7 Mental Tricks That Shed Pounds
Pages in this Story:
- It's Free!
- Better Be Polite
- Don't Waste It!
- It's a Special Occasion
- What a Bargain!
- It's No Fun Without Food
- I Deserve It
I Deserve It
THE LOGIC: With the day I've had, the world owes me a hot fudge sundae."Food provides a very basic, easily obtainable way to nurture and reward yourself, and delaying this gratification isn't easy," says Rick Temple, PhD, a psychologist who treats eating disorders at the University of South Florida Counseling Center in Tampa. The trouble is, we rarely nurture ourselves with broccoli: A classic study found that when an eating bout is triggered by emotions rather than by seeing or smelling food, you're less likely to take nutritional value into consideration.
Change your mind: Acknowledge all of your needs, not just the ones for instant gratification: "Yes, it's true, I deserve a sundae. But do I also deserve fat thighs and high cholesterol?" Next, grab a pencil and paper and list 10 inedible things that make you feel rewarded, or comforted, or indulgent or pampered, and pick one, suggests Gidus. Call your best friend, cuddle with a pet, or seduce your husband -- that's one thing we guarantee will be more satisfying than food.
Originally published in FITNESS magazine, August 2006.
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Right now I am following the Diet Plan for You blog by nutrition specialist Kate Hill. Kate helped me lose weight in a healthy way in few weeks, without starving! If you want to lose weight, just visit Kate's blog at: http://dietplanforyou.blogspot.com
1/31/2012 02:52:02 AM Report AbuseExcellent advice! Very good suggestions on how to change the way you think about different situations.
4/18/2011 12:07:58 PM Report AbuseVery good advice on all 7 categories!! Several of these are major pitfalls for me. Keeping this in mind will help me on day to day, special occasion,vacations, etc. thanks so much!
4/5/2011 09:36:31 PM Report AbuseI accept something I can carry away,then give it away.In a hospital there are plenty of people looking for I snack I sure don't need!
2/21/2011 09:19:05 PM Report AbuseOne thing that I've done that has made a big difference is to incorporate an activity that I enjoy into my weekly workout schedule. I found a local co-ed volleyball league and its one of my favorite parts of the week. I highly recommend that you do this and you'll be more likely to stick with it. Here is the steps that I've been using to continue to lose weight. http://www.mysomeday.com/Niki/someday/Health-Wellness/weigh-what-I-used-to-in-high-school Good luck, Nikki
10/10/2010 11:12:25 PM Report Abuse