Your State of Mind Controls Your Food Cravings

Some people seem to have a problem with constantly putting themselves down, especially when it comes to losing weight. But, according to a new study by the Mind and Body Lab at Stanford University, you can lose weight just by thinking about it. Yes, your beliefs about how much you exercise could influence your long-term weight loss. Identifying healthier alternatives is a great way to manage your cravings, especially for junk food, so make a batch of crispy kale chips to satisfy your hunger for potato chips.

Over time, you brain and taste buds will adjust and learn to like the healthier option even more. In the future, weight loss plans might need to include treatments and therapies that promote self-control over cravings for unhealthy foods. The secret to losing weight is not a new fad diet, it is not a new surgical procedure, it is not a new diet pill, it is not a dietary supplement, it is your state of mind. So, never give up.

• See the Future You - No one is perfect. It is critical that you learn from your mistakes and make them work for you and not against you. The more you have to do it, the better your willpower will be.
• Make a Commitment - A 2012 Study published in the journal Obesity concluded that being surrounded by others with a similar weight loss goals can boost everyone's weight loss efforts.
• Establish the Right Mindset - Low self-esteem can be debilitating for people who struggle with his or her body image. Honing your motivation requires replacing negative thinking with positive thoughts.
• Get More Sleep - Humans have difficulty distinguishing thirst from hunger. Since it is already difficult for you to distinguish true hunger signals, it is important to watch for mindless eating due to stress or boredom.
• Avoid Mindless Eating - Research suggests you should avoid eating late in the day as it can make diets less effective. Nonetheless, if you eat your dinner meal early in the evening, make sure you close your kitchen and make it off limits for late-night snacks.

Participants who reported lower satisfaction with their environment even though they were losing weight, had daily social activities that involved unhealthy eating and had to pass on social eating due their weight loss plan. Since dieting is often associated with a quick fix to drop a few pounds, calling any healthy lifestyle change a "diet" can ultimately cause you to regain the pounds you lost.

With more than forty-five million dieters each year, you would think that Americans would be diet professionals by now. Unfortunately, the majority of all diet plans fail. No doubt that we would all be healthier if we focused our efforts on healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors rather than what we weigh. Fortunately, it only requires that you listen to your body and nourish it with what it needs.