Negative self-talk is a destructive habit and part of an essential defense mechanism that we often develop to protect ourselves. Many people end up talking themselves out of actions that may be scary or uncomfortable. "I can't do this" is really just a way of saying "I don't want to deal with the experience of doing this." We are all strongly influenced by our feelings, often determining how and what action we ultimately take. If the feeling is uncomfortable, negative self-talk results; then we often decide not to take any action at all.
Many people assume that if a past experience produced a certain result, there is nothing they can do to change that experience in order to produce a different result. "I've tried every diet there is. I know what I should do; I just can't do it." Please understand that you can make the choice not to repeat old patterns of eating, non-exercise, and negative thinking. You have the ability to choose the emotions you have. If you don't like feeling guilty, frustrated, or doubtful, you can choose not to. You, and no one else, must decide what is comfortable for you. In order to become successful at making healthy choices, you must avoid negative self-talk and start practicing positive thinking.
Positive or negative self-talk plays a big part in your decisions. Be on the "look-out for negative self-talk and notice how it influences your choices; notice how it can negatively affect your efforts to change. For example, perhaps you've just returned from a week's vacation where you took a break from exercise and low-fat eating. You tell yourself, "I feel so fat. I'm back where I started." You feel guilty and frustrated. "I don't have enough will-power to start all over again. Maybe I'm just meant to be overweight." Feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, you give up.
First, reflect on the feelings you had before you decided to give up. You basically told yourself that the healthy habits you learned before your vacation were all for nothing and that you have to start over. Ask yourself if these feelings are reasonable. Are you really back to ground zero? Of course not. You accepted change and developed a new way of living; these skills are yours forever. The vacation might even have done you some good: everyone needs a break sometimes. Otherwise, you might have felt deprived and not really enjoyed yourself. It's time now to tell yourself: "It felt good eating whatever I wanted and taking a break from exercising; I had a great time. But now I'm going to focus back on the low-fat, active lifestyle I was enjoying before vacation. There is no reason to beat myself up; I'll just take it one day at a time." Now you can rethink your previous decision and take action that will move you forward towards more positive change.
As you begin to understand your reasons for negative self-talk, you'll findyourself recognizing it more and more quickly after it occurs. Eventually, as you practice, you'll be able to recognize and stop negative self-talk before it interferes with your decisions.
It is very important to practice positive thinking and to remind yourself that you're a worthwhile person whatever you do. Try to consistently acknowledge that you are making positive changes to improve your health. You should be proud of yourself. Visualize yourself as capable, happy, and confident. These positive feelings will help the process of change. Remember, there are bound to be times when you're feeling frustrated or depressed. Positive thinkers know that these feelings are valid, and they don't try to ignore them. Positive thinkers acknowledge and try to understand them, but they don't blame themselves for the conditions that lead to these feelings. Good luck, stay positive, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy lifestyle!

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When it comes to losing weight, the following eight food strategies have helped thousands of my personal clients achieve their goals. Go ahead and give them a shot!
Fiber -- Both types of fiber, insoluble and soluble can help your weight loss efforts.
Insoluble fiber provides volume to food without adding a lot of calories. Foods rich in insoluble fiber include high fiber cereal, whole wheat bread, wheat bran, fruits and vegetables.
Soluble fiber helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, which in turn can better control hunger and cravings. Also, this type of fiber slows down the transit time of food in your gut, so it may keep you fuller for longer. Foods rich in soluble fiber include strawberries, apples, pears, oatmeal, chickpeas, and beans.
Juicy Foods -- Fruits and veggies with a high water content "built into the food" helps to fill you up, so you'll eat less collectively throughout the day. Go for watermelon, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, mushrooms, grapefruit, and cantaloupe.
Lean Protein -- Protein can slightly rev your metabolism after ingestion (more so than carbs and fat). Be sure to include some type of lean protein with every meal. Good sources include chicken breast, canned light tuna, wild salmon (fresh and canned), egg whites, crab, shrimp, tilapia, turkey breast, tofu, lean red meat, low-fat dairy, beans and lentils.
Foods That Make You Work -- People eat less of the very same foods when they require a bit of work. For example, buy shelled peanuts versus unshelled peanuts and prepare soybeans in the pod versus the straight bean.
Sugarless Gum -- Contrary to what people think, sugarless gum does not stimulate your appetite. In fact, it's a great way to give your taste buds a shot of flavor and prevent yourself from popping something caloric in your mouth. Keep a pack of sugarless gum on hand (or a pack of mints).
Hot Beverages -- Sipping a hot, low-cal beverage is a great way to stave off extra calories when you're looking to eat out of pure boredom. And because they're hot, you'll have to slowly sip over an extended period of time. Choose beverages under 100-calories such as green and herbal teas, diet hot cocoa, skim latte and cappuccino, and reduced sodium bouillon.
Spicy Food and Capsaicin -- Personal clients and research have reported that you're often satisfied with less food when the meal is spicy hot. Plus, you automatically eat slower and drink more water! If your taste buds can handle the heat, add chili peppers, hot sauce and salsa to your meals.
Pre-portioned Snacks -- There's no chance of overeating when you only have one portion in front of you. Try the following legalized snacks when you want something fun: 100-Calorie Pack, Glenny's soy crisps, Skinny Cow-Silhouette flying saucer, Healthy Pop mini bag microwave popcorn, Nature Valley granola bar, Pria bar, People Pop, Tootsie Pop, Weight Watchers ice cream pops, or a Swiss Miss/Jell-O fat free pudding.

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