Are you ready to enjoy food in a different way?

I know that this section may seem a little insane to some people, but as you are progressing on your programs, I just wanted to present you with the challenge of starting to look at food a little differently. For example, when I look back on my own personal life cycle and views of food, my mindset probably changed in the following order: 1. Start: Very enthusiastic about what I was doing for myself, but missed my old comfort foods and was not happy about it. In fact, it often made me very annoyed. 2. Starting Stage: Still longed for my old comfort foods and couldn't really see myself happy in life without them. 3. Midway Point: Began to realize that I was perfectly fine without the foods that I used to turn to for support, comfort, or stress. 4. Last Mile: Came to the realization that I could enjoy anything I wanted, but I just needed to enjoy things in moderation and have checks and balances in my life. 5. Goal Weight: Came to the understanding that if I enjoyed a treat, it had consequences. Meaning, if I wanted a moment of bliss, it meant 30 minutes on the treadmill. And, nothing is worth that! 6. Maintenance and Transition (year 1): Had insight that the foods that I put into my body have a direct impact on my overall body composition. So, the more I ensured I was eating lean meats, vegetables, and working out consistently, the more progress I made at the gym. And, the better the results looked in the mirror. 7. Maintenance and Transition (year 2-4): Came to such an appreciation of how nutrition can impact your body that I have truly become grossed out by many of the things that I once loved. In fact, while I certainly do still enjoy the occasional treats, some foods are simply nasty and I refuse to touch them. Of course, the majority of these foods that I feel this way about are the same foods that I used to snuggle up with for temporary comfort or stress management. So, where am I taking you with all of this? My point with this walk down memory lane is to hopefully demonstrate the modifications in my own thought processes over the years. I often read posts from people wondering when they will ever change and I can absolutely say that I used to wonder the same thing too. But, what really seemed to make the biggest difference for me was when I began to change my own views on food. When I no longer viewed it so much from the perspective of just weight loss, but more importantly, from the perspective of how the foods that I was eating could help me to change the look of my body. And, in doing so, I suddenly found myself grossed out by the same foods that I used to love. So, as you progress forward, don't think for a moment that you have to wait until you have reached your goal weight to begin this new mindset. In fact, I only wish today that I had started down the path sooner. So, with each shake you digest or healthy meal you enjoy, think about what the food is doing for you and how you can take advantage of it through exercise and fitness. And, the more you see the results in the mirror, the more you'll see the results in the way you are thinking and reacting in a different manner to the foods that you once loved. To learn more about subjects like this and to start changing your body, please visit us at New Lifestyle Diet.

Hamilton Erridge is a weight loss professional. New Lifestyle Diet helps people lose weight and stay healthy by providing information and resources that help people make a lifestyle change so that the extra pounds shed are never put back on.