I would estimate at least 95% of dieters focus on their weight as a problem as opposed to focussing on being slim as a solution.
The more you focus on something, the more of an "issue" it becomes to you, the more you go and work on it. Therefore, if you are constantly trying to "think" your way out of being overweight, then you are just thinking about being overweight.
If you think about being overweight your mind will have to feel the feelings associated with that. These tend to be failure, guilt, anger, sadness etc and therefore you get depressed. Because you are depressed, you think "I know, have something to eat to cheer yourself up", that is what they call a vicious circle and one that I was in for at least ten years.
When you think about your weight, are you focussing on the problem or the solution? Do you think 'what am I not allowed to eat?' or do you think 'What healthy and tasty food can i have today?'.
When people have a weight problem they go in search of something to fix that problem, hence trying different diets. If you focussed instead on what you needed to do to get slim, you immediately feel the nice feelings of what it would be like to be slim, you get enthusiasm and start to believe, as opposed to just looking in the mirror and beating yourself up.
I was really lucky as I had a holiday booked when I was on the diet. I just focussed on being slim for that holiday. I didn't realise until studying this in detail that it was an absolute key point as every other diet I had attempted had been to get away from being big, hence, focussing on being big and not being slim.
I see a lot of people 1-2-1 and very, very few will say "I want to be slim" or "I want to be happy, healthy and get on with my life"...the majority say "I don't want to be fat anymore" or "I don't like the way I look" and therefore they are constantly thinking about what they don't want. The reality is that if they just changed their mind and saw all the positives and not the negatives, then they would shrink before they knew it.
So, how do you do it?
Get a piece of paper and write down all the good things about reducing your weight or staying at a healthy weight. Start focussing totally on what you want. Don't write anything that is negative, no i don't wants, i don't like etc., realise that you can be, and do, so much more than you think you can.
When you have a list of really positive things in the future to look forward to then start thinking about them, feel the feelings, picture yourself, make it so real in your mind that you can't stop smiling and you can feel the enthusiasm to be slim. Then, whenever you are having a "momentary" negative thought, bring those positive thoughts back and allow them to flow over the top.
Listen for the language you use. Do you say that you don't want to be fat, or do you say that you want to be slim? Language is key to how you feel. If you constantly knock yourself and call yourself a failure then you will take on all those feelings. Why not be nice to yourself instead, and think:
1. Ok, what do I actually want?
2. How can I get it?
And then, as always the key to all of this!.........
GO DO IT!
Have a great week
Mike :-)
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