If you think that having a positive attitude really won’t help you live a healthier life, think again.
Research points to the connection between having a positive attitude and being healthier overall, having less chronic disease and even a healthier immune system.
As a weight loss specialist, I have also seen how a positive attitude can help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss.
Here are some ways you can bring a healthier attitude to your weight loss program:
1. Recognize thought patterns. Once you pay attention to the negative thoughts that enter your mind, you can start taking control of them. Being self-critical does nothing to lift your mood or spirits and often just continues to keep your mood low. Without a positive attitude, many people find it hard to stay motivated to lose weight. If you’re the kind of dieter that tends to be your own worst enemy, it’s time to re-focus!
2. Go from negative to positive. A process called cognitive restructuring will help to shape your thoughts from negative to positive. Here’s how it works: If you catch yourself saying something negative like, “My hips are huge,” you want to use factual words and phrases to counteract that thought. You may restructure that thought to say, “I have other clothes that better complement my body.” When you start treating yourself better, you will also start feeling better and will know that improving your health is worth the effort.
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3. De-stress positively. When not in the midst of feeling stressed, it’s important to devise a stress management plan that doesn’t involve eating. Examples include taking a warm bath, listening to relaxing music, writing in a journal or talking to a friend. On a regular basis, you need to practice following through with some of these activities which will increase your confidence that you can find healthy ways to de-stress.
4. Enjoy the endorphin rush. Exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to naturally improve your mood. And you don’t have to be a runner to enjoy a runner’s “high.” On those days when the last thing you feel like doing is exercising, try skipping the gym but going for a brisk walk instead. Focus on your rhythmic breathing and enjoy how being active can positively impact both your body and your mind.
I hope these four tips will remind you of ways you can bring a more positive attitude to your weight loss program - and your life.
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