How to Think to Master Weight Loss

It may surprise you to learn that how you think when it comes to permanent weight loss is as important as what and how much you eat. To master weight loss you have to master your mind first.

How can this be? Isn’t it about the calories, cortisol and carbs?

It’s true, physiologically…these things are all part of the cascade of causes for weight gain, but if your thinking is in-line, all of these key contributors will naturally come into balance with a solid foundation of real food, water, good sleep and a life in balance.

Your thoughts have more influence on your behavior than the food itself.

Your mind is what drives you to make the choices you make.

Your mind says you need this or that…or that you need more. It whispers in your ear that one serving isn’t enough – a little won’t matter.

Your mind disconnects you from your body’s natural signals. That lower part of your brain wants you to stay the same – safe, familiar, easy.

This protective part of you doesn’t want you to change what it’s used to you being.

Your mind creates thoughts of stress, despair, busyness and overwhelm which leads you to make lifestyle and food choices that don’t support connection and hormonal balance.

Your mind directs you unconsciously to have some sugar, bread, the bun AND fries, cheese, chips, chocolate or another glass of wine because it wants to answer the ‘gnawing call’ of very compelling ‘motivation and pleasure signals’ (via your neurotransmitters)…

…and/or as a means to temporarily distract you from discomfort based upon the thoughts you’re thinking about the situations in that moment or in your life overall.

Food is just the “weapon”, but your mind – your thinking – or lack there of – pulls the trigger.

This is GREAT news!

Huh?! How can this be “great news”? I’m out of control! I can’t’ lose weight! I’m getting bigger and bigger and I feel hopeless.

Those are precisely the thoughts I’m talking about that YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE. Right now!

Let’s pick one:

Let’s say you carry the thought: “I can’t lose weight.”

How does that thinking make you feel?

Desperate? Frustrated? Hopeless?

Let’s go with desperate.

When you feel desperate, how does that make you act?

A bit frenzied? Like you need to find a new diet….you need more structure…a meal plan…if you’re like most people, you’re basically driven to extremely reduce calories and increase exercise to create a caloric deficit that will hopefully get the weight off. (in other words another unsustainable, restrictive yo-yo diet)

Let’s say you manage to lose a few pounds.

Like the valve on my Instant Pot, you’re forcing yourself to keep it together….You’re ready to blow at any moment….you can only hold down this level of pressure (restriction) for so long. You need to release. Maybe slowly and subtly with little slips here and there, maybe a bit more on the weekends…maybe a full on “eff it” bender in a month.

Your Result?: Any weight you managed to lose, comes back – plus some. And so does the affirming thought of: “I can’t lose weight.”

Your brain has to meet you at your level of thought. It has to prove that you’re right and it ALWAYS will.

SO… back to the GREAT NEWS!

All you have to do to START to break from this pattern:

Think thoughts that bring you the results you want.

Instead of “I can’t lose weight.” which will most definitely deliver that result to you (if that’s what you choose to believe), what if your consistent thought was, “I’m in the process of losing weight. I know it’s possible.”…

Or my personal favorite thought: “It’s happening!”

This simple, believable thought makes me feel giddy, excited and connected to my goals…whether it’s business, my relationships, weight loss whilst drinking wine…whatever!

These feelings make me act in accordance with the thought being true. So I do the work. For my business goals, I write every week. I create content and programs. I put myself out there as an entrepreneur and practitioner – I get on video, podcasts, do public speaking – even though I feel uncomfortable. For my relationship goals, I connect with the people in my life that matter (even though I’m an introvert and part of me just wants to watch RHONY or GOT).

Food goal wise: I don’t snack – even though I have urges to. I moderate my wine – even though in the moment I may want more. I live, eat and drink to support my goals because THEY’RE HAPPENING!!!!

My actions are in alignment with the thoughts I have.

And here’s the best, most magical part…The results really do HAPPEN!

My 51 years young, post menopausal, recovering fast eater, wine imbibing, Hashimoto’s challenged metabolism has lost 13 pounds this year! I’m down a full size +. With NO dieting – ZERO. I have moderate amounts of wine every weekend. I don’t even work out anymore. I just walk everyday. I prioritize my sleep. I support my adrenals. My stress is way better managed.

Am I perfect? God, no. 🤪

But I’m consistent. I’m aligned. I catch the doubtful thoughts as they stealthily creep in. Those thoughts that don’t serve me are never true, no matter how real they seem, because, remember, I’m responsible for every thought I choose – no matter what’s happening in my life.

You are too…You can choose more aligned thoughts right now. Do it! Borrow mine if you want:

“It’s HAPPENING!”