Thoughts, news and advice by Marna Goldstein Thall on natural weight loss, losing weight without diets, guided meditations, living your dreams, books, fitness, exercise, and anything else she cares to comment on, including her love for dogs, her family, stress, humor, and relationships.

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Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Top 10 Beliefs of 2009 About Losing Weight That We Must Shed in 2010

Did you know that in order to change your weight, you must first change your mind?

Why, you ask?

When you go on a diet, you set yourself up to fail because you automatically make a diet a temporary event. “I will diet until I fit into my wedding dress.” “I will diet until I go to the Bahamas in March”. These are all temporary goals, versus lifetime goals. Living slim is not a temporary fix, it’s a life time and a program that addresses your mind, body and spirit.

Our eating habits are the physical manifestation of your beliefs and our beliefs are merely thoughts we have had over and over and over. If your thoughts remain the same – so will your weight.

Diets focus on the wrong thing – food

Here are the Top 10 Beliefs of 2009 About Losing Weight That We Must Shed in 2010

10. “It’s a genetic thing.”

Some of the most beautiful models in the world come from very average looking parents. Some of the largest parents have the smallest kids and some siblings are much larger then other siblings. If you think it’s about genes, just look around you. There may be a small genetic component, but in order to change your weight, you must first change your mind.


9. “I’m too old.”

Okay, I’m not going to lie. I do see changes in my body from going from my teens, to mid 20’s to mid 30’s, but using age as an excuse from looking fabulous? No way! You can look good and feel fabulous at any age. Head to the mall right now and check out all the people your age. I bet you’ll see a whole slew of beautiful men and women in your age bracket. Don’t waste another minute thinking your age is holding you back from living in the body you deserve?


8. “It’s too hard.”

I know. It can seem really hard to lose weight if you don’t have the right tools. Yet carrying around the belief that it’s hard, will make it that much harder. Your eating habits are the physical manifestation of your beliefs and if you believe it’s hard to slim down, you better believe it will. Make it easy. Make it fun. Make it joyous, and it will be.


7. “In order to lose weight you must exercise”

There are gobs of naturally thin men and women out there who have never stepped foot in a gym. I’m not saying exercise isn’t great, but it’s only wonderful when it comes from a place of joy and inspiration.


6. “I don’t have time.”

Your health is the only thing you MUST have time for! If you don’t make time for your health, you won’t be here. Obesity related diseases like heart disease, CHF, high blood pressure, hypertension will take your life. Slimming down doesn’t have to take hours a day, but it does take making a DECISION.


5. “I know what to do, but can’t seem to do it.”

Hello…Here I am! I’m here to help you – I offer support for as low as $19.95 a month and as high as $300/month and everything in between. Whether you gain support from me or someone else, find it and take advantage of it. Build into your life some accountability. Whether it’s coaching, membership sites, forums, tracking sites, a buddy system, it doesn’t matter.


4. “It’s too expensive to lose weight.”

I get that there can be a price tag on losing weight, but when you learn how to live slim, you’re done. No pills to stay on, no diet foods to maintain, nothing! Just you and your thin mind and body. Again, I’ve made it very affordable to lose weight. There are people within my membership site who have lost 60 pounds over the last months – spending just $5 a week. If you have the money to buy a $5 foot long sub at Subway every week, then you have the money to sign up for the membership site. Yes, there are more expensive options, but who cares! You’re worth it and there’s nothing more worthy then investing in your health.


3. “A non-diet approach doesn’t work.”

For over 70% of people I work with, this approach works. Does it mean that there are some people it doesn’t work for? Yes! Most of those people are people who are more attached to dieting, counting calories, talking about the type of food they ate during the day, or using self-talk to convince them to eat foods when not hungry, or are still swimming around in their emotional turmoil without wanting to look inward. This work is not just about a non-diet approach. It’s also about changing your mind.

If you want six pack abs and muscles popping out of your neck, then maybe a non-diet approach isn’t the right thing for you. Counting calories, dropping eggs into blenders, and throwing whey into the blender may be more your cup of tea.

However, if you want peace of mind, the ability to eat a variety of foods and find comfort within your body, then you’re heading in the right direction. You deserve to feel healthy and alive in your body. You deserve it and you can have it!


2. “Emotional eating is impossible to get rid of.”

Is it? I have lots of strategies that work for most people. It’s not impossible unless you decide it is. Yes, you will need focus and the right tools, but please don’t use your emotional eating as an excuse for not slimming down. It’s simply not true.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST…DRUM ROLL PLEASE….


1. “Monday I’m going to start the buffalo, grapefruit, high-fat, low-fat diet.”

Just throw out all these stupid diets in magazines that guarantee 30-pounds in five minutes. Give me a break! This is not about dieting or how many push-ups you can do. Don’t wait for someday, Monday, Friday or whatever day. Start today. Begin today and don’t wait. Do one tiny thing to move your weight and body in a new direction today. Something “to go on” means you also have to “go off” of it. Living thin is something you want to do for your entire life – the rest of your life!