Weight Loss Success - Understanding Your Eating Habits

f you have a hard time adhering to a weight loss program, or find that you 'blow it' two or three days out of the week, then you will want to read this article. Specifically we will focus on how to identify and understand what drives you to 'blow it', and three suggestions to help establish healthy eating habits.

Identify

To aid in identification of problem areas start a journal. This journal is not your typical look-at-what-you-eat list, but rather a way to aid you on your journey towards successful weight loss.

The journal will be used for two weeks. Two weeks is not an excessive amount of time to spend on something that will aid you for a lifetime. Follow these steps to get your journal started:

1. Get a cheap notebook to use; avoid writing on loose papers that can be misplaced.
2. Start a new page for each day.
3. Create two columns on each page
4. Food: Write down everything you eat on that day
5. How I felt today: Was this a good day or a bad day? Write down if you were happy and energetic, depressed, sad, or angry. And why. (Argument with significant other or boss, got flowers, good review at work, or just plain 'I don't know').

Write in your journal daily for two weeks. Be honest; nobody is going to see this but you and it can be thrown away or burned when you are finished with it.

Understanding

After you have completed the two-week 'ordeal' it is time to examine your journal and find a pattern to your eating habits.

First, highlight the days that you over-ate, or ate the wrong foods. Now, highlight the corresponding 'how I felt today' entry.

I would be willing to bet there is a connection between over-eating, or eating the wrong foods, and you having a less than optimum day. You can drill farther and see if any particular set of events causes you to feel out-of-sorts.

You are now armed with extremely important information that is in black and white, written by your own hand.

Suggestions

• 'Blowing it' is actually a dieters dream! This gives you the perfect opportunity to feel miserable and think 'Well, I blew it at lunch, so I might as well gorge myself tonight too- and include a huge desert'. STOP that thinking!

Every dieter will occasionally over-eat, or eat the wrong foods. It is not the end of the world, it is normal and in no way makes you worthless or unworthy. Instead of choosing to feel that you need self-castigation, focus on the accomplishments that you have made.

Have you lost 5lbs or 10lbs since you started your weight loss program, or perhaps you had to buy new pants in a smaller size? Congratulate yourself! You are doing a fantastic job. You over-ate at lunch, but you can easily get back on track at dinner. No big deal.

• Plan for the times that you know will encourage you to over-eat, or eat the wrong foods. For instance, if you go to lunch with your friends once a week, and can't get past ordering that cheesecake, then plan for it. Have it in your mind that once a week you will have a guiltless lunch. Planning for it will eliminate the misery of 'I blew it'
• As soon as you start to feel sad, depressed or angry, pause and take a breath. Think about why you are feeling this way. (Haven't you found that after this 'dark' period goes away that the situation really wasn't all that bad, or that it was even humorous?) Put your mind in the future and try to decide if it will be funny tomorrow, or just plain inconsequential. The act of focusing your attention on a different subject will often have the effect of removing the impending bad mood.
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You can probably think of several other ways to avoid having a 'bad day'. Putting these suggestions into place will eliminate many of your bad days, and you will find that your life is much happier. This in turn will create a desire to devise other methods of eliminating even more of the ugly days!

Being a happy, calm person will make achieving successful weight loss so much easier for you. You are now armed with the knowledge of why you 'blow-it' and you have some suggestions on how to fix it. Remember, knowledge is power.

You have my blessings, support and best wishes on your journey to a new you!

Kathy Bryant hosts a weight loss site that also has focus on ways to make the dieter feel upbeat and proud of their accomplishments and ways to enjoy eating healthy. Weight loss products are reviewed honestly and good products are promoted. To find out more, visit [http://www.fastweightlossbyk.com]