desire to loose the weight and stop the diabetes. Even though her desire was strong and she knew she shouldn’t, she still stopped for a drive through fast food breakfast. Her comment was, “I just don’t have time in the morning to fix breakfast before leaving for work.”

I think this is a common excuse which acts as a smoke screen covering the real reasons:

>> The lure of tasty salt, fat and sugar is hard to resist.

>> The morning HABIT of this deadly convenience over powers unplanned and unpracticed willpower.

>> Is there a lack of knowledge of the healthy alternatives that could be implemented? (Knowledge is Power!)

>> Change is hard to do!