How often when you are eating, do you stop to think about why you are eating?

Are you eating because it's ‘time’ to eat? i.e. it’s lunch time or supper time, so you sit down to eat.

Are you reaching for something comforting because you are feeling sad or anxious?

Or something tempting and yummy because you’re bored?

Or something loud and crunchy like crisps when you’re angry? You’ll know what I mean if you’re an angry eater like I am.

You probably already know ‘you are what you eat’. But did you know that you are also what you think and the words you use to talk to yourself?

The words you use affect you and your body.

Your mind absorbs and accepts whatever you tell it. And your words become your reality.

And your mind uses the words you speak to yourself to identify how and what you are feeling.

Since Dr Robert Atkins’ book Diet Revolution first appeared in 1972, millions of copies have been sold and millions more people have tried the diet.

According to the home page of the Atkins Australia website we are told that “a low-carb diet is suitable for people who want to lose or maintain their weight and feel healthier and more energetic” (https://au.atkins.com/).

Sounds perfect right? But what if it’s not?

Let me guess, you probably believe that you can’t stick to a diet and lose weight because you lack willpower?

You’re not strong enough, or disciplined enough, or tough enough.

You don’t have what it takes to stick to a diet.

You don’t want it badly enough.

But that’s a myth…

If you’ve been following my work you’ll know I’m a big fan of visualisation. I’ve talked about it as a tool for boosting your metabolism. And here I’ll be talking about using it as a powerful tool for achieving your weight loss goals.

Sure, I know it sounds unlikely, right? Picture yourself thin and you’ll be thin? Yeah, pull the other one I can practically hear you say.

But ironically, the number one hindrance I have found to losing weight is if you can’t see yourself as thin then you’re going to struggle to lose weight

A common diet myth is that exercise alone will make you thin.

Now before we get into this one, I do want to mention that exercise has massive health benefits and you absolutely should try and get some regular exercise into your day.

Benefits include reduced blood pressure, reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart attack. As well as lowering your risk of developing cognitive impairment from Alzheimer’s and dementia.

But, there is a common misconception that exercise alone will help you lose weight, and that’s just not true.

There are only two things that drive people towards change. We move towards pleasure and we move away from pain.

So if you are hungry (pain) you will seek out food (pleasure).

If being overweight embarrasses you (pain) you will make the changes required to lose weight and look great (pleasure). But the pain needs to be strong enough to drive you to do this.

Moving away from pain is a much stronger motivator than moving towards pleasure, but you can make use of both.

A lot of the beliefs and bad habits we’ve built up around food stem from our childhood. Well-meaning parents who were busy and doing the best they could, but who often instilled unhealthy patterns and habits we hold to this day.

Patterns and habits we likely don’t even notice we hold.

So what are some of these?

Everybody tells you that in order to lose weight you need to eat less and move more. And the way to do that is to count your calories.

And sure, consuming less energy than you expend is the key to weight loss. But counting calories is not the way to do it.

You might be surprised to know that calculating the exact calorific content of food is much harder than the boldly displayed numbers on food packages or menus would have you believe:

I’m writing this article on the last day of a 5-day heatwave here in Sydney, Australia. Where temperatures have been in the high 30’s each day, peaking at 39 degrees Celsius today. Phew!

And while it is easier to remember to drink water in order to stay hydrated on days like today, on cooler days it is so much easier to forget.

Water is essential to life. And sadly, most of us living in the industrialised world are dehydrated and we don’t even know it.

In today’s fast-paced world, most of us are used to doing everything in a hurry. Always dashing from one place to the next and trying to fit everything into the ever-decreasing chunks of time. Multitasking as we try to squeeze two or more things in at the same time.

Or perhaps multitasking, not due to lack of time, but to distract us from how we are really feeling.

Checking our social media feeds while eating to try fulfil our need for social connection and nutrition at the same time.

We are genetically programmed to enjoy eating, but we’ve been taught that food is the enemy.

And we need to restrict what we eat if we want to lose weight.

And that certain foods are bad for us and will make us fat.

How unfair.

Well yes, it would be. If it were true.

Let me guess, you know you should be exercising? You know it’s good for you? But you just can’t bring yourself to do it every day?

I was the same. I hated exercise, not because I hate the idea of it, but I hated the effort of it. Having to get up early to squeeze it in before work. Or having to drive to a gym, get changed, just to attend a class or use some equipment.

Are you a member of the Clean Plate Club?

I am. Well, I used to be.

When I was a child growing up, if I had any food left on my plate after dinner, I wasn’t allowed to leave the table, never mind even think of having dessert!

My parents tried all sorts of tactics. “Eat your dinner, and you’ll get ice cream/ cake/ chocolate mousse.” Yum, my favourite. And they knew it!