Eliminate negative thoughts to lose weight
Each day we generate thousands of thoughts. They are part of the human existence, and can be a powerful tool when it comes to losing weight. We need to eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones to improve the chance of realizing our weight loss goals. Positive thinking is indispensable for weight loss. A positive thought can become an incredibly successful motivator on our weight loss journey.
What Are Negative Thoughts Exactly?
Negative thoughts, sometimes called negative self-talk, are those thoughts that are discouraging and unconstructive, framed in a very pessimistic way. They can be offensive and insulting, and aim to make you feel bad about yourself. The worse they are, the more they can affect your self-esteem and self-worth.
Here are some examples:
“No-one will ever like me if I’m overweight.”
“I’m lazy and fat and don’t deserve a better life.”
“I’ll never amount to anything.”
“I’m never going to succeed, so what’s the point in trying?”
“I’m a failure and nothing will ever change.”
For a person trying to lose weight, these types of thoughts are very common, and usually very frequent. They hold no truth and are detrimental to your weight loss efforts.
Why Are Negative Thoughts Bad For Us?
We generally have more negative thoughts than positive ones. But for the most part, we are unaware of our negative thinking. It just happens. If we do notice the negative content of our minds, we tend to accept those thoughts as the truth and we dwell on them.
When we accept them as being a direct representation of who we really are, they can become self-fulfilling prophecies. We act out our thoughts. We think we are lazy and believe it, so we become lazy. We don’t get up early to go for a run. I’m a lazy person, and lazy people don’t run. We don’t choose the salad for lunch. I’m never going to succeed, so what’s the point in trying?
You talk to yourself more than anyone else. You are your most loyal adviser and confidant. You would not share most of the conversations you have with yourself, because they are filled with doubts, worries, sadness, guilt, hurts and disappointments. Negative thoughts feed on each other, and can grow strong, overpowering the positive thoughts and ultimately leading to depression and anxiety. Losing weight then becomes an even more difficult task.
Negative thinking is powerful. It is demotivating and keeps people from their goal of losing weight. We lose energy and our willpower is sapped, making even simple tasks difficult to complete or even begin. It can lead to overeating and avoidance of physical activity. Negative thinking is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to losing weight. In order to succeed, we need to learn how to control these negative thoughts.
What Are The Benefits Of Positive Thinking?
Positive thinking releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals into our body. It’s one of the most powerful tools for weight loss, and other life goals.
Your mind is similar to a computer. Your thoughts are like the software. While negative thinking can act like a virus, positive thinking can reprogram your subconscious mind to accept a different truth. When you begin to believe some more positive thoughts about yourself, you begin to create a more positive reality.
Optimists and positive thinkers lead longer, healthier lives than pessimistic thinkers. Whereas negative thinkers continually focus on what is wrong with their life, a positive thinker focuses on what is right. By approaching life through an optimistic point of view, and always focusing on helpful and constructive ways to solve problems, these positive thoughts become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Thoughts evolve into actions. If you concentrate on the positive thoughts in your mind, they will grow stronger and accumulate, eventually outnumbering any negative thoughts you may have. It will then be easier to make healthier lifestyle choices, because you will believe in your own potential and capability to successfully lose weight. Any weight loss goal will become achievable by the power of your positive thinking.
How Can I Use Positive Thinking In Weight Loss?
One of the best ways to promote positive thinking in our minds it to use affirmations. Affirmations are brief, positive statements that aim to be encouraging and optimistic.
To harness the power of positive thinking, you need to start changing your inner self-talk. A good way to encourage positive thinking is to consciously repeat affirmations in your mind throughout the day. Try some of the following, or make up your own positive statements.
I am worthy of a healthy life.
I have boundless energy and feel great today.
I am beautiful on the inside and out.
I effortlessly keep on track with my goals.
I am a good person and deserve a sexy body.
I am on my way to being fit and athletic.
I will achieve my weight loss goals and wow everybody.
Eventually this type of positive thinking will become second nature, and weight loss will become less of a struggle.
Further Reading:
Positive Thinking For Weight Loss
How To Eliminate Negative Thoughts?
Negative thinking can be difficult to change. To combat it, you first have to decide that you really do want to change. You are responsible for the content of your own mind, and therefore you have the power to change what you program your mind with. If you put trash in, trash is what will come out.
In order to eliminate negative thoughts, the first step is to become more conscious of what is happening in your mind. Acknowledge your negative thinking and make a conscious decision to change that to something more positive. Just like you need to nourish your body with healthy food to lose weight, you also need to nourish your mind with positive thoughts.
Instead of focusing on what’s missing in your life, or things you don’t like, change the focus to be on your goals and what you wish to create. Think about the solution and how it will feel to be successful. Visualize yourself as a slim, athletic person, exercising and eating healthy foods. Imagine receiving compliments from people about how amazing you look and think about how wonderful it feels. Take time to imagine your new, healthy life each day, and change your self-talk to be motivating and encouraging.
It can be difficult to change your negative thinking into positive thinking. But with a little effort, you can eliminate negative thoughts and replace them with stronger, more positive thoughts. This can become your secret weapon on your weight loss journey.