Do you just wish you could lose 20 lbs; or, do you really believe you can lose 20 lbs.? A positive, can-do attitude can mean the difference between success and failure. That not only holds true for life and careers but for weight-loss goals as well. Weight loss starts in the mind because before you can see change, you have to believe it can happen. Your belief drives your action and your actions accomplish your goals. Achieving what you set out to do is a mind game – and it’s one you can win!
Stomp out your inner critic
If you hear yourself saying: “I can’t do this,” well, then guess what… you won’t be able to. Right now, you may see the path to weight loss as a bumpy road that you’d rather not travel or as a task that you’re afraid of failing. Our feelings determine the actions we take and if you’re dreading exercise or fear failure, then your body is going to respond accordingly. You’ll avoid exercise and either fall off your diet or, worse yet, never get started.
If you want a better result, then you need to turn negative chatter into positive thoughts. Don’t worry about past experiences. You’re starting with a clean slate. Stop saying can’t and start changing your negative internal dialogue into positive affirmations now. Stop all your judgmental self-talk and start believing in yourself.
Here are a few tips to positive thinking:
- See yourself as having already achieved the goal
- Expect the results you want
- Remind yourself of past successes
- Surround yourself with positive people
- Keep trying until you achieve the results that you know you can achieve
- Stop negative thoughts in their tracks
As you begin to adopt a positive-thinking pattern, you’ll start to witness negative thoughts creeps into your mind. Become aware of your internal dialogue: “I could never do that” or “What if I fail.” Awareness allows you to stop and change the way you’re thinking before it affects your decisions. Learn to immediately turn negative thoughts into more useful positive ones.
Believe you can, and you can. Belief is one of the most powerful of problem dissolvers. When you believe that a difficulty can be overcome, you are more than halfway to victory over it already.
– Norman Vincent Peale
It’s subconscious. Your attitude affects everything you do and the choices you make. You’ll be surprised at the positive results a “can-do” attitude will have. Negative thoughts, on the other hand, keep us from achieving the change we’re looking for.
With a “can-do” attitude, you won’t find yourself unconsciously grabbing for a stack of cookies. Instead, you’ll find yourself sitting down to a satisfying salad. Yes, I said “satisfying” because, when you eat right, your body feels better, more satisfied, because it’s getting the nutrients it needs.
Be proud of yourself
Start by believing in yourself. Be self assured and confident. Love yourself for who you are right now and then give yourself kudos for making positive changes to improve your health. See yourself as capable, happy and confident. Acknowledge that you are on your way to achieving the results you know you can get!
Begin by believing in yourself. Look forward to the results and know that you can do it.
Use visualization to catalyze change
One of the most powerful techniques you can use to achieve your weight loss, health and fitness goals is visualization. In your mind, see yourself more energetic, feeling healthier, wearing clothing you love, being happy and confident, enjoying the feeling you get after working out, and having fun with new healthy food recipes. Remember, before you can see the change, you have to believe it can happen! Visualization can help reinforce the belief and get you there faster.
Watch what you think
Our minds attract to us the things we think about most. Don’t you find that if you worry about something long enough it happens? Conversely, if you picture something positive and set your mind to that frequency, that good thing will also happen. So which mindset would you rather have? Would you rather be telling yourself “I can’t do it” or “I can do it”? Only one of these thoughts brings you what you want – the other will attract what you don’t want.
Examine your outlook on exercise
When it comes to exercise, are your thoughts negative or positive? Do you think: “Exercise is boring” or do you say to yourself: “I feel better and less stressed when I exercise.” Latch on to positive affirmations like: “I can feel myself becoming healthier and more energetic” or “It feels so good to move my muscles” – if you do, you’ll be moving closer to better health and a trimmer body.
Refuse to get discouraged
If you slip and put on a few pounds over vacation or around the holidays, don’t start feeling guilty, frustrated or beat yourself up. If you do, you’ll be brewing a recipe for failure. Instead, tell yourself you needed a little bit of a break from low-fat eating, but look forward to eating healthier right away and start actively exercising again. Stay on a positive track. Take it one day at a time and you’ll lose the weight and get back to where you want to be.
Your ability to reach your goal is entirely within your power. Approach weight loss and fitness with a positive attitude and believe in yourself because you can do it!