Most people don’t stop to think about the relationship between weight control and the brain. One of the major reasons that diets fail and that the dieting industry doesn’t have it right, is because of the psychological side of things. I’m not talking about deep seated emotional issues. No, I’m talking about something we all share – the way our brains naturally think.
The brain resists us when we try to make it do something that is inconsistent with the way it normally thinks. Think of the brain like a child. If you want to teach something new to a child, what is the most effective way to do it? I don’t think you would say that threatening the child, abusively punishing her, or chastising her would work well. It also doesn’t work to give the child such large and awesome tasks that he will feel overwhelmed. Add inducing guilt and you have the perfect formula for the child to fail. Instead, if you treat the child with compassion, patience, praise, and help them to focus on one small step at a time, you will have a child who is motivated, relaxed, and enthusiastic. This child will succeed. It’s the same with ourselves when we’re dealing with weight control.
The more flexible, positive, praising, and patient we are with ourselves the more successful we will be. So don’t waste your brain with methods that will lead to failure, use it in ways that it can succeed. If you want weight control, don’t forget what the brain likes.
Check out these articles to learn ways to do what the brain likes and be more successful with your weight loss efforts:
Fat Americans and the Dieting Industry: This Just Doesn’t Compute!
Sweet Cravings: How Do I Stop Them?
Who Are the Experts on Being Thin?
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