Doing everything right but not losing weight?

This is a question most of us have asked, but for some, it’s a constant worry. How ever, it might not be what we’re eating that’s preventing us from losing weight.

From old wives’ tales to modern formulas, we’ve all tried at least one way to slim down. And some methods are stranger than others. I once tried the apple diet: I ate only apples, red or green, boiled or juiced, for a week.

Never mind the obvious lack of nutrition; you’re not exactly spoilt for choice. The day my apple diet ended, I went back to my unhealthy habits. So, technically, the diet didn’t work.

Afterwards I wondered why I had even dieted in the first place. I never thought I was fat. My friend did. I wanted to fit-in to my social circle and my jeans.

I’ve since realised the only opinion I have to take into account when it comes to my body is my own. But in a society bombarded with images of skinny models baring all, it’s hard to come to terms with that. So we try and change through dieting and exercising. And sometimes, despite our best efforts, nothing works.

Why, with all the knowledge of healthy weight-loss at our disposal, aren’t we getting it right in the long-term?

For starters, the desire to lose weight begins in the mind. We are all driven by different things. So, before you embark on a ‘ditch the fat’ crusade, consider why you want to slim down.

If you’re doing it for the wrong reasons it probably would not work. Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to lose weight, we defeat the purpose.

When you decide to embark on a weight loss programme because you are trying to please someone else, figure out why you think being thinner will make you feel better and, instead, work on that.

Once you find out where your insecurity comes from, you will be much better-equipped to lose weight, and although changing the way you feel about yourself is a big task, it is not impossible.

Science has proven that we can rewire our brains. All of our beliefs (including those pertaining to weight-loss) are contained in neural pathways. Each time you think anything, it is communicated through your neurons in tiny electro-chemical messages.

The first time you have an experience or learn something, chances are a new pathway is formed.

The next time you have that experience, your brain will search to see if you have experienced it before and, if you have, it will follow the same path.

The more often you have that experience or think that thought, the more physically complex and durable the neural pathway holding that thought becomes.

This is how habits are formed. If you are wondering what this has to do with weight-loss, the answer is that, above the necessity to exercise and eat well, if you want to succeed you need to cut the ‘mental fat’ which will then lead to cutting the waistline fat.

Look at the patterns and habits you are dragging around that get in the way of success.

When you are trying to improve your lifestyle and diet, most people do well until some emotional factor derails their progress. Whatever the reason, the pattern needs to change.

If you want to be successful and to do it effectively, you need to create stronger neural pathways to override the patterns you have already created. Two things can help you do this: repetition and intense emotion.

The first step is to stir and feel intense, negative emotions about what you wish to change. Secondly, select an alternate positive behaviour pattern with stronger positive emotions (feeling healthy and knowing you are being kind to your body).

Then reward yourself with praise each time you replace the old pattern and make a point of repeating this as often as possible. If you do this frequently enough, the new picture will become stronger and you will not dream of reaching for the chocolate because it will literally put you off.

But neural pathways and exercise aside, you do still need to eat what is healthy for you. You are what you eat.

Everyone’s body is different and although you might be eating what you think is healthy, it does not mean your body agrees. For example we are misled into believing we need to eat massive amounts of fruit, which is often high in sugar and it does not stop at fruit.

Wheat, iron, salt and even meat can prevent you from shedding weight. You might need to change one or two small things in your diet to see weight-loss. Because everyone is unique, you should consult a nutritionist to assist you in making the right choices about what weight-loss regimen will work best for you.

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