Weight Loss and Behavior Modifications

Well, I think it only makes sense to realize that you have to do something different to get different results, pretty much in anything that one does. My first teacher of hypnosis used to say, “Hypnosis will not quit your smoking, but it will make your decision to quit so much easier!”  Conscious and subconscious awareness work together.

You can do your own behavior modification program.  Does that sound complicated?   Well, I studied learning psychology and behavioral principles in all the textbooks;  they are pretty simple.  I will outline some basics here for you for weight issues.

The simplest of tricks is to not have “bad stuff” easily available to you.  Before embarking on your weight loss program, and lifestyle change, you may want to empty your cupboards and refrigerator of carohydrates, cake mixes, sugary and starchy packages such as cake or brownie mixes, macaroni and cheese mixes,  pancake mixes, sugary pancake syrups, and all the like.  If you cannot bear to give or throw them away, then consider a week of eating them or having one big carb party to get these out of your house.  If you live with others, they will also benefit from these changes.  Even our nation’s children need to have less sweet things as “rewards.”   Many of America’s teens are already overweight, suffering teasing and bullying and reduced self-esteem because of this;  furthermore, many are already showing signs of pre-diabetes or type two diabetes.  Your children will benefit from these changes.  After all, who pays the food bill anyways?  You do!    Who will benefit from such changes in your life?  They will too!

You might not be able to imagine a change like this in your life.  One thing that would surely help would be to find acceptable substitutes for the “bad stuff” you used to eat.  I have some tasty delicious discoveries on this website.  But you could also start browsing some of the following websites to find healthier versions of what you used to enjoy.

Here are the websites I have located, using these search words, and there are many more:
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  • South Beach Phase One or Two Recipes
  • Atkins Phase One or Two Recipes
  • Kaylyn’s Kitchen
  • About.Com Low Carb Recipes
  • Food Network Low Carb Recipes

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Simply use the keywords like, “low carb ice cream” or “sugar free  desserts”   “low carb pancakes”  “low carb bread”, etc, and you will find things you never knew existed.

Another behavior trick when you are eating away from home is to load up on salads, vegetables and the like, and just take a bite of and remember the taste of something like a brownie or a piece of cake.  [fancy_link link=”/hypnotherapy” variation=”teal”]If you work with me with hypnosis[/fancy_link], this should become easy for you.

Another trick is to follow the “phase one” parts of these programs for a full two weeks.  It sounds pretty restrictive to have no bread, sweets, fruit, nuts, alcohol, caffeine at all for two weeks, but you can get through that easier than you think and this strategy will not only help you to use a significant amount of weight as a “jump-start,” it will also work biochemically with your system to reduce cravings.  Some body-mind tools that I teach also help to dramatically cut back on cravings, even in those first two weeks.

Many people ask me to help motivate them  to have a regular exercise program.  First, we have to determine what is feasible with the person’s work, childcare obligations, and life schedule might work best….maybe to recall a time when she did happily include physical activity in her life..  Then we determine what is possible and logical.  It might be as simple as waking the dog twice the distance, or running the stairs two times each time normally taken.  Or, walking a certain distance around the block, and adding a little more.

As you go along, you will scan your days to think of what might be able to be easily added to increase activity and thus increase the metabolism.

Best wishes as you set up your own behavior modification plan!   Oh, by the way, when you set up a reward for yourself, think of something other than food!  Think of this as all being time for taking care of You!

[fancy_link link=”/contact” variation=”teal”]Create a behavior modification plan.[/fancy_link] Contact me now.