A client wrote, "Help me! I thought I was finally getting a handle on my weight issue but the sugar is killing me. I had an awful day. I won't even tell you what I ate today because it is just so unbelievable. All I will say is that 90% of my food today consisted of sugar! I really, really need some help getting past these cravings. I am no doubt a sugar addict. If I could get past this there is no doubt that I will reach my goal."
If you see a little of yourself in this message, you're not alone. Tens of thousands of people describe themselves as sugar addicts. They believe if it were only for that one thing, then they could reach their weight loss goals. If you believe only one thing stands in your way of losing weight, consider this: What if that one thing (an addiction to sugar for instance) were gone? Do you really believe, "If I could get past this, there is no doubt that I will reach my goal," or is it an easy excuse to stay stuck?
If I told you I could show you a way to stop craving sugar, would you want me to show you how? Think about that for a few minutes. Close your eyes and really think about it. You've said that is the answer and the only obstacle standing in your way. What if that one obstacle were removed? Would it solve the problem? How would your life change if that one obstacle were no longer an issue for you?
Would you eat differently, and if so how?
Would you act differently, and if so how?
What else would change, and what would stay the same?
Until you know what you want, know that you can achieve what you want, and know how your life will be different when you obtain what you want, you won't discover if there are any obstacles that first must be considered. For instance, you may want to stop eating dinner after 7 PM, yet your husband comes home at 8 PM and expects you to join him for dinner. That's an obstacle. If you don't overcome that obstacle through discussion and compromise with your husband, there's bound to be a problem. Determining in advance what might stand in the way, helps you achieve your goals more quickly.
The statement that "if this one thing were handled, then everything else would fall into place" is the type that gets people in trouble. They want a fairy godmother to make it all better. Holding a strong belief that one single thing (eatings sugar) holds the key, sets you up to fail. Especially if you particularly like eating sugar. Getting a handle on your cravigs is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You must leave room for occasional deviations. It's not the occasional side trip that gets us in trouble but the road we usually travel.
In the practice of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) one common exercise in known as establishing a Well Formed Outcome. "Well formed" meaning it meets all the criteria of a well thought out end result. Here are the steps to deteremining a well formed outcome:
1) State what you want (not what you do not want).
2) Determine whether you can achieve it (do you believe it is possible?).
3) What resources do you have and what do you need (time, money, space, clothing, equipment).
4) Check whether anyone else is involved and any potential obstacles that may come up regarding others.
5) Picture yourself "as if" you've obtained what you say you want and decide if that picture fits.
6) Putting together a plan of action for the achievement of your outcome.
While it may seem like a lot of effort simply to decide what you really want, going through these steps help you determine what potential obstacles there may be. If you decide you want to join a gym and start exercising every day but forget you don't own a car and just lost your job, that plan might not work out. Better to look at it from every angle, then put together a plan you know can work and will work. By deciding what you want, it becomes much easier to take the necessary steps to make it become a reality.
Whether you want to overcome your addiction to sugar or you want to learn to swim, it all starts with this process, first determining what you really want and then a series of steps to be sure it's a good fit for you. Try this process no matter what decision you are making and you'll easily discover obstacles that you can handle first thereby ensuring better success overall!
This process is called "Achieving a Well Formed Outcome" and is one of the sessions in the Ending Emotional Eating 8-Week Workshop. You can also find more information on this popular and well known NLP process by searching for "NLP Well Formed Outcome" in your favorite search engine.
~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of onemorebite-weightloss.com
Get onemorebite-weightloss.com: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.
Ashton group transportation logistics management ..It is very important for low carb dieters to stick... Read More
All of us that have had a love-hate relationship with... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More
Have You Given Up on Weight Loss? by Greg Landry,... Read More
You've decided it's time to lose some weight. A lot... Read More
You see it all the time; people agonizing over their... Read More
Recently, I was reading about a diet plan where you... Read More
A client wrote, "Help me! I thought I was finally... Read More
Are you someone who has, in the past, been on... Read More
Nowadays, so much of the public is obese (fat) that... Read More
I was overweight at my age. It's not a pretty... Read More
"Unless that apple tastes like the best apple you've ever... Read More
I had some questions come in about Ephedra. So I... Read More
If you have a protruding abdomen, loose skin as a... Read More
The right diet pill should be carefully considered when deciding... Read More
Fighting obesity has become one of the most important issues... Read More
1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning.As soon as... Read More
When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called... Read More
What is the link between Hispanics and obesity? Are people... Read More
My last article, Make Diets Work, concluded that dieting the... Read More
Am I missing something here? If I am, someone please... Read More
Weight loss is so consistent and rapid after gastric bypass... Read More
Losing weight and keeping it off is much more than... Read More
Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can... Read More
We all encounter those hosts and hostesses who feel it... Read More
group transportation logistics management Highland ..Have a conversation about gastric bypass surgery with just about... Read More
If you are traveling on the path towards wellness you... Read More
As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze... Read More
Why Making Small Changes in Your Eating Habits Adds up... Read More
Not losing weight but gaining it is why we are... Read More
1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each dayOkay, for many... Read More
I made myself a sandwich today and thought I'd be... Read More
Maybe your doctor suggested it. Maybe your favorite outfit doesn't... Read More
Offer a woman the choice between a dress she likes... Read More
FINDING THE PERFECT DIETArriving at the Perfect Diet is no... Read More
I know, I know. What a crazy question!Considering that we've... Read More
When you hear a doctor or a personal trainer say,... Read More
Sharing our bariatric stories is as personal decision as electing... Read More
You will be surprised to find out how many people... Read More
We have all heard of those new diets, Atkins, low... Read More
When we discover that we are heavier than we want... Read More
Ok... If you are reading this is because you do... Read More
Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More
Breaking Down Cravings One at a TimeI know you've heard... Read More
Have you been on a new diet for a couple... Read More
Exercise Physiologists who study the effects of exercise on weight... Read More
One of the biggest scams ever successfully pulled on the... Read More
Low carb diets can be classified as food plans that... Read More
Low carb diets, though popular, have met with much controversy.... Read More
Surprisingly, hair loss is one of the reasons female pre-operative... Read More
Weight Loss |