{"id":28528,"date":"2014-12-09T21:28:14","date_gmt":"2014-12-10T05:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=28528"},"modified":"2014-12-14T14:49:32","modified_gmt":"2014-12-14T22:49:32","slug":"how-to-attract-your-ideal-weight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-attract-your-ideal-weight\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Start Attracting Your Ideal Weight"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

Most of us forget that we are made of two main parts \u2013 mind and body, but they are interlinked together to make up the whole. People who struggle with weight tend to listen to their minds more than their bodies and have some of the following thoughts:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI shouldn\u2019t eat that, I\u2019ll gain weight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf I start eating this now, I won\u2019t be able to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll never be thin, so I\u2019ll just eat what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

This incessant mind chatter keeps you disconnected from your body that you\u2019re not aware of any internal symptoms or paying any attention to satiety signals. \u00a0If you listen to these thoughts and keep focusing on them, you\u2019ll always struggle with weight. Any healthy weight-maintainer will tell you that changing your thoughts is the most difficult part. How did they do it? By learning to listen to their bodies, eating consciously and slowly changing behaviors. As they did that, they realized that these thoughts were silly and completely false. From my research with healthy weight-maintainers and naturally slender people, I have learned that the following five behaviors will help you get started on your journey to attracting your ideal weight:<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0 Sit down to eat<\/strong><\/h1>\n

This act alone creates a better relationship with food. Eating is a behavior, and when sitting down to eat your food, you\u2019re being present and fully conscious of this behavior. If you stand and eat, you\u2019ll tend to be restless or you\u2019ll go do something else and return to your plate. In the end, you won\u2019t enjoy the eating experience and you\u2019ll want to eat more.<\/p>\n

2. \u00a0Rate your hunger<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Do you know when you\u2019re hungry and when you\u2019re full? Babies are very smart when it comes to feeding\u2014they cry when they\u2019re hungry, and if you force-feed them, they refuse to open their mouths. As they grow into young children, they understand language and form their own meanings. And unfortunately, they forget to listen to their body signals and instead listen to parents\u2019 and grandparents\u2019 instruction on how they should eat. There are no \u201cshoulds\u201d when it comes to hunger rating. Teach your body to recognize hunger and satiety signals so you can feed it just the right amount of calories at the right time. What\u2019s hunger? Hunger is when you feel a pang in your stomach and receive a message from the brain that you need to eat. You may also feel irritable, lightheaded, less alert and low in energy. In my seminars, I show people how to use the following Hunger Meter to recognize these signals instead of overeating or starving themselves, both of which can lead to weight issues:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Feeling\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Meter Reading\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Action\/Consequence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starving, too hungry to eat anything\u00a0 1 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 eventually overeat<\/p>\n

Slightly to moderately hungry\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 eat<\/p>\n

Satisfied, hunger feeling gone\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 stop eating now<\/p>\n

Full, stomach pushing on ribs\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ate slightly more<\/p>\n

Stuffed, stomach pain\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 overate, not happy<\/p>\n

Eating food gives you energy, and it can be enjoyable and pleasurable, but when we overeat at 1 or 5, it causes us pain instead. Naturally thin people and weight-maintainers have learned how to eat when the body\u2019s natural meter is at 2 and stop eating at 3.<\/p>\n

3. \u00a0Eliminate distractions<\/strong><\/h1>\n

With an increase in the use of technological devices such as smart phones and tablets, most of us have moved away from giving our food attention or listening to our body, because we\u2019re multitasking. Whether it\u2019s tweeting, sharing, texting or messaging, you\u2019re taking your concentration away from mindful eating. Similarly, driving and eating or watching TV when eating creates distraction and keeps you from noticing your food and enjoying it. When that happens, your mind will say, \u201cI didn\u2019t see you eat all that.\u201d Because your body is connected to your mind, your body will feel as if it didn\u2019t have enough, leaving you wanting more. But when mind and body are connected in the act of eating, your body will derive pleasure from the eating experience. Create the rule for yourself that you\u2019ll stay away from technological devices (unless you\u2019re on call) while eating a meal.<\/p>\n

4. Focus on the pleasure<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Pleasure is a feeling and is created when you\u2019re fully engaged\u2014mind, body, soul\u2014in a certain activity.\u00a0 Eating your food consciously and when hungry (meter reading 2) creates pleasure for your whole system. Mindful eating means taking the time to enjoy your food\u2014its taste, smell and texture and how it makes you feel in the moment. Weight-maintainers say that when they\u2019re hungry, eat what they want and eat mindfully, they tend to eat less than they used to. In addition, they don\u2019t feel deprived or suffer from crazy cravings. And they continue doing something pleasurable and interesting after eating so that their mind is off of food. They may read a novel, go for a walk, watch a movie, play a board game or do a puzzle with the kids, play a musical instrument or engage in a hobby.<\/p>\n

5. \u00a0Notice your symptoms<\/strong><\/h1>\n

When you rate your hunger, sit while eating and eliminate distractions, you\u2019ll start recognizing internal symptoms. Like a scientist, become curious about your body and start experimenting with food. Notice and remember how a certain meal or food makes you feel right after eating and two hours later. Keep track of which foods make you feel light and energized and which ones make you feel heavy, slow or tired.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Zaheen Nanji is a resilience champion and teaches people how to embrace change and bounce back. She is also the author of an award-winning book, Attract Your Ideal Weight \u2013 8 Secrets of People Who Lose Weight and Keep it Off. She can be reached at http:\/\/www.attractyouridealweight.com<\/a>. The book is also available at http:\/\/www.amazon.com\u00a0<\/a> and other retailers.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From my research with healthy weight-maintainers and naturally slender people, I have learned that the following five behaviors will help you get started on your journey to attracting your ideal weight. 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