Fast, Healthy and Achievable: Losing Weight the Right Way, Part 3 - Think Positively!

This is the third and final hub in my series outlining the three steps to fast and healthy weight loss:

1. Eat Less and Eat Healthy
2. Exercise!
3. Think Positively!

So, let's move on to Step 3...

A much-neglected pathway to healing your body is through your thoughts.

Everyone knows that thinking positively makes you feel good, but did you know that it can also help to heal your body and get you back into shape?

Has anyone ever said to you,"It's all in your head!" when you were sick? You might have been offended by this comment, but recent studies have shown that the human body possesses a clear neuro-network, connecting your thoughts and emotions and sending messages not only throughout your brain, but throughout your body as well. This means that your thoughts, be they negative or positive, have a definite impact on your health and fitness.

I'm sure you've heard stories of tumors disappearing, diseases being cured in individuals who had no hope, people turning their lives around once they got control of their thoughts, etc. some people have referred to this as the placebo effect!

But is it that easy? Can you just think positive thoughts and suddenly lose weight and get back into shape? Well, the answer is no.

First, you need to become aware of what you are thinking about most of the time. There are habitual patterns ingrained into your subconscious mind, and all the conscious positive thoughts in the world are not going to help you, until you also change your subconscious thinking.

Let's say you're sick and taking medication, but not getting better, while your friend is taking nothing for the same condition and recovering perfectly. Or you may be battling weight, anxiety, stress, depression, etc. and have tried countless so-called "cures", but nothing seems to be working!

If this is the case, you've come to the right place! Keep on reading below and you'll discover how to control your thoughts, and thus your actions, your results, and your world!

Let me give you some real-life examples:

At age 34, I was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer. I was told I had about 30% chance of getting rid of it. I was going to die.

Five weeks and a strong dose of daily positive thinking, guided imagery, meditation, and prayer later, I was a walking, cancer-free miracle!

Full Article Here

In six months, I lost 62 pounds and in the process recovered my health, stamina and self-esteem!

I gave up the luxury of excuses, the indulgence of stuffing myself and the sedentary start to my day once they were clearly identified as obstacles. Instead of sugar-coating reality, I took a hard look at it; otherwise, I would not have been able to change my behaviour.

Full Article Here

I know you may have heard that I lost 80 pounds through using the Weight-Watchers point system, but it started in my mind.

Whenever people ask me how they can lose weight too, the first thing I tell them is that they have to make up their mind that they really want to do it and do it for them... If you can’t take responsibility for your own well-being, you will never take control over it.

Full Article Here

It's important to make a conscious effort to change your thoughts. You may not always be able to overcome your food cravings or stick to your diet. But, if there are times when you are able to stand strong, then focus on those moments and celebrate the triumphs.

Maybe you put less sugar in your coffee today and said no to a second slice of pizza. Focusing on the positive things will help to create greater self-esteem and motivate you to continue with your weight loss efforts!

Another helpful tip I found worked for me in focusing on the positive is not only celebrating my triumphs on my own, but telling my boyfriend as well. Luckily, he doesn't get annoyed by the constant weight loss victory updates, so find someone in your life that can help celebrate with you and encourage you to keep going!

Another helpful thought process tip that can help you to focus on the positive during our weight-loss efforts is to cut the word FAT out of your vocabulary! My boyfriend had decided he was tired of hearing me call myself fat all the time and so decided to put this new rule into effect. A friend from work heard about it and now she's safeguarding me from using it at work.

Of course just not saying the word will not help me lose weight, but it does start me thinking about moving away from thinking and seeing myself as 'a fat person' and moving toward 'a fit person'!

One of the ways your negative attitude can prevail during dieting is if you have set unreasonable goals for yourself. Trying to exist on an extremely low-calorie diet or setting your weekly weight loss goal at an unattainable number often sets you up for failure.

Generally speaking, most nutritionists advise not going lower than 1200 calories on your daily intake for women and 1600 for men. Even that is the very minimum. You should shoot for slightly higher, especially at the beginning, and depending on your height, weight, build, etc.

To increase your weight loss success, set achievable and realistic goals. Losing one to two pounds per week is a reasonable goal and can generally be achieved without extreme measures. That is my personal experience as well: I have lost 12 pounds in 12 weeks, and I feel great!

Weigh yourself as much as you want. It helps you to see your progress! When you reach your weekly goal, acknowledge your success. This will perpetuated positive thinking. Soon, you'll find that your motivation and energy have increased, and the pounds are disappearing!