Permanent Weight Loss: Dr. Barbara L Katz
I was a yo-yo dieter for over 40 years – until I learned about thought work.
“Thought work was the piece that was missing from the numerous diets that I tried.”
Thought work was the piece that was missing from the numerous diets that I tried. I’m excited to share with you this tool which will make it much easier to maintain your desired weight.
Thought Work:
When you use thought work, you examine your thoughts about food and eating, and if those thoughts hinder you from achieving your goals, you replace them with new, believable thoughts that benefit and motivate you.
We think approximately 60,000 thoughts each day. However, only some of our thoughts are true or helpful. After thinking a thought, you then have a feeling about that thought. The feeling that you have then makes you want to do (or not do) something. Whatever you do (or don’t do) gives you a result, such as weight loss.
By using thought work, I started thinking about eating as a way to provide fuel for my body – rather than as a primary source of entertainment. I then listed the foods I enjoyed eating that would provide that fuel. Moreover, I aimed to remain energetic as I aged while eating delicious foods that would support my health. I also wanted to avoid illnesses linked to a poor diet and to stay mentally clear.
I planned my meals using primarily non-processed foods that I enjoyed. And I decided to eat less of those foods that decreased my energy or caused joint aches or abdominal pain.
Process Negative Emotions:
In the past, food and dining out were my primary source of entertainment. Today, I use eating occasions with friends and family as social opportunities rather than making them mostly about food. I have also learned to feel and process negative emotions, like stress and anxiety, rather than eating to avoid those emotions. And I’ve even learned how to celebrate happy occasions without overeating!
Learning to think about and use food as a source of fuel rather than for entertainment is very powerful. I am not perfect; however, it is possible to lose weight permanently by eating to fuel your body – most of the time.
An easy way to describe how using thought work can change your weight is by considering eating on holidays or vacations. You may have thoughts about the foods or meals you anticipate. For example, if you’re eagerly looking forward to your mother’s special pie on Thanksgiving, you may think you can’t celebrate Thanksgiving without eating that pie.
When you focus on the pie, you will feel an over-desire for that pie. When you feel over-desire or cravings for foods or eating experiences, you tend to eat (or overeat) in ways that, if done frequently, lead to weight gain.
“When you focus on the pie, you will feel an over-desire for that pie.”
Change Your Thoughts:
You can decide whether to eat those “special” foods when you change your thoughts about eating and food. You can also choose how much of any food you plan to eat. When you change your eating behaviors, you can permanently change your weight.
Changing your thoughts about food is more complex than just deciding to change your thoughts. It takes time, practice, and sometimes “baby steps” to think of “believable” thoughts to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Once you have changed your thoughts, you can effectively change your feelings and actions.
It is often helpful to think about how you want to think around certain foods and to visualize yourself seeing those foods and acting in ways that will help you to achieve your goals.
Actions In Your Mind:
The better you can imagine yourself acting how you would like to, and the more frequently you rehearse those actions in your mind, the sooner you will start making better choices. I recently started teaching my clients some self-hypnosis tools to help them change and believe their new thoughts more quickly and easily. These new tools have been life-changing!
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About the Author:
Dr. Barbara L Katz is a physician, an Advanced Certified Weight Loss Coach and a Life Coach for women over 50. She is CEO of Dr Barbara L Katz, Coaching and specializes in helping women over 50 to lose their excess weight for the last time without dieting or excessive exercise. She, herself, lost over 40 pounds in her 60s with the help of coaching. In her free time, she participates in dog obedience, agility, and therapy dog visits to the local children’s hospital with her 2 pugs.
As a coach, she helps women visualize themselves as their future selves, comfortable and controlled around all foods. You can sign up for her weekly posts on her website, https://drbarbaralkatzcoaching.com. Every week in your inbox, you will receive information about how to lose weight successfully and permanently without dieting.
