Don't Believe Everything You Think.

[Elizabeth Anderson RD 669]

"Serenity Now!" Remember this infamous line from the show Seinfeld? If only clearing out our self-limiting thoughts was so easy. Bariatric Dietitian Elizabeth Anderson explains why the effort is well worth your time.

I have a light blue car. I really, really wanted a navy blue one but the affordable, gas-sipping car I found was ‘previously owned’ so I didn’t get to customize the color. I considered a paint job but decided it wasn't worth two thousand dollars to me. Still, it’s been a little hard to let it go.

Since that day two years ago, (and surprisingly not a day before,) I have seen no fewer than 6,324 navy blue Prius' near my home in southern NH. The New Hampshire DMV might disagree with my statistics but I am convinced. My materialistic heart longs for a dark blue Prius so my brain is highly sensitive to seeking out this particular colored car and miraculously noticing them everywhere. If perception is our reality, I have all the proof I need. And therein lies the trouble.

"The mind's job is to validate what it thinks." Byron Katie

This isn't good news for those of us who fill our heads with toxic thoughts/beliefs that we carry around 24/7. Think about it. How many affirming, positive statements do you say to yourself in the ever constant conversation going on in your head? Now, if you were able to record that conversation, how many thoughts/comments would be self-berating, self-defeating, pessimistic and negative? Is it any wonder we continue to struggle to make even a small change when we've set a course for failure before we even begin?

So what does this have to do with nutrition and weight and healthy eating? Um, everything. If you want, strive... ache to be lighter or leaner or simply healthier but you BELIEVE you are fat, gross, lazy and incapable of changing your life, you won’t.

A brilliant life coach named Brooke Castillo explains it to her clients this way: We all have circumstances that we cannot control. We think thoughts about these circumstances and those thoughts lead to feelings. Feelings lead to actions (or inaction) -- which can affect our circumstances and.... the loop continues.

If you are engaging in actions (overeating, eating like your pre-surgery days, drinking a little too much wine, etc.) that you can’t seem to control or don’t understand, start back at the beginning. Review your circumstances and try to really uncover all the thoughts you have about those circumstances. Journaling here is highly recommended. I am constantly surprised at what I type (I use a keyboard vs handwriting) when I'm madly trying to get out all my jangled thoughts. I tell my clients to do the same and strive to uncover as many thoughts as possible. The object is to expose unexamined thoughts/beliefs to fresh air. You might be shocked at what's really going on in your mind.

Only when you bring thought and beliefs to the surface can you decide if they are serving you or if they need immediate replacement. Sometimes the digging is treacherous and requires a good therapist. Go get one and then Celebrate the changing seasons by uprooting all the weeds holding back your best bloom yet!

[lisacaron 5,075]

My Grandmother and my mother always used to tell me to think twice before I did something. It's good advice because the second thought can be just the change in perception and perspective that you needed.

Thanks for sharing!