Most people struggle with motivation to start because they focus on the difficulties and challenges in losing weight, like the hard work of the exercise & worrying about feeling hungry. It’s no wonder this doesn’t get them motivated to start! They forget to look at all the positives that come when the goal has been achieved & the weight has been lost.

There are two key types of motivator: the stick, and the carrot, and they’re all about reward and punishment. When you’re motivated by the “carrot”, this is a “towards” motivation – for example, I want to be fit & healthy – you’re motivated by what is in front of you, by what you’re focussing on or working towards, and by the reward you get when it is completed – the carrot!

When you’re motivated by the “stick”, this is an “away from” motivation  – for example, I don’t want to be fat – you’ve motivated by what you don’t want, by what you’ve moving away from, and by the punishment that might come if you don’t achieve it – the stick! The trouble with this type of motivation is that you’re constantly focussing on what you don’t want. Now get this – your brain can’t process a negative!! So by focussing on what you don’t want (to be fat), your brain has to first think about wanting it (being fat), before it can focus on not wanting it. This can really add to the stress of the situation, and often gets us stuck in procrastination!

A classic example of motivation by the stick is someone who wants to lose weight because they don’t want to suffer from the health complications often associated with being overweight, like diabetes and heart disease. They may be very motivated to lose weight initially, usually out of fear of what could happen if they don’t lose it. The trouble is, the moment they’ve lost a little bit of weight, the motivation to lose more actually LESSENS because the risk of suffering from poor health is now perceived to be smaller. And when the motivation to lose weight reduces, the likely effect is that the weight goes back on! This is why so many people suffer from “yo-yo” dieting.

If you’re normally a “motivate by the stick” kind of person, and it’s not working for you, here’s our top 5 tips to help you change your motivator & achieve your goals:

1. Identify what your goal is. For example: I want to be fitter, healthier & happier by losing two stones in weight within 3 months.

2. Ensure you use positive language to describe your goal – negative language won’t make it compelling enough!

3. List what will happen, and what won’t happen when you achieve your goal – eg you’ll feel more energetic, and your clothes won’t feel so uncomfortable any more.

4. Write a list of pros and cons about achieving your goal. Look at your pros, and find the one that resonates with you the most – this is likely to be your key motivator.

5. Tell people about your goal! Accountability is often a strong motivator in achieving your goal.

Make sure that your goal is really achievable – there’s no point in setting a goal that’s so challenging & scary that you give up immediately. Perhaps you need to break your goal up into manageable steps, and plan their order, including which steps must be completed before the other steps can start – this helps to make your goal feel so much more achievable! For example, first I need to register with a gym, get a fitness assessment, and get a gentle exercise programme designed for me. Then I’ll start eating healthily & cutting out snacks, so I can lose 1-2 lbs a week. Then, after 6-8 weeks, I’ll get my programme reviewed at the gym as I’ll be able to increase the activity level of each exercise by then.

Imagine the successful completion of your goal. Really bring it to life! What will it feel like, having lost 2 stone? Visualise how you’ll look with you new shape, perhaps wearing a new dress with a great big smile on your face! What will your friends say to you? Hear the compliments in your mind! What will you think about yourself, and say to yourself inside? Lock those feelings, sounds and sights into your mind, and recall them every time you think about losing weight & exercising. It’ll make getting started so much easier!

You can also use this process each time you exercise. For example, I struggle with motivation & getting enough energy to go out exercising, especially when it’s wet outside. My motivator is the great feeling I get afterwards as I enjoy a lovely, long, steaming hot shower, and I look forward to this the whole time I’m exercising. If I just focus on the rain, I’d never get out the door!

If you’d like help with getting motivated to manage YOUR weight more effectively, click here.

You’ll already have some great friends for your weight loss team – friends who are really positive, who see the good in every situation, no matter how challenging it can be. They’re great team members, encouraging you with your weight targets and giving you great feedback about your progress. They’ll even give you a good stern talking to, just when your determination & willpower is flagging!

You definitely don’t want people on your team who drain away your energy, leaving you feeling depressed and negative. You know the type – people who say “oh you’ll never stick to it” when you tell them about your diet plans. We call them mood-hoovers because they quickly suck your good mood away!

Identifying your saboteurs may take a little time. Sometimes, your friends & family start off being very supportive of your weight loss goals. But then they tell you that you’ve lost enough weight, or start making unpleasant comments about your new shape. Maybe you’re now receiving a lot of attention from others and your friends are jealous! Often this is not about you – it’s about them and how they’re feeling – their insecurities, perhaps even their own inability to lose weight, and their fear that you won’t want them as a friend any more. You might also discover that some of your relationships revolve around food – friends who insist on going out for a meal, or your mum always baking you your favourite cakes when you visit – it’s very easy for them to put temptation in your way, and hard for you to resist!

We’re not saying that you have to permanently get rid of your mood-hoover and saboteur friends, but you do have to learn to manage them! Develop strategies, like “no thanks, I just ate earlier” when offered food which doesn’t fit your diet. Take your mum’s baking home with you so you don’t hurt her feelings – then give it to someone else! Explain gently to friends & family how important your weight loss is to you, whilst reassuring them that you’re still the same person; ask for their help, understanding and encouragement. And perhaps employ the three strike rule – suspending persistent offenders from your support team, sending them to the benches until you’ve reached your target weight…!

Click Here to find out how you can join our support team of like minded people who are motivated to making positive changes to their weight management and eating habits.

It’s so easy to limit our potential in life by focusing on what we can’t do. Can’t is a choice, a choice to not do something, perhaps out of fear of change, or because it’s an unknown, or just because it’s a habit. If we’re truly honest with ourselves, in most cases saying “I can’t lose weight” really is just another excuse, and the only person we’re kidding is ourselves. Oftentimes, we’re actually choosing to not lose weight because it’s the easier path, rather than choosing to change our behaviour and our thinking, and putting in the effort this requires.

One of my favourite quotes is from Henry Ford who said “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right”. Just think about that for a moment! On the Shrinking Thinking weight management programme, we help you to change your thinking so you can choose to take action, rather than give excuses.

Here are some of the more common excuses around losing weight & exercising. Do any of them sound familiar?

I just don’t have the time to exercise – perhaps you’re looking after your family, or spending all your time at work. The reality is you are choosing to spend more time on others’ needs than on your own, and your health & well-being can suffer because of this. Even when you feel your circumstances are out of your control, you still have a choice in what you choose to do. It’s time to get selfish & choose to focus on your own needs. As you start to lose weight & feel better, your family and your work will benefit from your increased energy & positivity. And as an extra benefit, the time spent looking after your health now will most likely mean less time spent in poor health in later life.

I’m too embarrassed to go to the gym. Many people fear going to the gym because it’ll be full of Lycra clad, fit people. So what! Your health & well-being is for YOU, not anyone else. Be selfish, choose to put yourself first, choose to stop worrying about what others think. Most people in the gym are so focussed on their own training that they won’t even notice you, let alone your size or what clothes you’re wearing. Those that do notice you will be welcoming & supportive of your decision to do something positive for your health, and will even help you to learn about using the equipment. Another favourite quote of ours to remember is “those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” (Dr Seuss).

But I don’t like vegetables! Another great excuse. So many people equate losing weight with eating salad and being hungry but it really doesn’t have to be like that. There are many simple ways to lose weight  – by reducing portion sizes, or cutting down on fats, carbohydrates, sugary drinks or alcohol, by increasing your exercise, or by a combination of these. What you’ve chosen to eat in the past has become a habit which is locking you into an unhealthy life. The good news is it only takes around 3 weeks to form a new healthy food habit, and you can choose to start your new habit today.

Click Here  to find out how you can give up excuses, and take action with your weight control now!

Our difficulty with most diet programmes is that they hinge on denial – there are always so many things you can’t have when you’re on a diet, aren’t there? As experts in thinking, we know that the first thing you’ll think about is eating all the food stuffs you’ve been told that you can’t have – often leading to massive food cravings which can quickly derail your diet effort. This is especially true in some of the very low calorie diets (VLCD’s). Even worse, what happens when you stop your diet? Typically all your old behaviour returns… and eventually so do the pounds!

Shrinking Thinking is not a diet, so there’s no denial in our weight management programme! Instead, we specialise in helping you to change your thinking and assisting you to let go of all of your negative emotions around food, diet and exercise through day workshops and individual one- to-one coaching. You’ll learn to understand your emotional reactions to food, to the environment around you, and your own personal trigger-points, which can REALLY help you to finally gain control over your eating habits.

Shrinking Thinking is all about making the correct, long term lifestyle choices for you. It’s not a lose weight fast programme, rather it’s a “get it sorted for once & for all” programme! The beauty of the Shrinking Thinking weight management programme is it easily runs alongside ANY diet programme, whether your preference is counting points, calories, or simply eating healthily & controlling your portions. Combine your new understanding with some expert nutritional tips and guidelines from our resident Nutritionist, who debunks some of the dieting myths, and you’ll be ready to decide which diet programme is the one for you – if any!

In fact as a result of the Shrinking Thinking program, some clients may decide that they are perfect just as they are, having learnt to be content with themselves – often for the first time in their lives – without any diet! And we think that’s just a great result!

To find out how you can join a group of like minded people who are motivated to making positive changes to their eating habits and weight management, click here …

Finding out how to stop binge eating involves understanding the reasons that it occurs in the first place. In many cases, there are deep-seated emotional issues that contribute to this behavior, and unless these are resolved, the behavior will continue. On the other hand, this could be a transitory and short-term issue related to current stressful situations or emotional anxiety. No matter what the situation, the first thing to remember is that help is available and easily accessible.

Aside from addressing the emotional problems that generally contribute to this behavior, there are also some practical ways how to stopping binge eating can be accomplished as well. One thing is to use the food that is being abused as a reward for staying away from it for a certain period of time. For example, if someone over indulges with ice cream, setting a goal not to have any until the end of the day and then only a very small portion could be a good way to kick the habit and get things under control.

Successfully overcoming this condition really depends on the individual, their circumstances, and the depth of the overall problem. The most important thing is to remember is there are solutions available for anyone who wants help.

There are many ways to learn how to stop comfort eating, and they can range from finding other ways to fill that emotional trigger, to simply talking to a close friend or loved one to get a little emotional support. No matter what degree of assistance or advice you may need in order to gain the upper hand in this struggle, there are plenty of options available that really do work. And, now that you are ready to start looking at solutions, you are at the place where you can begin to drastically change your life in a positive way.

Attitude really is everything when it comes to how to stop comfort eating, and once you are ready in your heart to give this behavior up once and for all, then you have accomplished the hardest part of the struggle. Taking ownership and control over the situation while finding the best solution for you will help to ensure that you get on track in an effective and life-changing way. When you’re ready, exploit your options such as a weight management programme, and discover how you can be free from this cycle once and for all.

Whether you are interested in some simple tips and suggestions on how to stop compulsive eating, or you are in need of a comprehensive weight management programme, there are many good and helpful resources available online that can help you get a handle on the situation. Freedom can be found, but it has to be sought out, and if you or someone you love wants freedom from eating disorders, now is the time to take the first step. People with eating disorders will generally not find success until they really want it, but once they reach that point, the Sun can start to shine in their lives once again.

Finding out how to stop compulsive eating  is easy as visiting a good website filled with information and testimonials that relate to the many options available. Keep in mind, that the most effective way to get a handle on this problem is to be honest so that real solutions can be achieved. Whether it is adjusting diet, dealing with stress and anxiety appropriately, or getting professional medical attention, there are many ways anyone could beat this thing once and for all- if they really want to change.

Learning how to stop eating fast food can be one of the biggest decisions you ever make, and it can have a life changing impact on your health as well as your sense of well-being. For some people, they find it very easy to give up cold turkey, while others stratify their recovery so that they do not have to endure the frustration and emotional turbulence associated with withdrawal. Not many people realise that this type of eating behavior can be very addictive, so it can be a challenge to kick the habit and start eating healthier.

If you are wondering how to stop eating fast food, then you have already accomplished a big part of the process because you are admitting you have a problem. Now, you just have to start working on a solution that will be beneficial for you and meaningful at the same time. There are many options available in terms of what you can do to change your diet, and once you find the best one, you can finally gained control over your overall health and wellness.

So, in order to discover how to stop emotional eating, you have to know what is triggering this behavior in the first place.  Once you accomplish this, then it will be easier to find the appropriate solution that you require to put this behind you once and for all. It could be as little as talking to a friend and reaching out for some support, or you may benefit from joining a weight management programme and seeking professional help.

The good news is many people discover how to stop emotional eating once they do a little bit of soul-searching. So, if you want some good guidance and solid information that can help you easily understand the causes and cures, there is a good resource available to anyone. Your road to freedom will be unique, but you do not have to walk it alone. There are many people who have gone before you and found a new life, and so can you. This process will be as easy or as difficult as you make it, but you can gain control and start living again.