Just Do It!

When you see those words "Just Do It", what instantly comes to mind?  I am willing to bet you were seeing the Nike "swoosh" before you got to the word "it"!  Why? Our brains are wonderful computers for making associations.

If you think about it a little more, you'll admit you are probably *programmed* to associate many sights, sounds  and smells - as well as words - with FOOD and eating!

Try reading these words:

Movies
Carnival
Thanksgiving
Birthday

Did you instantly visualize:

Popcorn
Corn Dog ( or funnel cake - depending where you live!)
Turkey with all the trimmings
Cake

This instant association of people, places and things to fattening foods can lead to overeating and destruction of a healthy eating plan.
But luckily, we can use the same power of association to program ourselves to do something else instead of eating. Especially at holiday time.

Here is the newest thing to put in your weight loss "tool box":

There's no mistaking what it stands for, is there?

STOP.

Here's how to use this mind - tool. We mentioned self-talk before and what a powerful technique it is just to start thinking of yourself as a healthy-eater. The things you say to yourself are important!

"I don't eat junk food."

"I used to drink real soda, but I don't anymore."

"I only eat small portions."

"I only eat when I am hungry."

Simple thoughts, but if you say them to yourself enough, you begin believing them and seeing yourself as someone who has a completely new, different way of relating to food, and eating. Each time self-talk prevents you form over-eating, you  gain new confidence -- and food isn't as powerful over you as it used to be.

Use the stop sign as an extra image to visualize when you are in a situation that tempts you to steer off course.

Let's say you have had breakfast, a snack, lunch, and a healthy snack like triscuits and string cheese. It's 3 p.m. and a colleague's retirement party is starting - complete with iced cake, nuts, mints, chips and punch. You really aren't hungry and you aren't even really craving sugar, but ...it's there. What do you do? When you are at the party, near the buffet, just visualize

.

You can use it anyway you want -- you might say to yourself, stop - do I really want this enough to blow my eating plan for today?  The stop sign gives you time to re-group and make a decision. Even if the decision is that you will have a small piece of cake and then hit the gym for an hour!

So when it comes to using visualization techniques...just ...