Think slim 1260x542
31 Mar 2010

Think slim

3 mins to read
Get your head into gear for losing weight and keeping it off. Positive thinking expert and author Mark Stephen reveals how.


Only about five per cent of people who go on diets ever succeed permanently. The main thing that these five per cent have in common is their shift in attitude. The successful five per cent made the lifestyle change by changing their behaviour in order to succeed. Dieting, in the majority of cases doesn't work because you only make temporary changes to your food intake. When you become slim and reach your ideal weight, you are changing your behaviour at the unconscious level.

The most important person

Who is the most important person in the world? You. People who succeed in reaching and maintaining their ideal weight have made themselves number one.

This can be a challenge for today's men and women. Most put the needs of their families and their jobs first, whether they're primarily homemakers or workers, or juggling both roles. You need to plan to overcome this. Perhaps you could consider job-sharing or getting a baby sitter for a few daytime hours each week, or sign up for a course that will help you manage your time better; whatever path you take, you need to make some time for you.

Part of the problem with achieving slimness stems from people continually saying to themselves, ‘I don't have time.' The reality is, you cannot afford not to have time. I'm sure you realise that:

  • When you make time you feel better
  • When you make time, you will burn more fat
  • When you make time, you are another step closer to your goal

To succeed, you need to re-evaluate your priorities. You need to make time to go for a walk, to take a class or to go to the gym. You need to make your needs a priority and include your activities and meal preparation in your plans for each day.

The Four-Step Action Plan

I can guarantee that if I stopped 100 overweight people on the street tomorrow most of them would know two things they need to do to become slimmer:

  1. Eat properly
  2. Exercise more

Did you know that beyond the age of 25 years, the majority of adults put on about half a kilogram every year? As a result, by the time the average person reaches 50, many will be 11 kilograms or more overweight, even if they were the appropriate weight when they were young. This happens for a variety of reasons, but the reasons are just excuses. There are still plenty of trim and healthy people out there. These people for the most part are active, avoid overeating and drink plenty of water. They also think slim. So there are four steps to being slim:

  1. Eating properly
  2. Drinking more water
  3. Increasing activity
  4. Thinking slim

Eating properly

This includes both eating the right foods and eliminating the fat-storing foods. The more healthy and balanced your approach to eating, the faster you achieve your goal. The sooner you eliminate fat-storing foods like deep-fried chips, cakes and chocolate from your life, the sooner you will be in great shape. At the end of the day it is about choices that will support you in being trim rather than choosing foods that store as fat.

Drinking more water

Your body loses around 100 millilitres of water per hour. That is why you need to drink approximately two litres of water every day. Dehydration can cause lethargy and headaches. If you start to feel thirsty it is too late, you are already dehydrated. Your body is around 70 per cent water so get with the program and start drinking. Make drinking water something you do all day long.

Increasing activity

This includes both aerobic activity and strength training. Aerobic activity can be walking, cycling, jogging, sports, treadmill, gym classes and a range of other activities. Strength training includes weight-bearing exercises, such as lifting weights, and also specific exercises such as squats, push-ups and crunches. You need to make time to be more active. The more active you are, the more fat you burn. Start walking 20 minutes once a day. Build it up to 20 to 40 minutes twice a day and watch your body trim down.

Thinking slim

This is using the power of your mind to think slim from the inside out. Your mind is your most powerful ally in your plan to reach your ideal weight. Harness the power of your mind and you will be unstoppable. To be able to think slim includes:

  • Knowing how to control your emotional states
  • Accepting responsibility rather than making excuses
  • Understanding how to change habits
  • Eliminating limiting beliefs
  • Eliminating negative emotions
  • Setting effective goals and staying focused on the positive
  • Changing your thinking on the subconscious level
  • Using positive self-talk
  • Controlling stress

With so many options to get in shape and burn fat it is crucial you work out the plan that is right for you. Remember, the diet is nowhere near as important as your attitude. The key to any successful endeavour is getting started. Once you start and create some momentum you will be surprised at how easily you get into a routine.

Forget about losing weight and focus on what you do want. Remember, you are the most important person in the world. To succeed you need to make yourself a priority. When you make the time for fat-burning activities and meal preparation you will be closer to your goal.

When you start the four-step action plan you will finally have all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Remember the four steps. Eat right, drink more water, burn fat through activity and think slim. The best time to start is now.



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