4 Feel-Good Mantras To Help You Lose Weight

Do you hate trying to lose weight? Do you ever feel overwhelmed or depressed that it’s always going to be a struggle?

It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, the more deprived you feel, the LESS likely you are to stick to the plan. Losing weight needs to be transformed from a miserable experience to a positive one, in order to have lasting effects.

Here are four feel-good mantras that will change your weight-loss journey for the better:

1. I’m allowed to eat food that I love.

Somewhere along the line, we’ve equated a healthy lifestyle with not indulging in foods you love. But that’s not true — in fact restricting foods makes you crave them even more.

When you have something you really like, take the time to enjoy it. Savor every mouthful. 

The trick is to find a way to enjoy them, without overindulging. Most people feel a sense of guilt when they are enjoying food that they think is forbidden. But no food should be forbidden. Being “allowed” to eat it removes some of the appeal.

When you have something you really like, take the time to really enjoy it. Savor every mouthful. Make consuming it a pleasure, an occasion, a deliberate joyful act.

2. I can make small changes.

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to lose weight. Instead of trying to enforce a diet on your specific situation, take a completely different approach.

Keep your current way of doing things, and just make small changes. For instance, instead of starving yourself, just take five percent off your usual servings. If that goes okay, take another five percent off.

But be warned, for this to work, you have to be consistent. Instead of doing for just a few days, you need to stick with it. Small changes each day lead to big results over time.

3. Perfection in eating is over-rated

So you ate more than you intended. It’s okay. You can’t be expected to be perfect all of the time. Realize there will be setbacks along the way. Don’t be surprised when you over-eat. Don’t view it as failure either. Look at it as a situation you need to make better plans for.

4. I will keep going no matter what.

Most people are so used to dieting failure that it becomes inevitable. But if you keep making small changes, don’t over-react to mistakes, refine your approach along the way AND never give up, then it’s hard to see how you can fail.

You just have to keep going no matter what.

This seems easy in principle, but when the scale isn't budging, it can be very difficult to maintain your poise and determination. Write down these mantras (or put them on your phone) and review them every day. Repeat them to yourself when you feel like you’re failing or slip up along the way. They’ll help you reset your mindset and get back on track.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

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