Our minds are powerful.
Not only does the brain control all of the body’s
functions, movements and reactions,
it also allows us to emote, remember, and think.

Our thoughts are also powerful.
 Lots of research shows that positive thinking
can help people be happier,
while negative thinking can make us feel bad,
reduce our self-worth, and diminish our chances
of reaching our goals.

If we don’t really believe we are capable
of something, we are less likely to try.
We create our own self-fulfilling prophecy.

Like Henry Ford said:
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t,
you’re probably right.” 

I work to keep my brain
from getting in the way of my goals.

We can achieve amazing things,
but we have to believe in ourselves,
even if no one else does.

Or, at the very least, stop telling ourselves
that we “can’t
or that we’ll fail again “just like we did before”.
A past failure at weight-loss, maintenance,
or anything else doesn’t dictate the future this time.
If anything, it makes us wiser and stronger for what’s ahead.

                       
  Something to Think About:

What's the difference between those of us
that have reached the weight goal we want to be
and those of us that have not?

Is it luck? Maybe
Is it hard work? YES
Is it vision? YES
Is it determination? YES
Is it focus? YES
Is it just circumstances? Maybe a little bit

After working hard to reach one’s weight goal,
would you start treating others as though they weren't good enough,
working hard enough, determined enough?

Or would you continue to understand
that people don't truly start moving forward
UNTIL THEY ARE TRULY READY to face their demons
and overcome their own personal recipe of life's obstacles?

Are you envious of those that are making serious progress
when you know that you are giving mediocre effort?

Are you resentful because you think some people don't have to try anymore
when they get to a certain point, and you still have to?

Do you realise that it gets harder and harder the closer you get to the end?

Life is the constant adaptation to your environment.

CONSTANT.

Not just until you get to the next rest stop.
CONSTANT. FOR EVERYONE.

No matter what point any of us are in when it comes to our struggle forward,
everyone is still pushing, worrying, trying, crawling, running, strangling,
suffocating under guilt, envious or jealous or sad, ready to collapse,
not satisfied with some result, self-conscious, lonely, misunderstood,
on the edge of giving up, starting over, moving on.

NO one is perfect.
No one has it all figured out.
No one is 100% done.
No one is completely confident.
No one has impenetrable self-esteem.

Successful people are just further ahead in some areas than others.

We are all successful.
And you can always choose to alter your own path
in pursuit of your own happiness.

 
The above article is a paraphrased portion of a post
that I really liked, from a fellow forum member.

 It so closely follows my own thinking,
that it is something that I could have written myself
...........but I didn’t.

People make an average of 200 food choices in a day.

All these decisions can deplete our limited mental "resources"
that govern our self-regulation.

That's one reason why, at the end of a hectic day, we can more easily overeat.
We lack the mental resources to say “no” to that first tempting cookie,
then of course, it is usually even harder to say "no to more of the same.

I have added another weekly recipe video to DietHobby.
You can click this link to see my low-calorie version of "Oatmeal Banana Nut Bars".
The video is located under RESOURCES, Sweet Tastes here at DietHobby.

What is Trust?

The dictionary definition is:
         "Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing"

There are areas of my life in which I can trust myself,
and other areas and situations in which I cannot be trusted by anyone.

I can trust myself to engage in positive behaviors in many areas,
yet in other areas and situations, I demonstrate very little positive ability or character.
For example, I can ordinarily be trusted not to steal,
but I cannot be trusted alone in a house
with a favorite sweet that I haven't had for some time.
......even if it is YOUR house.....

I can trust myself to consistently record all of my food-intake,
but I can't trust my own body to tell me
the amount that I need to eat to maintain my current weight.
My mind also sometimes lies to me about what I need to eat.

So...the wisdom of placing trust in oneself...can be situational.

                                 
                 

We spend so much time waiting to be loved,
hoping love will find us,
searching, yearning for that special love.

Feeling empty and lost without it.
Wanting someone to give us love and fill us up.
But, that’s not usually how life works.

Loving ourselves is the only dependable way
to create love in each of our own lives.

When we expect love from an external source,
and someone or something does not fulfill our void and fantasies,
then we will feel worse than before.

Each of us is perfect as we are right this minute,
even though we often don’t believe it.

It is also good to create more self-respect
which will help us to love ourselves.
Here are some behavior goals to help accomplish that.

Treat others with love and respect.

Be kind to others, even the “undeserving”.

Express yourself in a loving and nonthreatening way.

Let go of past events—you deserve a fresh beginning.

Forgive yourself – don’t punish yourself for your past behavior.

Focus your mind on positive statements.
DietHobby has a tool that can help you do this.
It is located under RESOURCES, Words of Wisdom Playlist.
Click the link, and at the top of the page, click "Play All",
which will cause each of the short videos to run back-to-back
so you can spend 5 or 10 minutes focused on positive statements.

Write down your experiences and feelings.
Allow yourself to feel good feelings and
when you remember bad experiences,
allow yourself to feel compassion for yourself.
Be willing to be present and accept your own pain and regret.
We can’t expect others to be validating,
and so we need to learn how to validate ourselves.

Work to look past “material” objects and feelings.
We all want nice things and someone to share our life with.
What do you really crave? Figuring out what you really want
will help you get to know yourself better.

Be persistent –work steadily at loving and accepting yourself,
just as you are right now.

Focus on what you HAVE accomplished,
rather than what you haven’t.

Hug the real you.

Be yourself, who you really are, express yourself, laugh, play sing,
and don’t be afraid of what others think. Most of them feel the same way
and want to express themselves, but are afraid to show it too.

Trust yourself—Learn to trust who you really are,
rather than blindly following the suggestions of other people.

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