The Language of Weight Loss

Getting fit and losing weight is a national obsession for Americans and no wonder, given the obesity and weight problems that plague so many of us. And while most people focus on exercise and diet plans in their struggle with fat, few realize the role that talk plays in our success or failure at losing weight.

Most of us know intuitively that self-talk — thoughts such as “this diet isn’t working, nothing will,” or “just one little bite won’t hurt” — can sabotage our best efforts to lose weight. So it should not be a surprise that the conversations we have with others also have a lot to do with whether or not we are able to successfully lose weight.

In short, we need to pay attention to what comes out of our mouths as well as what goes in them! Language is a powerful tool that can work for or against you. If we talk longingly about a chocolate cake or a cheese-smothered pizza or Mexican dish, for instance, we should not be surprised when we ignore our diets and choose overindulgence over healthy eating.

Instead, you can use language as a powerful tool to support your efforts. Following are some tips for making sure your talk matches your weight loss goals instead of reinforcing habits and cravings that don’t serve you:

1. Do a junk talk audit. Do the conversations you have with your friends match your commitments? Stop and notice what you actually talk about with people in your social circle. Are you and others bemoaning being fat? Talking about who serves the best cheese-covered fries in town? Complaining about how hard it is to lose weight? Or are the conversations you have about healthy living, eating and exercise?

2. Get committed. If you’re committed to losing weight and/or being fit, watch your mouth! Not just what goes in it, but what words come out of it. Make sure your conversations reflect what’s really important to you in terms of your health, wellbeing and diet. Share your goal with others and speak of it often. In addition to being attentive to what you say, pay attention to where you want to be having those conversations. If you're at a restaurant eating bowl after bowl of fried corn chips, make no mistake, that’s evidence of a commitment to something besides losing weight. If you're at the gym working out, and that's where your friends are, then your commitment to be healthy is reinforced by your actions.

3. Find like-minded communities. One of the easiest ways to eliminate “junk talk” from your diet is to get involved in social networks and communities that support what you’re up to. Think about friendships you might cultivate that would naturally inspire you to be more physically active or slim down. Consider joining groups and organizations that empower wellbeing rather than contribute to weight gain.

“Be sure your words reflect your commitment to take care of your body and your health,” Cunningham says. “When your conversations reflect that, your view of life and your actions will naturally follow.” Once you eliminate the “junk talk” in your life and have your conversations reflect what you’re up to, extraordinary results become possible.