Flip the Switch

“NOTHING tastes as good as being SLIM feels.”

That’s something I say to clients all the time. I use it in my email signature, my voice mail recording, and in my weekly pod-cast signoffs.

If only saying that to yourself every day as a sort-of mantra would be enough to get and keep you motivated, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not.

If you’re overweight or obese, you’ve got to do a mental about-face and go from being a passive victim of your weight problem to being in control.

So how do you flip the switch to get to the point where your desire to be slim outweighs your desire to engage in the behaviors that keep you from being slim?

How do you get yourself to give up something you find pleasurable, such as being able to eat whatever you want whenever you like and in any amount, to get something more pleasurable: being slim?

Well . . . you can begin the process by looking within and asking yourself what kind of person you might be if you tackled your weight problem.

❓ What is your weight keeping you from doing?

❓ How do you perceive yourself when you are heavy, and how does that conflict with what you’d like to be and do?

❓ How would you feel if you lost weight?

OK, now for the hard part:

Ask yourself what price you would have to pay – in terms of money, time, pleasure, responses of others – to lose weight and keep it off?

If you were to make a pros and cons of losing weight list, it might look something like this. Try to visual a yellow legal with a line down the center and two columns, one labeled PROS and the other CONS.

The PROS list might be:

😁 I’ll have more confidence.

😁 I can wear more stylish clothes

😁 My spouse will be more attracted to me.

😁 My body will be healthier.

😁 I’ll be able to walk without getting out of breath.

😁 I’ll have more energy.

😁 People will stop staring at me because of my weight.

😁 I’ll be able to buy normal-size clothing.

😁 I’ll be able to do more with my children.

😁 My blood pressure will be lower.

The CONS list might be: 

😕 I’ll have to give up some foods I like.

😕 I don’t like low-fat foods.

😕 I’ll have to spend money on new clothes.

😕 I’ll have to spend money on a weight loss program.

😕 I’ll have to take time to plan meals.

😕 I hate to exercise.

😕 I’ll have to learn some new recipes.

😕 My family may get angry because I won’t buy certain foods.

As you tackle your weight problem, always keep your list of PROS handy (could be on a 4×6 lined index card in your wallet), add to it and refer to it frequently. This can help you reach the point at which changing your eating habits will be worth it. Eventually you’ll want to be slim more than you’ll want to continue to engage in the behaviors that keep you from losing weight permanently.

Accept the fact that the long-term benefits of changing far, FAR outweigh any sacrifices.