Fears are educated into us and can, if we wish, be educated out.
We’ve talked about dieting and how it’s a lifestyle change. But there’s more to it than just changing your eating habits. It about changing the way you think. The following are some ways you can re-educate yourself and re-educate your fears about dieting and weight loss.
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Our mothers have told us that for year and whether you agree or not – eating a healthy breakfast is a way to get your day started right. High fiber cereals, low fat milk, yogurt, fruit, whole wheat toast or a Denver omelet – the choice is yours – but add fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet first thing. You’ll have lots of energy and will be far less likely to snack on the Krispy Kremes at the office.
- They say you are what you eat – but you’re also what you think. We talk about ourselves in the most derogatory tone of mental voice. Not only do you need to stop the self-deprecation, but you also need to stop the negative self-talk. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will either.
- When you start a diet or a fitness program, step on the scale at the beginning and then shove it in the back of the closet. Stepping on it every day is just going to drive you nuts. Your weight can fluctuate from day to day due water retention or fluid loss. You can weigh yourself weekly or bi-weekly or once a month. You should also not just rely on the pound method – take your measurement in inches and check that about every two weeks. You can lose inches without losing physical pounds since muscle weighs a lot more than fat, six handfuls of fat weighs about the same as one handful of muscle.
- Eating healthy is the plan – depriving yourself just leads to temptation. If you want to have a cup of hot chocolate – just get some diet chocolate syrup. Some of them actually taste really good. You need to watch your portions, but you don’t have to live like you’ll never enjoy a confection again.
- Exercise is not a four-letter word. A healthy lifestyle means adding physical activity to your day, whether you park farther from the stores or take a fifteen to thirty minute walk every day during lunch – when you want to lose weight, you need eat a healthy diet and be more physically active. Remember, losing weight requires you to burn more calories than you consume.
Re-educate yourself and educate out your fears of eating, dieting, exercising and living a healthier lifestyle.