In my last Post, I said you can’t have a “10” life/body without having a “10” mind. Not my quote, but I LOVE it!
What would make a mind a 10?
– That you’ve PRACTICED right thinking so diligently, that there’s very little stress involved in making healthy choices.
– That most of your CHOSEN thoughts lead to Positive Long Term Benefits.
– That instant gratification is NOT a practice you engage in, or even think about very often.
– That you’re able to “capture” any thoughts that are unproductive, or contrary to our health or normal weight, and reword them so that they are productive.
Not a week goes by that I don’t get an email detailing someone’s weight or health issues, and often it includes statements like, ” I know I shouldn’t eat _____, but sometimes I can’t help it.” Or, “I know I should not snack/get to bed earlier/not drink so much/remember to take my supplements/etc”
I’ve been there. I struggled for decades with issues I KNEW could be resolved if I gave up grains, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, but honestly, I seriously couldn’t imagine a life without them. One part of my brain understood all the reasons they’re not good for me, but another part of my brain was aghast, sad, depressed, and pretty determined to get what it wanted. That part of the brain was the winner for years.
“How do you live without grains or sugar?” “How do you not snack?” I’ve heard these questions a million times, 500,000 times from MYSELF to Myself. For a long time, I thought Will Power was the answer. It’s not. All of us have a very tiny, finite supply of Will Power; and if you DO successfully muster some up, there’s usually a “rebound effect”. That’s best illustrated by the Diet example: try to eat Low Cal/Low Fat for a few days, and you’ll rebound with a Binge.
That’s why statistically, almost 100% of EVERYONE who goes on a diet gains their weight back. It’s the same for people with health issues who try to muscle their way through food cravings that impact their heart/headaches/joints/bloat/blood sugar etc: the rebound effect happens, even when the health issue is serious and advanced.
Rebound even happens when you can’t stand yourself for giving in over and over.
What’s the answer? You’ve Got To Work On Your Mind, because your thoughts control your actions.
Remember that podcast by Hal Elrod I mentioned the other day? Listen to it. He gives great advice on training your mind to work for you, and not against you. He quotes Jim Rohn: “Your level of success will NOT exceed your level of personal development.”
Have you given much thought to your thoughts? Because most people haven’t. Most people don’t even realize their thoughts are a choice. If your thoughts are statements about what you could never do ( I could NEVER give up sugar/wine/pasta/cereal/bread/diet coke…I could NEVER take that class, ..I HATE cooking, .. I’m TOO busy to pack…), then your thinking has doomed you when it comes to your Health and your Weight.
What if every time a counter productive thought popped in our head, we captured it, and changed it? We HAVE to do that, because our thoughts become actions, always.
Real Health only happens with CONSISTENT productive habits. Not most of the time, not 80/20, not weekdays or when we have time. Losing weight, sleeping well, great energy, lowering blood sugar, ridding our arteries of plaque, supplying our skin with the nutrients it needs to look good, …… happens when we so firmly wrap our mind around the ACTION STEPS necessary that consistency is second nature, instead of an enormous effort.
If you haven’t listened to Hal Elrod yet, please do!
Here’s another amazing source: Dr. Caroline Leaf. Dr. Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. HOLY COW IS THIS WOMAN AN AMAZING SPEAKER. She’s all about the SCIENCE of Quantum Physics, which is the SCIENCE of how our Thoughts Control Our Brain on a PHYSICAL LEVEL. Thanks to MRIs, and new blood tests that look at different neurotransmitters, and more, scientists have so much insight into how the brain actually works. Hint: it never stops changing; and we have power over those changes.
If you’ve been trying for years to diet or exercise and had no lasting results, open your eyes. It’s your Brain you need to change. Invest time and energy on your THOUGHTS, and you will FINALLY have the body and health that you want.
Critical Resources:
http://drleaf.com/about/toxic-thoughts/
YouTube – this is LIFE CHANGING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZczIP_79jXs
Book: http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Your-Brain-Happiness-Thinking/dp/149151874X, by Dr. Leaf
Book: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Mind-What-Brain-Living/dp/1626340587, by Steven Fogel
