In Part 2 I talked about being being honest with yourself. I think many people fool themselves into a false sense of honesty and this is something that we must address if we want to feel better about ourselves and also to achieve our goals. In Part 3 I just want to get you to think about exactly why you want to lose weight and what you

It is easy to make decisions in the heat of guilt (you just gave into a large slice of chocolate cake drizzled in cream and vow never to do so again!) but remorse is a poor base for decision. Emotions change like the wind and we soon forget the guilt we felt for eating what we shouldn’t and do the same thing again.

This is why deciding to go on a diet after a binge is destined to failure. Guilt can be a great motivation but it doesn’t last and it becomes a vicious circle. So what you really need to do is delve deep down inside and get your TRUE motivators for wanting to lose weight, give up chocolate etc. Knowing the real reasons for your decision and not quick guilt will help you stay on track and firmly.

ACTIVITY

Ask yourself why do you want to go on a diet? If for simply losing weight or purging your soul of guilt, it will have no staying power. Desiring to be thin and attractive is a form of vanity. Gaining control over what you eat is important, but in order to gain control your desire must be more than looking like all those skinny celebrities. It not only must be it is! Bingeing is rooted in something far deeper than simply craving.

So sit down and take the time to delve inside. Write down all the reasons you can think of. This can be hard for people. To face inwards and find the real motivation for losing weight – the roots to bingeing and overeating. Is it rooted in fear, insecurity, low self-esteem or simply lack of control? Whatever the root cause(s) there are decisions that need to be made before you begin to make changes in your diet. Very few invest the time and energy to seriously get down to business when it comes to addiction (cravings – please see my book Combat Your Cravings for an explanation as to why cravings are considered addictions) and compulsive behavior. All of us experience certain levels of compulsive behavior but it is worth going deep and rooting out the reasons why we are manifesting unhealthy behavior in our daily living.

Yes, as stated, this can be hard for people because it is often quite painful but it is necessary to make informed choices about the diet you wish to follow and stick to.

So take the time, write a list.

The decision that you make today will affect you for years to come. To deal with compulsive eating or any craving and addiction will force you to face painful things inside your heart and they will rise up in power if they are disturbed through decision. This is why it is important to get a clear image of what you want and why exactly you want and need it.

Related Articles:

Weight Loss Mindset 1: Making The Decision To Change

Weight Loss Mindset 2: Being Honest With Yourself

Weight Loss Mindset 3: Figuring Out The Why

Weight Loss Mindset 4: Starting On The Right Foot

Weight Loss Mindset 5: Believe You Can, Stick To It & Refresh Daily

Filed under: Cognitive Psychology • Health • Positive Thinking • Weight Loss Goals • Weight Loss Mindset • Weight Loss Obstacles • Weight Loss Planning

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