Thoughts That Can Make or Break Your Fat-Loss Efforts
I have often noticed that certain key words pertaining to food and behaviors come up in conversations about weight-loss.
This is called labeling and I believe it plays a key role in the outcome of anything we strive to accomplish.
Think about your favorite foods.
Would they fall into the healthy or sinful category? When you think about them, do you feel a sense of guilt or restriction? Do you fantasize about a life where you are lean, fit and healthy yet feel a sense of dread when you think about having to give up all of the foods you love? I'm here to tell you that you can have it all.
Sounds impossible right? Well, read on! Food is food and it's neither "good" nor "bad".
It's our labeling of food that makes it work for or against us.
Since labeling is a direct reflection of our thoughts about any number of subjects, this is where the effort to change begins.
In order to succeed in changing our eating habits, it's important to understand that food is fuel.
Every carbohydrate, fat and protein molecule is meant to energize us, insulate and deliver vitamins and contribute toward the building of structures in our bodies.
Giving a VERY general description of how food works should help you understand the role it plays in our lives.
Many of us have activities going on throughout the day, so it's important to make sure we have enough fuel (carbohydrates) to sustain whatever may be on our agenda for the few hours or so ahead of us.
We must have unsaturated fats because they protect our organs, transport certain vitamins throughout our systems and can serve a very useful purpose in keeping our hearts healthy.
Protein is responsible for continuing to build and maintain our lean mass and organ structures and much more.
If you are like many of us, the idea of having the body you desire seems out of reach because of the fear you have of giving up your favorite foods altogether.
Fortunately this isn't the case.
No one has to give up anything because food is neither good nor bad.
Food can, however, be "useful or not useful".
Think about it for a moment.
If you know that whatever your heart desires is still within your reach yet only a matter of appropriate timing, would you feel a little more relaxed about the process? Most of us watch television, right? If you have enrolled in a new class or started an evening job, would this mean no more television ever? Of course not! You would save your favorite shows for either the right time or perhaps cut out a few programs that are considered time wasters that serve no purpose.
Now if you had to give up all tv, even if it was to become a better version of yourself, would it be safe to say that you might be a bit turned off? This is because it's an extreme change of behavior.
But what if it were modified? Instead of NO MORE TELEVISION it becomes "I can't wait to get caught up on Dexter later on as soon as I am finished studying when I can TOTALLY RELAX!" You get the privilege of staying tuned into what you really love while possibly eliminating the fluff you really don't need.
Now transfer this thought to food.
If you are on a mission to sculpt and create the physique your heart LONGS for, would a cheeseburger be useful in helping you attain this vision? Probably not.
If you are focused and determined, you will understand that there will be more than enough cheeseburgers available in the world to satisfy your cravings at the right time and for the right reasons.
If the urge is strong enough, you may even find a palatable substitute to replace this particular craving and instead maybe even learn to make a "more useful" version of it.
Look, I LOVE pizza and if someone told me I could never have it again, I'm pretty sure I'd look for any reason at all to rebel because we often want more of what we can't have.
Pizza is allowed in my house on occasion in realistic portions.
I have even created a healthier substitute with added veggies and seasonings of my choice.
I never feel deprived because everything has its time and use.
Pizza is allowed in my life, yet when I was on a fat-loss mission, this particular type of fuel wasn't in alignment with what I was creating.
It was about timing.
I worked hard, ate useful foods and knew that pizza would always play a role in my life.
I was, however, going to attain a lifestyle where pizza was a welcome addition at times, yet not something that I "couldn't" have or was bad.
It's called MODERATION and it really is the key to successful eating habits! Now picture this...
You've been working-out, being mindful of your choices and feeling connected to the progress and changes you are making in your quest to be fit.
You notice there's more room in your clothing.
You feel your muscles developing.
You have more energy, a higher self-esteem and feel just feel pretty damn good! You're focused on your vision of how you see your ideal self.
Now, would a banana split be useful or not useful in everything else you're doing to create this new reality? The banana split isn't bad.
It's ice cream, bananas and a bunch of other sugar-filled, fatty, artery-clogging syrups and stuff...
but it isn't BAD.
It just IS.
But is it useful? Will this complement the harmony that exists in everything else you are doing to create your dream body? The world has no shortage of ice cream and bananas, so rather than thinking of "being bad", just think "with all the effort I'm putting forth implementing these good habits, this type of fuel isn't useful for what I'm trying to create.
I know I can always have one later on sometime if I really want it and perhaps then is when I'll enjoy it guilt-free!" This brings me to another thought process that can calm cravings and keep you grounded.
It's the philosophy of "not now, maybe later".
If you can convince yourself that you can have whatever you want, just not right now, you aren't depriving yourself of anything.
You are simply delaying the gratification.
The cool thing is there's a fair chance that your cravings may calm down by then.
Whether you are full later on or have allowed yourself enough time to become distracted from the overwhelming desire for the not useful food item, "not now maybe later" doesn't restrict.
It suggests compromise and time to think.
Just the act of not succumbing to a craving immediately displays self-control and empowerment.
Do this often enough and you develop self-trust along with an understanding that all cravings can be quelled with the right strategy.
Keep in mind that food is food.
It is our attachment and labeling that makes it good or bad.
In reality though food it's either useful or not useful and it's meant to be enjoyed.
Everyone deserves a treat, right? So just know that the food you crave will always be around yet you'll enjoy it even more when it's the right time for the right reasons.
No restrictions, no guilt.
Just a lean body and good sense habits! Change your thoughts and watch your body follow along.
It really does work this way!
This is called labeling and I believe it plays a key role in the outcome of anything we strive to accomplish.
Think about your favorite foods.
Would they fall into the healthy or sinful category? When you think about them, do you feel a sense of guilt or restriction? Do you fantasize about a life where you are lean, fit and healthy yet feel a sense of dread when you think about having to give up all of the foods you love? I'm here to tell you that you can have it all.
Sounds impossible right? Well, read on! Food is food and it's neither "good" nor "bad".
It's our labeling of food that makes it work for or against us.
Since labeling is a direct reflection of our thoughts about any number of subjects, this is where the effort to change begins.
In order to succeed in changing our eating habits, it's important to understand that food is fuel.
Every carbohydrate, fat and protein molecule is meant to energize us, insulate and deliver vitamins and contribute toward the building of structures in our bodies.
Giving a VERY general description of how food works should help you understand the role it plays in our lives.
Many of us have activities going on throughout the day, so it's important to make sure we have enough fuel (carbohydrates) to sustain whatever may be on our agenda for the few hours or so ahead of us.
We must have unsaturated fats because they protect our organs, transport certain vitamins throughout our systems and can serve a very useful purpose in keeping our hearts healthy.
Protein is responsible for continuing to build and maintain our lean mass and organ structures and much more.
If you are like many of us, the idea of having the body you desire seems out of reach because of the fear you have of giving up your favorite foods altogether.
Fortunately this isn't the case.
No one has to give up anything because food is neither good nor bad.
Food can, however, be "useful or not useful".
Think about it for a moment.
If you know that whatever your heart desires is still within your reach yet only a matter of appropriate timing, would you feel a little more relaxed about the process? Most of us watch television, right? If you have enrolled in a new class or started an evening job, would this mean no more television ever? Of course not! You would save your favorite shows for either the right time or perhaps cut out a few programs that are considered time wasters that serve no purpose.
Now if you had to give up all tv, even if it was to become a better version of yourself, would it be safe to say that you might be a bit turned off? This is because it's an extreme change of behavior.
But what if it were modified? Instead of NO MORE TELEVISION it becomes "I can't wait to get caught up on Dexter later on as soon as I am finished studying when I can TOTALLY RELAX!" You get the privilege of staying tuned into what you really love while possibly eliminating the fluff you really don't need.
Now transfer this thought to food.
If you are on a mission to sculpt and create the physique your heart LONGS for, would a cheeseburger be useful in helping you attain this vision? Probably not.
If you are focused and determined, you will understand that there will be more than enough cheeseburgers available in the world to satisfy your cravings at the right time and for the right reasons.
If the urge is strong enough, you may even find a palatable substitute to replace this particular craving and instead maybe even learn to make a "more useful" version of it.
Look, I LOVE pizza and if someone told me I could never have it again, I'm pretty sure I'd look for any reason at all to rebel because we often want more of what we can't have.
Pizza is allowed in my house on occasion in realistic portions.
I have even created a healthier substitute with added veggies and seasonings of my choice.
I never feel deprived because everything has its time and use.
Pizza is allowed in my life, yet when I was on a fat-loss mission, this particular type of fuel wasn't in alignment with what I was creating.
It was about timing.
I worked hard, ate useful foods and knew that pizza would always play a role in my life.
I was, however, going to attain a lifestyle where pizza was a welcome addition at times, yet not something that I "couldn't" have or was bad.
It's called MODERATION and it really is the key to successful eating habits! Now picture this...
You've been working-out, being mindful of your choices and feeling connected to the progress and changes you are making in your quest to be fit.
You notice there's more room in your clothing.
You feel your muscles developing.
You have more energy, a higher self-esteem and feel just feel pretty damn good! You're focused on your vision of how you see your ideal self.
Now, would a banana split be useful or not useful in everything else you're doing to create this new reality? The banana split isn't bad.
It's ice cream, bananas and a bunch of other sugar-filled, fatty, artery-clogging syrups and stuff...
but it isn't BAD.
It just IS.
But is it useful? Will this complement the harmony that exists in everything else you are doing to create your dream body? The world has no shortage of ice cream and bananas, so rather than thinking of "being bad", just think "with all the effort I'm putting forth implementing these good habits, this type of fuel isn't useful for what I'm trying to create.
I know I can always have one later on sometime if I really want it and perhaps then is when I'll enjoy it guilt-free!" This brings me to another thought process that can calm cravings and keep you grounded.
It's the philosophy of "not now, maybe later".
If you can convince yourself that you can have whatever you want, just not right now, you aren't depriving yourself of anything.
You are simply delaying the gratification.
The cool thing is there's a fair chance that your cravings may calm down by then.
Whether you are full later on or have allowed yourself enough time to become distracted from the overwhelming desire for the not useful food item, "not now maybe later" doesn't restrict.
It suggests compromise and time to think.
Just the act of not succumbing to a craving immediately displays self-control and empowerment.
Do this often enough and you develop self-trust along with an understanding that all cravings can be quelled with the right strategy.
Keep in mind that food is food.
It is our attachment and labeling that makes it good or bad.
In reality though food it's either useful or not useful and it's meant to be enjoyed.
Everyone deserves a treat, right? So just know that the food you crave will always be around yet you'll enjoy it even more when it's the right time for the right reasons.
No restrictions, no guilt.
Just a lean body and good sense habits! Change your thoughts and watch your body follow along.
It really does work this way!
Source...