Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Change Your Mind To Change Your Weight

Have you ever wondered why you struggle to lose weight? Let’s face it – You know that you should change your eating habits. You know that you should get more exercise, drink more water, and get more sleep. So why don’t you do it? Are you just too lazy? Obviously not, or you would not have gone on any diet nor tried any type of exercise program. I guess you just don’t have any willpower. Oh wait, that can’t be true either. I mean, just look at all the things you have accomplished in your life. You learned how to walk, talk, read, write, do arithmetic, cook, clean, ride a bike, drive a car, and take care of your family! That’s a pretty impressive list. So what is the problem with losing weight and getting fit? The answer is easier than you think. You just need to change your mind to change your weight!

Say what? I’m not talking about the mere act of deciding to do something differently. You see, you may not know this, but your conscious mind does NOT control the paths you follow in life. Your subconscious mind does. That is the mind that you must change to achieve success in changing in your weight. Consciously, you can make decisions to accept or reject any piece of information presented to you, but your subconscious does not have that ability. It can only receive and accept everything that your five senses detect. Stop and think for a minute about every negative comment you have heard in your life: you’re not strong enough; you will never be able to do that; your genetics will keep you from ever being pretty or handsome or skinny; nobody will ever want to marry you; you’re not good enough to be successful.

It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? This type of negativity stays with you, and as a form of protection, your subconscious mind directs your actions towards safety. It prevents you from taking actions that it perceives will lead to heartbreaking pain.

What if I told you there is a safe and pain free way to change that? Would you be interested enough to check it out? There is a way to tear down the roadblocks your subconscious has built. You can develop new thought patterns. You will be able to synchronize the two sides of your mind. You will gain control of your actions!

Can you see yourself standing in front of the mirror admiring the new you? What’s that – no flab flapping under your arms when you move, no roll around your middle? Awesome!

So what’s the secret? Well, it really isn’t a secret. This method of changing your mind has been around for over sixty years, and it is even endorsed and practiced by the medical profession. I know you’ve heard of it. I am talking about hypnosis. Now, don’t start envisioning those stupid stage shows, where somebody starts acting like a chicken or barking like a dog. Those are strictly what they seem – stage shows! With hypnosis, you will still be in control, but you will be in a relaxed state that allows you to be receptive to suggestions. Imagine being calm and relaxed listening to a soothing voice that is suggesting healthy thought patterns to you, and giving you actionable ideas to achieve weightloss. You will find yourself behaving differently and realizing that this is due to the hypnotic suggestion, and you will be pleased.

I highly recommend hypnosis, not just because it works, but because it worked for me. You can go to a doctor that practices hypnotherapy, but that can get really expensive. If the therapist is really good, you will probably spend a couple hundred dollars or more for one session. Some people have learned to do auto-hypnosis. I couldn’t get the hang of it myself. What worked for me was a series of CD’s produced by a professional. I was able to use them at home at my convenience.  Another nice feature is that I was able to re-use them whenever I struggled with any particular issue.

Don’t just take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. Hypnosis is very safe and extremely effective at helping you rid those negative obstacles in your subconscious that are preventing you from losing weight. You’ll be really glad you did!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Do You Want to Burn Fat and Get Fit – Do This First

If you want to burn fat and get fit, the first thing you need to do is get control over the six inches of gray matter between your ears. You may think that you already are in control, but the odds are against it. Most of us have learned some degree of control over our conscious thoughts, but in reality it is our subconscious mind that controls our actions. You see, we can decide whether or not to accept information that we receive consciously. If something doesn’t ring true, we just scoff at it and say, “I don’t believe that.” However, our subconscious mind accepts every piece of data that it has ever received from our five senses. Did you know that it is estimated that children hear the word “no” 40,000 times before they ever go to school. This is because adults were trying to protect them from injury. “No, don’t stick that in the wall plug. You could get electrocuted!” This constant repetition of negativity, reinforced by a statement of dire consequences, goes a long way toward developing a subconscious negative outlook. We can consciously say that we want to eat right and get into shape, and we can consciously believe that is the correct thing to do. Unfortunately, our subconscious prevents us from taking the correct path toward that end.

So what can we do to reprogram our subconscious? The three most common methods used to achieve this are meditation, hypnosis (both regular and auto-hypnosis), and the conscious practice of positive thinking. Let’s examine each of these methods.

1. Meditation. This is used by many people to help them calm their mind and balance their physical, mental, and emotional health. Many in the medical profession are recommending this practice as a way to relieve things like insomnia, anxiety, and even to lower blood pressure. Don’t get all hung up on the religious aspect of meditation. Concern yourself more with using this method to develop a sense of inner peace. A peaceful mind is less likely to act in a negative manner. There are many different ways to practice meditation, but I won’t go into them here. I just want to let you know that this is a viable option for you.

2. Hypnosis. While meditation involves the absence of all thought and to just be, hypnosis uses concentration on a specific thought in order to affect a desired result. This includes things like smoking cessation, burning off fat, reducing stress, or even pain management after surgery. The American Medical Association put its stamp of approval on hypnosis all the way back in 1958, and since then it has been used by countless people to take control over their lives. You have options here. You can go to a licensed psychologist who incorporates hypnosis into his treatments, you can learn auto-hypnosis and treat yourself, or there is my favorite, you can purchase professionally made CD’s and listen to them in the privacy of your own home. I think you will be amazed at how well these work to help you gain control of your life.

3. Positive Thinking. This is the first option that most people choose, most likely because meditation and hypnosis make them think of something they saw in bad movie or a phony stage show. Positive thinking isn’t something you can develop overnight. You have to devote a certain amount of time every day to practice this method. You must verbally speak positive messages. Remind yourself of specific times in your life when you successfully accomplished something. Think of awards that you won. Concentrate on how those accomplishments made you feel. Don’t forget to include any times when you set a goal for yourself and achieved it. Achieving goals is a tremendous confidence booster, and one thing that successful people have in common is self-confidence. While this is the most difficult of the three methods discussed, it is highly effective, so don’t shove it aside.

Please do not get discouraged because you have not been able to burn fat and keep it off. For those of you that think you have never succeeded at anything, I would like to remind you that once upon a time, you could not walk, talk, clothe yourself, feed yourself, tie your shoes, ride a bike, drive a car, or read this article. Those are some pretty impressive accomplishments, and you CAN go on to even greater achievements. I have confidence in you, but you must believe it yourself before anything will happen. Good luck, I’m rooting for you! Now, start gaining control over your life!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mickey_B

Monday, February 28, 2011

Without These Three Components You Cannot Succeed at Burning Fat and Getting Fit

If you desire success at losing fat and increasing your level of fitness, there are three components that you absolutely must have. Without any one of the three, you will find it extremely difficult - if not impossible - to achieve any type of long term success. The three things you must have for successful fatloss and fitness, in order of importance, are as follows:

1. The right mindset. The vast majority of overweight people will say they want to lose weight and get into good shape. You may have said this yourself. I know I certainly have! So why don't they do it? Actually, there are two primary reasons.

First, they consciously are not willing to put in the necessary work. It's hard, it's uncomfortable, and it takes time. How many times have you heard someone say, "I'm going to try this new diet I heard about at work." You can't "try" a diet! You either do it or not. Phrases like, "I'll try" or "I'll do my best," are merely expressions we use that allow us to say, "It didn't work," when, in fact, we actually gave up and quit!

The second mental problem is subconscious. This is the big one. Most of us have been programmed since early childhood for failure. It is not our fault and really not our parents' fault either. It was done for protection. By the time we started school, we heard the word "NO" approximately forty thousand times! I lack the space here to teach you how to overcome the negativity in your subconscious mind, but I will tell you this: it IS possible to reprogram your mind, and when you do, amazing things will happen in your life!

2. The right eating plan. I am not talking about going on a "diet." I will tell you right now, DIETS DON'T WORK! What I am referring to is a lifestyle change. You must learn to eat the right foods, in the right portions, and at the right times. So called diets are too restrictive. Nearly every diet plan eliminates one of the basic food groups. They are called basic for a reason - your body needs them. When your diet says no-no, your body will begin to crave the forbidden food. If you are eating properly, your body will get the correct amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates. You will also be eating whole foods, not processed junk.

3. The right fitness program. There is a multitude of exercise programs available to you, but if you are trying to lose fat while you are getting fit, you definitely need to be using interval training. What is interval training? Interval training is a fitness program that involves bursts of high intensity work that is alternated with periods of rest or low activity. Usually the rest period is slightly longer than the high intensity work. Extreme interval training involves long periods of intensity followed by short rest breaks. What makes this type of fitness program so great? The high intensity constitutes a combination of cardio and strength training. The cardio burns calories while you are exercising. The strength training builds muscle mass which continues to burn calories for hours after you have finished your workout. Combined with the right eating plan, this program will burn fat instead of just weight, and the increased muscle mass will burn calories faster than what your fat was burning.

There are other factors that are important for fatloss and fitness, but these three are a must. First, you have to get your mind to the point that your subconscious thoughts believe you can succeed. When that happens, you will automatically begin to take steps toward success. Second, your eating habits must change to wholesome foods eaten in the right amounts at the correct times. Finally, you really to need to incorporate interval training on a regular basis into your weekly schedule.

Trust me on this. You will be glad that you did.