Think Slim, Issue #033 - How To Change Your Eating Habits

April 11th, 2007

Look great, feel great

Hi

We have seen some spring sun in Scotland this week and soon it will be summer and time to reveal the dreaded wobbly bits to the world. Are you ready?

Just think, in a few weeks time you can be the same shape as you are now or you can be well on your way to being the shape you want to be

Which one will you choose?

Hope you're having a great April (and not eating too many chocolate eggs)

Love

P.S. There are quite a few postings on the Think Slim blog this month. See them all at http://smallchange.typepad.com/thinkslim.

Contents

Feature article : How to Change Your Eating Habits

Stage 1. Discovery

If you don't know what habits you have you can't do anything about them. Start becoming aware of the habits which are not helping you. Look at what, how, where and how much you eat and drink. What is contributing to your weight problem?

Stage 2. Reasons

Every habit serves a need even if it's just the comfort of doing something familiar. After all, if your bad habits were serving no purpose at all you wouldn't keep on doing them.

Think about what each of your eating habits are doing for you. Maybe they are a means of rewarding yourself for a task well done or a bad day. Maybe they are a way of beating boredom or loneliness. Maybe they are a way of avoiding having to shop or cook. Identify whatever it is you are getting out of your habits.

Stage 3. Ideas

Having identified what you get out of each habit, think about what you could do to get the same effects.

What needs are your habits helping to meet? How could you make sure that your needs are met without resorting to food? What other ways are there to reward yourself, beat boredom etc? Think of what has worked for you before and also be a bit creative in thinking of new strategies.

Stage 4. Choose to Change

Become clear in your own mind why you want to change and why you mean to succeed this time no matter what.

Make yourself aware of where NOT changing will lead and what you will achieve if you do make those changes. Visualise how life will be with your new habits. See yourself as clearly as you can. Enjoy the picture. Don't start until you are determined to succeed.

Stage 5. Practice

Every time the urge to follow an old bad habit strikes do your best to follow your new strategy. Don't just act on impulse. Stop and think about what you are doing.

After the event review what happened. Do you need to adjust your strategy slightly? Renew your determination? Think of a new strategy?

Every time you succeed, give yourself a pat on the back to reinforce the idea that you can do this. Every time you have a setback, shrug it off and adapt your strategy slightly.

The more you try, the more effort you put in the quicker you'll see results - but you do have to pay attention to what you're doing. It takes about 3 weeks of consistent practice to make a habit. Then things get a bit easier although even then it's good to keep a high level of awareness as it's all too easy (and takes just the same amount of time) to slide back into your old patterns if you don't take care!

Copyright 2007, Janice Elizabeth Small

This month's tip : Waste Your Food

I know, I know. We all had it drummed into us as kids that we shouldn't waste good food.

But the only good food is the food that you actually need to eat.

If you are already satisfied by the amount of food you have eaten (not stuffed full, just satisfied) then what is left over is bad - very bad for you and your waistline (and hips and thighs and cholesterol and heart and ...need I go on)

And leftovers on someone else's plate - they definitely do not need to be eaten. The kids cold fries will be much better off in the trash. Better still serve them less in the first place so that they get into the habit of asking for more only if they really want it. A much better lesson than you were ever taught...

Recommendation : FREE Ebook - The Top Ten Best In Fitness

Take a quick look at what Global Health and Fitness site has to offer and get this free ebook "The Top 10 Best in Fitness" full of tips and advice from fitness and weight loss experts.

Actually if you want a fitness program, Golbal Health and Fitness is a good place to go for a personlized program with the ability to get 1-2-1 advice from the many experts there. I used their service when I was initially working on my own fitness and their program is first rate.

To get the free book anyway, click here

Recommendation : Do Something Different!

Are you on a dieting treadmill, trying out one diet after another and finding they don't live up to their promises? 

If you're truly interested in losing weight this year (and want to try a new approach) take a look at my coaching program at http://www.weightlosshandbook.com

You receive my 8-week coaching program "The Weight Loss Handbook" which is the same program I use with all my 1-2-1 coaching clients. It takes you through a simple system to establish the 24 key habits which set you up for a life of being slim without struggle.

Also, why not get a complimentary copy of my 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know"? You get it as a gift when you subscribe to my free newsletter at http://www.SimplySlimming.com

Wishing you a fantastic April, looking and feeling great

Janice Elizabeth Small

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions for future issues, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this ezine.

P.P.S.Know anyone else who might enjoy it? Please pass it on. If you received this from a friend you can sign up for your own copy at....

www.weight-loss-motivation-program.com

copyright © 2007, J. Small. All Rights reserved.

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