| The New England Journal of Medicine researched obesity and found that weight loss can be next to impossible. Most Americans gain weight and can't ever lose it or if they manage to lose a few pounds they crash and burn a little while later and gain it all back and usually gain more! Why such failure? A major factor in success or failure is YOUR MENTAL OUTLOOK. Get Fit Lose Weight No Forbidden Foods Oprah Uses Same Program 
To achieve that healthy body, many of us need to change or at the very least modify our behaviour when it comes to food and exercise. Easy to say, extremely difficult to do, at first. Admitting a flaw in thinking, perception or character is very painful. Humans go to great lengths to rationalize why this, that and the other thing has caused the weight gain.
I'm going tough love on my a**...
Step one: I will take accountability for my situation. It's okay that I'm overweight, it's not okay to stay that way. It's not okay to excuse it with rationalizations. It's okay to try and fail, try and fail. It's not okay to continually set myself up for failure and then blame someone else. My job is stressful, my whole family is overweight, I have a gland problem, I can't afford to lose weight. We've all used one or more of these. All of these may be true and none of them might be your fault but it is your choice if you allow these excuses/causes to rule and eventually shorten your life. THIS IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL. NO SECOND CHANCES. YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT LIFE. Step two: I realize that I may be scared to succeed. I'm more afraid of succeeding than failing. I have more experience with failing and I can always say, "At least I tried." I'm going to admit that I actually sabotage my efforts. There's a theory out there that says maybe some people may not really want to lose weight. Perhaps you feel safe and comfy with a little extra padding. You may not feel ready for all the attention that comes along with being slim. I know that walking around outside is a lot more peaceful since I gained weight, less attention. But the bad part is, less attention. You see how impossible the human mind is! Step three: Humans are creatures of habit. If you want to break a habit, replace it with another habit. Trade in a bad, destructive habit for a good, constructive habit. Sounds easy but the brain is wired to seek out pleasure and avoid pain. Many people (me) see food as a source of comfort and pleasure and exercise as a type of chore or punishment. It is this outlook that denies us true satisfaction, the satisfaction of feeling fit, healthy and confident. I understand that it will be very difficult and uncomfortable at first but if I, one by one, swap my concepts of pain and pleasure, I can reprogram myrself to find exercise pleasurable and find comfort in healthier food choices. Acknowledge when you have a craving for something. Admit that your own mind and body are working against you to seek out pleasure. That is the moment you swap in something that's a better choice. You'll have to negotiate with yourself for a while because those cravings can get pretty tough. It's like telling your drug dealer you don't want any more drugs. He'll try everything, including inflicting pain on you to get you to take those drugs. Well, ice cream is my drug. Depending on how my day went it's either a civilized conversation with myself or a complete shakedown. Sometimes I triumphantly reach for the low fat frozen yogurt and fruit to make a delicious smoothy or I hang my head in shame and defeatedly reach for the Hagen Daaz Double Fudge container. ( 4 servings per container, my arse). Remember, eating healthy does not equal deprivation ( I still can't eat an apple without immediately getting hungry. My mother used to eat apples as a diet so I associate apples with starving) and exercise is fun. Just lie about it until you believe it. Just like when you lie and say you just want to lose weight to be healthy. LIAR! You want to lose weight to look hot, oh yeah! To quote Joel Olsteen, " God created you to be a victor not a victim."
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Reader Comments (3)
Okay. I'm in. They say there is strength in numbers. I need to get myself out of my comfort zone and shed some pounds too.
Listen, life is tough and it's even tougher if you're out of shape and unhealthy. I was so overweight and exhausted all the time that all I did was come up with excuses to stay on the couch. But eventually I got fed up with being so tired and boring and I started walking everywhere. I lost 20 lbs with just walking and then I lost 20 more when I stopped eating danishes like they were tic tacs.
Great. I usually like being a lone ranger but in this case I think I need all the support I can get since I've never been able to eat right. For example, I'll confess right now that I had one of those oatmeal creme cookie things from Little Debbie for breakfast and washed it down with some Cherry Coke. It's unbelievable the amount of fat in one of those little cookies! I knew it and yet I ate it anyway.