Losing Weight - STOP and Shed Inches

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Article Title:

Losing Weight - STOP and Shed Inches

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One of the most interesting truths is that we are our own

worst enemies. We can be full of confidence, exuberance, and

encouragement for our friends and families. When it comes to

ourselves, however, we're often full of discouragement,

disbelief, and disheartening diatribes. There is a method

for taking control of our thoughts and that little voice in

our heads, a method called S.T.O.P.

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Distribution Date and Time: 2010-02-18 10:45:00

Written By: Larry Tobin

Copyright: 2010

Contact Email: mailto:larry.tobin@...

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Losing Weight - STOP and Shed Inches

Copyright © 2010 Larry Tobin

Habit Changer

http://www.HabitChanger.com/

One of the most interesting truths is that we are our own worst

enemies. We can be full of confidence, exuberance, and

encouragement for our friends and families. We'll exhort them to

quit smoking, support them in taking the time to exercise, and

compliment them on even the slightest loss in weight.

When it comes to ourselves, however, we're often full of

discouragement, disbelief, and disheartening diatribes. We

sabotage our own efforts through negative thinking and end up

setting ourselves back when we don't have to. Then, over time,

these negative thoughts become a habit, one that we repeat until

it is almost instinctive and we never believe we can do anything

because we're habitually used to thinking we cannot.

However, in the very thing that is robbing us of motivation lies

the strength to overcome this negativity. Since it is our own

thoughts and emotions slowing us down, our own thoughts and

emotions can be redirected toward improving ourselves as well.

There is a method for taking control of our thoughts and that

little voice in our heads, a method called S.T.O.P.

S.T.O.P. it in its Tracks

As we've discussed before, there's no better time to fix a

problem than right now. This method works for any negative

thinking, but we'll start to get into the habit of using it for

weight loss. The very next moment you feel yourself listening to

that negative voice, step into the S.T.O.P. Mode immediately.

S - SAY 'STOP' aloud in a strong, calm voice. Tell yourself

firmly that you are not going to over think your weight worries

by dwelling on all the ways it could go wrong. You are in

control.

T - TAKE a deep breath, and then TAKE a break. You've gone into

a bad place when you start worrying and hearing that voice so get

yourself into a good place to feel better. Take a quick walk to

invigorate yourself, or put on some uplifting and encouraging

music. By taking yourself out of the negative mental environment

and putting yourself in a positive one, you improve your mood and

STOP that voice from having control.

O - Remember to focus on the OUTCOME that you want. More

comfortable clothing, healthier joints, easier breathing, the

ability to go more places and have more fun - this isn't just

about the goal of losing weight, it's about the wonderful

benefits that will come with it. Focusing on the brass ring helps

you forget about the trouble of the journey, and even makes it

more enjoyable.

P - PRAISE yourself for what you've accomplished. Ignore any

voice that says it doesn't matter - every step you take helps

and makes a positive difference. Walking up an extra flight of

stairs, replacing a bad snack with a healthier one, closing the

kitchen to late night snacking, these are all steps you've taken

that deserve a moment of recognition. You are doing a good job,

and you should let yourself know it.

Why S.T.O.P. Works

People don't simply start having generalized negative thoughts;

so simply 'thinking positively' isn't going to work as a means

of combating them. Instead people begin thinking negatively on

one thing at a time. Forgetting a healthy snack and spending a

dollar on a candy bar for example - you've made a lapse and you

start feeling bad for it. Then you start to go from that thought

to others, creating a cycle that ends in you wanting to give up

the whole thing.

This is where S.T.O.P. has its greatest strength. It is a

specific, step-by-step process that you can work through, just as

you had to work through a number of thoughts to let that negative

voice start taking over. It interrupts the cycle of feeling badly

immediately and starts a cycle of positive reinforcement that

builds you up step by step, rather than trying to combat specific

worries with vague feel-good thoughts.

Starting S.T.O.P. and Keeping it Going

Like any good habit, the S.T.O.P. method takes about sixty days

to cultivate. This is why it is important to begin practicing it

now. You likely have a very long, well-established habit of

thinking negatively, so it is important to give your new, healthy

habit time to take root as soon as you can. Start with the

technique right away, even as you read this article. If you find

yourself feeling silly for saying " STOP " out loud, say it

again! Beginnings are always a challenge, but you can and will do

it.

Also, it is important to note that this technique is built on

real results. That positive reinforcement you're giving yourself

gets even stronger when you tie it to a specific, measurable goal

that you have set and achieved. Go back to your food journal and

show yourself how many calories you've cut out of your diet, and

PRAISE yourself for them. Compare where you are to your OUTCOME,

and tell yourself just how far you've made it. Take every

advantage you can, and integrate the S.T.O.P. habit into your

other habits.

The important thing to remember is that this is one more small,

but strong step you can take. Journeys and problems are broken

down piece by piece, they never happen all at once. You don't

have to focus on 'losing weight,' but on accomplishing this

specific habit. When you manage to take on these habits a bit at

a time, the weight loss will follow as naturally as waking

follows sleep. Good luck. You can do it.

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Larry Tobin is the co-creator of

http://www.HabitChanger.com/ offering effective

and empowering solutions for losing weight.

Try our 42-day weight loss program at:

http://www.habitchanger.com/losingweight