Quick Weight Loss Fixes Usually Do Not Stick

Doctors warn that how you see yourself predicts your actions. If you see yourself as overweight, adverse to exercise and generally unworthy, you naturally will act accordingly. Fortunately, your mind is a flexible tool that allows you to choose a more effective path. Successful weight loss is all about how you feel. Feeling healthy, alert, energetic, confident and proud comes from getting your mind right, which is a proven key to long-term weight loss success.

Although experts still argue the risks of yo-yo dieting, a recent study reported that repeatedly going through the starvation cycles required for dieting can cause your body to gain even more weight. All that you truly need to live a healthy, happier life is good nutrition, adequate amounts of rest, love, and fulfillment. Sounds simple but your priority has to be to release the unhealthy patterns and adopt new eating behaviors that are free of food addictions.

• See the Future You - Visual feedback is important as it can keep you from eating too much, so measure your food servings and pour snacks into a small bowl or napkin to avoid eating more than you planned.
• Establish a Routine - Quick fixes do not stick, so it is important to make a commitment to a long-term strategy for losing weight. Successful commitment comes from a solid strategy to focus your mental and physical energy.
• Manage Your Mind - Weight loss shouldn't be the focus. It is the journey you go on to learn how to reboot your mindset, create your strategies, and achieve your weight loss goals.
• Trick Your Stomach to Feel Full - Avoid eating at the computer or in front of the television. Tune out the multitasking and enjoy the eating experience instead.
• Just Say No to Bad Foods - Mindful eating focuses on tuning into your bodily cues that it is time to eat, or not, as well as choosing tastes and textures that satisfy your hunger for food.

Everyone has something that is more important to them, so figure out what's going to drive your motivation rather than waking up every morning and winging it. Spend a little time worrying about what comes next. 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.

Distress over obesity is heightened when people perceive themselves to have poorer health because of obesity-related conditions such as chronic pain, osteoarthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Hedonic hunger is a dimension of appetite and food intake that includes frequent thoughts, feelings, and urges about consuming palatable foods in the absence of prolonged food deprivation. Those who struggle with these emotions often report feelings of guilt or shame.