Think Skinny

I have always struggled with self-esteem and body image issues. I have never been happy with my weight, but it has always been a battle for me to lose weight. Every time I step on the scale I feel bad about myself. Every time I look in the mirror I am ashamed that I have let myself gain so much weight. My clothes don't fit. I constantly think about food. I am fat.

Or at least, that's what I used to think. I've decided to change the way I view dieting, exercise, and losing weight.

In order to lose weight, I need to lose my lifestyle. In order to lose weight, I need to stop thinking like a fat person and start thinking skinny.

Picture the stereotypical skinny girl. She dutifully works out every morning as part of her routine. You see her jogging down the street in the early morning hours wearing some ridiculously tight spandex outfit. She brings celery as a snack at the office. She orders off of the light menu when she goes to restaurants. She is skinny and beautiful and all you've ever wanted to be. Start thinking like her. Bring out your "inner skinny".

Go throughout your day and take a look at your day to day life. Would a skinny girl sleep in until noon? Would a skinny girl start her day with two Pop-Tarts and a Coke? Would a skinny girl watch 5 hours of Law and Order just because it was on? No.

Stop looking at yourself as fat. Start looking at yourself as skinny. Pretend that this is the lifestyle you're used to. Think like a skinny girl and you probably won't make the same decisions that gained you weight in the first place.

Say this to yourself and believe this:

I am the type of person who avoids unhealthy snacking.

I am the type of person who wakes up early and exercises as part of my routine.

I enjoy cooking meals at home, rather than eating fast food.

I have confidence in myself and do not try to hide my body.

I value myself and my health, so I enjoy having a healthy lifestyle.

When you start thinking like a skinny person, when you start believing these statements, this will show through in your actions. Weight loss isn't a scary, unattainable goal. It's self-control, moderate exercising, and healthy eating. The biggest hurdle to losing weight is change. You're used to your lifestyle as it is. Once you get started and used to a different lifestyle, it's not that hard. You don't need pre-packaged weight loss meals, you don't need a personal trainer. What you need is self-motivation. Inspire yourself to lose weight. Don't see yourself as a fat person who never works out and eats all the time. See yourself as a skinny person who is already used to this healthy lifestyle. Make habits out of these healthy changes.