| "True ease . . . comes from art, not chance, as those | | | | you. |
| move easiest who have learned to dance." | | | | If you face the music, you usually get less rather |
| Alexander Pope, poet, "An essay on criticism" | | | | than more wrenching pain and self-criticism. In fact, it |
| In weight loss circles, it is understood that people talk | | | | can be exhilarating to finally face a task that has |
| themselves and act themselves into self-defeating life | | | | been draining your energy with each thought that |
| patterns. | | | | occurs without action. |
| For example, you may have fully convinced yourself | | | | 2. Start the dance even if you don't hear the music. |
| that losing weight is too hard, too frightening, too | | | | Writers and other creative people often wait for the |
| much to give up. | | | | perfect moment of inspiration to overtake them |
| You'd like to do it; you know you have it in you, but | | | | before beginning a project. |
| you tell yourself that it would be excruciatingly | | | | While losing weight can take some planning, there is |
| difficult . . . painfully long. | | | | no better time to start than now. Why do diets |
| So you put off starting just as long as you can. | | | | always start on Monday or after the holidays? |
| Years pass. | | | | Don't wait! |
| But like the song you can't get out of your head, the | | | | The sooner you start, the better chance you will |
| extra weight continues to haunt you. | | | | have of making progress, whether it is Monday or |
| You may even start the process over and over, feel | | | | not. |
| frustrated and stop again. | | | | 3. Move your feet. |
| Delaying the process only increases your fear. | | | | Don't think. Just do. |
| When you strengthen the pattern of starting and | | | | Go to the gym, walk outside, or step onto a |
| stopping yourself, you convince yourself that losing | | | | treadmill. Move your feet and see what happens. |
| weight is only a "pipedream". | | | | Maybe it will only last 5 minutes. But at least you are |
| The task seems nearly impossible, so you continue | | | | doing something and you don't have time to talk |
| the vicious cycle by avoiding. | | | | yourself out of it. This is a proven strategy that |
| As you procrastinate in this way, your beliefs and | | | | works for people who struggle with motivation and |
| fears intensify your fright and reinforce your avoiding | | | | need to get going. |
| behavior. | | | | 4. Fill your dance card. |
| Each time, you think about losing weight-how nice it | | | | Write down a list of action steps (buy the foods you |
| would be to be thin, how nice it would be to have | | | | plan to use, work out an exercise schedule, etc). |
| more energy, fit into your clothes, look and feel | | | | Make the steps as specific as possible. Make them as |
| better-and each time, you stop yourself from | | | | small as necessary to move you to action and move |
| starting. | | | | toward completing the process. |
| Oh, the energy you use to hold it off . . . | | | | Pick a small one (15 minutes or less) and do it today. |
| The only way to overcome this negative pattern is | | | | 5. Keep dancing. |
| to actively do what you are avoiding, without judging | | | | Make an agreement to be in motion for a short |
| or criticizing. | | | | period each day no matter what. It can be as short |
| Just as avoiding tends to reinforce negative patterns, | | | | as 5 minutes. Don't talk yourself out of it by making |
| taking action reinforces the positive if you keep | | | | excuses such as "that will only be a drop in the |
| moving toward your goal. Remember that people | | | | bucket". You may get inspired to do more, but you |
| don't generally regret the actions they have taken in | | | | don't have to. |
| their lives as much as those actions left undone. | | | | That way, you avoid power struggles with yourself. |
| In the process of losing weight, there are a lot of | | | | You can quit after your committed amount of time |
| opportunities for turning back. The world is full of | | | | with a clear conscience, or do more � your |
| people who sabotage themselves and never "get to | | | | choice. |
| the finish line". | | | | Here's to dancing! |
| Don't be one of them. | | | | Get your free 60-minute audio training "6 Powerful |
| Here are 5 strategies to forward your momentum | | | | Strategies to Lasting Weight Loss" Carol Solomon, |
| and let the dancing begin: | | | | Ph.D. Psychologist and personal coach, specializes in |
| 1. Face the music | | | | helping people stop binge eating, and turn off the |
| Whatever you are unwilling to confront will control | | | | drive to overeat. |