Ah, the American Dream – to be skinny. Who doesn’t want to live the life of a thin person? Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about whether your clothes make you look fat or be self-conscious when you’re out and about in public?
Mental Adjustments
Many people who want to be thin try to approach the matter by making changes to their outside. They eat right and exercise in an attempt to lose weight. If they’re doing all the right things then, why is it that the weight doesn’t usually stay off?
It’s because they’re approaching it all wrong. Weight loss has to start from the inside out, not the other way around.
The first thing you have to do is look at the way you view your weight. Does being overweight serve some purpose for you? For instance, if you’re uncomfortable with sexual advances, you may be subconsciously staying overweight in an attempt to lessen these uncomfortable events. Or, maybe you feel that carrying extra weight gives you an “excuse” for not trying and risking failure in a certain area.
If you’re an emotional eater, you need to figure out what feelings you’re attempting to block. Do you feel anxious or stressed? Are you led to the kitchen when you’re bored or nervous?
Once you figure out what drives you to eat, you need to find alternative (non-food) ways to help you deal with those emotions. Repeat this: Food will never solve non-food issues. It just can’t.
Behavioral Adjustments
Once you figure out what purpose overeating serves for you, you can start to make intelligent choices that will lead you toward the skinny lifestyle you want to lead. The food will have less control over you which will allow you to make changes more easily and more quickly.
Aim to eat a diet high in lean protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Limit your exposure to deep fried foods, processed sweet and salty snacks and calorie thick gravies and condiments.
Finally, make sure you increase your activity level. Get your body moving aerobically and start to lift some weights. The more in shape you are, the better your body is at keeping you slim and trim naturally, and effortlessly.
Being skinny doesn’t have to be an elusive dream. It is a very achievable goal if you take the time to figure out what has stopped you from achieving it in the past and create a plan on how to give your body the nutrition and exercise it needs.
Now, go out there and find your thin self. It’s waiting!
