| My weight bounced up and down for years, and I | | | | chocolate every day. Every day I would eat chocolate, |
| hated it. When I was lean, I would be on top of the | | | | feel rotten about it, and swear in the evening that the |
| world, holding court everywhere I went, making lively | | | | next day would be chocolate-free. Of course, as soon |
| conversation and being full of beans. When I was | | | | as I woke up, I would have a craving for chocolate |
| overweight, I would crumble; I would wear black | | | | and, more often than not, I'd rush out to get some as |
| clothing, never buy new clothes because I always | | | | soon as possible. It was this kind of addictive behaviour |
| believed that would be a concession the fat was there | | | | that led to me being fat and staying fat. |
| to stay. I wouldn't look people in the eyes and I would | | | | One day I sat down with my laptop computer, opened |
| become increasingly anti-social. In a nutshell, I would be | | | | a word processor, and just started typing about how I |
| a completely different individual. So discovering the | | | | felt. I didn't "think" about it, I didn't attempt to form a |
| easiest way to lose weight was something of a | | | | beautiful document...I just spilled my guts. After 4000 |
| lifelong quest for me. | | | | words, I reviewed what I had written, and it blew me |
| After trying dozens of different diets and exercise | | | | away. You see, it was like it was my conscious self |
| regime, I can certainly say one thing conclusively: they | | | | speaking, whereas my chocolate-obsessed persona |
| all work. Why shouldn't they? If we boil weight loss | | | | was the irrational subconscious dictating my actions. |
| right down to the basics, then it is a simple case of | | | | This document I wrote laid things in perspective and |
| calories in vs. calories out, and all diets focus on | | | | painted a gruesome picture of exactly what I was |
| restricting calories, and all exercise regimes focus on | | | | doing to myself. |
| expending calories. | | | | And you know what? The next morning I woke up -- |
| To this degree, it may be comforting to know that | | | | and didn't crave chocolate. In fact, I watched what I ate |
| there is a perfect method out there for you. For | | | | and exercised too. And I kept this up for months to |
| example, I know men who hated the idea of dieting, | | | | come and eventually shed 70 lbs to take me back |
| but absolutely fell in love with the Atkins diet because it | | | | down to being a lean machine. |
| allowed them to eat the food they loved. Equally, I | | | | Ultimately you can have the greatest diet and exercise |
| know women who swear by Weight Watchers, | | | | plan in the world, but it will be useless without the right |
| simply because nothing is out of bounds so long as | | | | belief system. Yes, having a good plan is a huge |
| you measure your quantities. | | | | motivator and you should have something written |
| However, so far we have only been discussing actual | | | | down in black-and-white that has a track record for |
| pragmatic plans. Arguably the easiest way to lose | | | | working, as well as fitting in with your own needs. But |
| weight is one which is rarely mentioned -- by | | | | just ensure that a plan is backed up by a change in |
| re-configuring your belief system. Let me use my own | | | | beliefs brought on by self-analysis. The easiest way to |
| experience as an example: | | | | lose weight is a two-pronged attack of psychology |
| I used to have a chocolate addiction. I needed | | | | and planning. |