Don't you just love it when you learn something new? And it works.  So, perhaps what I've learnt is no new thing to many, no huge thing to others, but for me - it really fits well. 

After that ever so dramatic first paragraph, I know you are chomping at the bit for me to reveal ;)

Affirmations!

Affirmation:  1)The act of affirming or the state of being affirmed; assertion.
                       2) Something declared to be true; a positive statement or judgement

Now - who doesn't need more of that in their lives?!  Affirmations aren't a completely foreign concept to me, and from what I can see - they are certainly something that the most successful people in the world use.  If that doesn't sell the idea to you, I don't know what will!  I love Jillian Michaels book, Unlimited and she is certainly a big believer in positive self-affirmations.  She has two rules for constructing your affirmations the right way.

1. Focus on only positive words and phrases.  Focus on coming from a place of abundance, as you do when you are praying for something or trying to create a different outcome.  Use positive words.  if you use negative words, your subconscious mind will hear and place the focus on them.
2. Also be sure to use the present, not the future, tense.  Saying 'Iwill be' this or 'I will accomplish' that places your ideal reality in an indefinite future.  Instead, tell yourself that you are this or are accomplishing that now.  Sure, there's a little self-trickery involved, but that's the point.  The goal is to get your subvonscious mind to adapt and accept your affirmations as reality, so that they can become reality.
Here's one of her examples:
Don't say: 'I will not get tired or sick during my workout today' All your brain hears is tired, sick, and workout, so that is the reality you will create:  a workout that makes you tired and sick.
Do say: 'I am strong and healthy, with the energy I need to get through my workout.'  This statement, using self-assured, positive language, exudes confidence that will create the outcome you desire: a strong workout that delivers results and makes you feel great.

I reckon this all ties in with my last blog post and empowering beliefs.  So here's a couple I'm using at the moment:

I am in control of what I put in my body.
My body responds in positive ways to the gift of fitness and nutrition that I give it each day.
I am stronger than I know and I make my dreams become reality.
I have plenty of money and the security I want and deserve.

For me - these add a feeling of being in control - like Mish says - being in the driver's seat with both hands firmly on the steering wheel.  A sense of security comes as a result of that.

If you overhear someone muttering 'I am in control of what I put in my body' as they pass the confectionery aisle in the supermarket, say Hi - its probably me!

Always learning and peeling back the layers

A real focus for me, as you may already know, is to uncover the truth about my own weight gain, and why I've turned to food for comfort so readily in the past.  Ok, I'll admit it - it still happens sometimes.  Changing a pattern that's been firmly entrenched for about 20 years is H-A-R-D to break.
So last week, when I saw an article in Oxygen Magazine (first time I've ever bought this - the physiques of the women on the front always scares me!) titled 'You are what you think'.  I was intrigued.  It was part 2 of the article, part 1 being in the previous issue, and it really got me thinking and inspired this post.

The author comments that achieving and maintaining weight los can be simple - count me in! She also says, that it can be realistic to believe that you can maintain a slim body fairly easily but first, we have to look to our minds and to what we believe, as this is where success or failure begins.  So, I obviously can't put the whole article in here, but I'll try and give you the main points. 

Step 1:  Discover your beliefs.  She gives three questions to answer to help in your discovery, which you should not think about, just grab a pen and paper and answer with whatever comes, write until there is nothing else to write.  I haven't done these yet and though it might be fun or frightening - we'll have to wait and see, if I did my answers here.  So here goes....

What I believe about weight loss is....
I can't maintain it
I'm always going to be fighting with my body
I'm never going to be able to relax or I'll straight away gain weight
I can't trust myself around food
It's only a matter of time before the weight comes back
I shouldn't get used to looking and feeling like this, because it won't last
My body just loves to store fat
Some people don't even have to think about their weight, I can't stop thinking about mine
It's exhausting

What I believe about maintaining my ideal body weight is.....
I'm not sure that I can
If I'm not 100% focussed on training and calories all of the time, I'll gain my weight back
It never gets easy
It will always be hard work
One little slip up and the scales go up 1.5kg
I don't even know what my ideal body weight is, or what it should be
I don't know how to work it out
I don't know how to keep my training going so that my body has to keep guessing
Its a constant struggle
It feels like it will always be a constant struggle, and I don't think I can carry that around for the rest of my life

What I believe about eating healthily is....
It makes me feel better in my body and about myself
I like healthy food, but sugar and chocolate still undo me
I can only eat healthy for a short time and then I can't help but binge on chocolate
I can't make the changes I want to make permanent ones
I can't manage my nutrition well enough to get the results I want

Step 2: Acknowledge the limiting beliefs - look over your beliefs, because once you are aware of them you have the power to change them into beliefs that empower you.

Source the limiting belief:  It can be very helpful to remember the source of where the belief began.  Past memories become part of your belief systems now and are now limiting you.

Step 3:  Create a new empowering belief - write down the opposite to the limiting beliefs.  Create positive beliefs that support your weight loss goals.  Affirm these new beliefs to yourself each time you are exercising/eating/working throughout the day.  Eventually it becomes your natural way of thinking.

Step 4:  Visualise the outcome of your new belief - write down the answers to the following questions:
What does (insert new belief) look like?  (What will you see visually in your life that will let you know you have achieved this new belief?)
What does (insert new belief) feel like?
What will be my self-talk when I (insert new belief) and what will others be saying to me?

Wow - answering those questions taps into a whole world of negativity and 'I can'ts'.  I really found this very powerful - and as we can all see from my answers in step 1, I have a bit of work to do!  I know there's not some magic end point.  I know, even if I weigh my ideal weight - that's not the end of the road.  Its just a fuel stop in the longer journey.  There will always be more to learn, more layers to peel back, new ways to grow and change - and for every little thing that finds its way onto my path, that helps peel off another layer I am grateful.  Like Mish says "Losing weight is science, keeping it off is psychology"

 

"If you struggle to lose weight....

there will be a limiting belief in your subconscious brain."  Tamika Hilder - Think Your Body Slim Coach