Daily Weight Fluctuations Have Little Influence for the Long Term

In recent years, obesity has risen to epidemic levels and accounts for a significant increase in rates of cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, and diabetes. If you have a body mass index equal to or greater than 30, you are considered to be obese. In order to break old habits, you need to see yourself in a positive light.

If you want to lose weight, then picture yourself thin. By seeing yourself in a positive light, visualizing the future you will provide the motivation you need to succeed. Relying on willpower to overcome cravings doesn't always work. If it did, dieting would be easy and we would all look our best. However, it might be easier than you think if you follow a few tips from the experts on how to stay on track.

• Develop Mental Toughness - There are so many diets and exercise programs available for today's dieter but none of them will work for you if you are not mentally ready to change your life.
• Stay in the Moment - Choosing fibrous treats like carrots or celery over sugary treats will keep your stomach feeling fuller much longer. Not only do these natural snacks have fewer calories, they can keep the hunger pangs at bay.
• Avoid Mindless Eating - Losing weight should never mean that you have to starve yourself. When you think about what you're eating, picture what that food can do for your body and how the nutrients will help how you feel.
• Ditch Fad Dieting - When you exercise willpower, it is applying a key source of inner strength to allow you to proceed through life's challenges, such as your health and fitness goals.
• Be Kind to Yourself - Although seeing the numbers drop on your bathroom scale is important, daily weight fluctuations have little to do with actually achieving your long-term weight loss goals. Instead, pay attention to how much better you feel.

When you eat the wrong foods, you gain weight and your body now requires more fuel to burn, so you eat more. Since insulin only burns carbohydrates, your body starts to crave carbs. In turn, this launches a vicious cycle that must be broken in order for you to lose more weight. To promote positive mental well-being for obese and overweight individuals, group sessions are fine but most often do not have the one-on-one contact of a personalized plan.

In a recent study on obesity, the use of food as a coping mechanism existed in half of the participants living and was an obvious source of emotional distress over his or her food choices. Rally the support of friends and family is critical to holding yourself accountable. If they are eating junk food and not exercising, you can start a "walk night" where you explore town on foot window-shopping before deciding on a healthy meal, so living and eating healthier doesn't feel like a chore.