How To Eat Less and Exercise More

I don’t know how many “experts” I have heard say “The only way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more” (yawn). While this may be technically true, it simply does NOT tell the whole story. Why then, when you go on a crash diet, do you not always lose weight? (hint - because your metabolism shuts down – your body thinks it is starving). And why do people eat differently (often less) on vacation when they are more relaxed and not driven by the ever increasing responsibilities,nstress and demands of work? This advice simply doesn’t speak to the internal dialogue that goes on in our minds, nn . . . or the rebound effect of the diet/deprivation cycle which leads to binging. Therefore, to me, it is uninspired and unhelpful. But when the “experts” tell us to eat less and exercise more, the first thing we think of is dieting. Being on a diet, to me, is like throwing yourself into a washing machine. It spins you in circles and wrings you out. Diets may tell you WHAT to do, but they don’t teach you HOW to eat less and exercise more. They create dependency. When you can’t figure out how to maintain the weight loss without the diet, it’s easy to feel frustrated, even helpless. I don’t know about you, but I don’t care to become another diet statistic (95% of people who lose weight by dieting gain it all back or more within 2 years). To learn HOW to eat less and exercise more, you have to trust yourself. And the ultimate reward is well worth it—never having to diet again. It is spelled F-R-E-E-D-O-M . . . And here is what the formula . . . It takes unlearning . . . nn - and a firm commitment to STOP dieting. It takes paying attention . . . nn - to yourself, your habits, your emotions and your patterns of eating. It takes being honest with yourself, letting go of old habits and being willing to try new things. It may take thinking about yourself in a new way, learning to be less judgmental, giving up old beliefs, and challenging your own thinking. For instance . . . Who says you don’t have the discipline to lose weight? (Discipline is not the key anyway). Who told you that you would always be a failure? (Always is a very strong word). What beliefs do you hold about yourself? What are you telling yourself about your ability to lose weight? Are you still living by those beliefs now? Are you letting them run your life? Here’s to breaking loose,nCaroln