How to master weight control

We don’t usually associate weight loss with mastery. Most of us think like this: I want to lose weight, so I’ll go on a diet. That’s it, we check out the latest diet fad and try and stick to it. Most of us know what happens next: we try— we fail— and we try again. For many it becomes a vicious circle…



…most never master the art of lasting weight control…here’s why:



Human beings in general tend to be motivated by the quick fix. We are not into delaying gratification. We want it now. Not tomorrow, or next week, but now. We’re too busy, too stressed and life’s just too short. That seems to be how it is for many, but there is a better way…



…the path to mastery (of anything) is not always easy. It takes commitment, patience, and it takes desire. But when we’re able to do this our life starts to change—for the better— and with it, our self-esteem too.



So how do we master the habit of weight control? First we have to find out what works and what doesn’t: For example, science tells us that the number 1 reason we gain weight is because we consume more calories than we need. We also know that the best form of exercise for burning fat is high intensity exercise.



To master control of our weight we need a plan that we can follow for the rest our lives—not some fad diet that we get bored with. When it comes to exercise, we have to be realistic about the routine we follow. We can’t expect to “suddenly” work out every day for 2 hours, 7 days a week. Or can we expect to “suddenly” live on 600 calories a day. It’s a lifestyle change we need.



So to summarise: Get the facts about what really works. Forget fad diets. Choose a way of eating that you can follow for the rest of your life. Find a mentor, or coach who can show you the way, then practice, practice, practice…that’s how you become good at anything, and that includes controlling your weight.



Until next time.

Marcus.

7 Psychological Weight Loss Tricks

I usually know when people are trying to lose a few extra pounds for the summer. I know, because my book ‘Weight Loss the Forgotten Secret’ starts to sell like hot cakes again.

It’s understandable, just the thought of exposing over 90 % of my body to the world is a scary thought. So, what can we do to make ourselves look, and feel, sexier over the coming months?

Here’s what I recommend you do:

1. Start today! Don’t wait until tomorrow. There is no worse way to sabotage your goal than putting off starting your diet. It makes no sense! The sooner you start, the sooner you begin to see results.

2. Realise this: you never blow your diet. NEVER! If you succumb to the odd piece of cake, or chocolate, SO WHAT! If you think that you won’t EVER drift off your diet, and munch on a piece of pizza—or two, you’re wrong. You may hope you don’t have off days with your diet, but the reality is, you more than likely will. The secret is being able to get back on track again, and of course, avoid beating yourself up in the process.

3. Buy smaller plates. Yeah, I guess you know that already. But have you done it? If not— why not? … it works!

4. Get addicted to walking. It’s the best way to lose weight—period! Start off with 20 minutes a day, and then build up.

5. Make sure you get plenty of sleep. Research has shown that people who sleep for 5 hours or less tend to eat more. This is because when you sleep for 5 hours or less your body produces a hormone that increases your appetite. The good news is, you have another hormone that reduces your appetite when you sleep 8 hours or more.

6. Watch your stress levels. When we become stressed, most of us tend to overeat. It’s our way of coping. Take up yoga, or listen to some relaxation CDs. Do whatever you can to control your daily stress levels.

7. Eat slowly, ve-e-ry slowly! Recent research suggests that when we slow our eating speed down, we can reduce our weight by as much as 2 to 3 pounds a month!

That’s it. Now think about how you can use these tips to take control of your weight, starting today, of course.

Until next time

Marcus.

For more information visit my website's page dedicated to weight loss with hypnosis.

How to Make Your New Year’s Resolution Stick!

Imagine … its late January and you’re trying to lose weight. You’re sick of eating salad in sub-zero conditions, you’re dying for a cigarette and you’re still thinking about starting that new business.

You think to hell with it! You eat some chocolate, have a few glasses of wine and a cigarette, because it goes with the wine, and try to convince yourself that your job is not so bad … what’s happening? Nothing—and that’s the problem, you are going back to your old patterns of behaviour again.

But it’s not your fault, because you are almost hardwired to keep on doing what you have been doing—that’s the way our brain works. It’s not easy trying to change old habits and behaviours and when your conscious mind is in conflict with your unconscious mind your unconscious usually wins.

The biggest mistake most people make when trying to make New Year’s Resolutions is trying to do too much at once. They want to stop smoking, lose weight, change their career and stop biting their nails all at the same time! Impossible … it’s not going to happen.

The trick is to focus on one thing at a time—and is the magic word. Think of it like this: over the years you have programmed your mind to do what you currently do, whether it’s smoking, eating too much (or whatever). You made a great job of making it stick and now it’s your job to de-programme, or de-hypnotise, yourself. You have to work on changing your beliefs about what it is you do that you don’t like.

Easy really … well not easy, but certainly do-able. It all depends on how much you want to make those changes.

The first thing you need to do is plan what you want to achieve. Think about what you need to do in order to achieve your goal—notice I said goal and not goals. Remember, you want to focus on just one thing at a time. If you want to lose 20 pounds of fat you may need to think about planning your eating schedule and how much time you are going to commit to exercise.

You also need to start visualising your actions—imagine going through all the necessary steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal. Start to believe you can do it. How? The most powerful tool you have is to act against your existing belief (the one you hold now), in other words act as if you can. You need to convince yourself that you do believe that you can do it, and you do this by self-affirmation. You might have to do this 40 or even 50 times each day.

Sound like a lot of work? Well, people who succeed at making changes do just this, even if they are not consciously aware of it. So, decide what you want to achieve, plan it, get into the habit of acting against your old belief, and affirm to yourself that you can do it.

Think back to a time when you achieved something that was important to you, something you are proud of—this will help you. Remember these points…

1. Act against your current beliefs about what it is you want to change…

2. Affirm to yourself that you can do it…

3. Imagine a past challenge that you overcame. One that you are proud of…

Now commit to your chosen goal, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Happy New Year!

Marcus