When it comes to manageable weight loss, many of us are skeptical, because we’ve been through endless diets and nutrition plans. In addition, it can be difficult to think about our weight because we live in a society driven largely by food-based activities. When addressing the subjects of food, nutrition and weight- it’s about changing your beliefs, approach and relationship towards food and physical activity.

While food and physical activity are important, they are only part of managing weight and improving your health; there is a large mental component as well. Telling a person to simply eat more fruits and vegetables isn’t enough, nor does it typically work. Most of us have heard these messages before, yet still struggle to change our eating habits. This is because our views and emotions can limit our success by setting up a pattern of negative thoughts, impacting our confidence and behaviors.

The key to losing weight, besides eating healthy and moving your body, is to uncover the emotional, behavioral and mental elements around your weight, eating and food.

Start by identifying some of your negative thoughts and feelings around the topics of weight, eating or food. Then jot them down, without judgement, and for each negative thought you have, write down next to it a more loving and supportive thought. For example- old thought: ‘I am too tired to work out.’ New and supportive thought: ‘I have plenty of energy and motivation to work out everyday!’ The more you repeat those supportive thoughts to yourself the more you will turn down the mental chatter that is in your way, and the more you will increase the volume of your own best self to tackle any health goal.

Adriana Covell, CN, HHP, NBC-HWC is a Certified Life Coach and a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and specializes in weight management, behavior modification and emotional health at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness. To learn more or to sign up for the upcoming Mind Over Weight Matters four-week series beginning April 13, please call 530-539-6620 or visit BartonOrthopedicsAndWellness.com.