When was the last time you audibly exclaimed how great you are? That you are proud of yourself? As you lose weight, give yourself a verbal reminder of just how great you are — positive affirmations can give you quite the weight loss boost!
You have probably heard the saying before that the world is full of give and take. Beyond this, you could probably say that the world is full of givers and takers—as in those who are always ready and willing to give a hand and spread some love, and those who are perpetually on the taking end, those who need constant reminders that they are loved.
The problem is that give and take isn’t a perfect paradox. You can’t always be the giver. The more you give the less you have, and at a certain point if you aren’t taking anything then you aren’t going to have anything left to give—that is basic economics. Whether as the head of your office or the head of your household, you have probably experienced this first hand. At a certain point you have to stop giving, take a step back and figure out who is going to help you out.
This is something that troubles many people who struggle with obesity. As the giver you are constantly supporting those around you. You make your husband his favorite meals even though you know you shouldn’t eat them. You spend your evenings helping your children cram for an exam the next morning even though you wanted to go exercise—and your child should have started studying a week ago. You sacrifice your own well-being time and time again for things to run smoothly at home or at work, and then you reach the end of the day and are running on empty, and a good night of sleep isn’t enough to recuperate you.
Your body doesn’t just run on sustenance and sleep. You need love and support to keep going, yet so many people take on the role of the giver and don’t stop to accept any support. Now that you want to make lifestyle changes and lose weight you need to take a step back and accept support. To lose weight, you need more love—from yourself and from your loved ones.
It is a human trait to become comfortable with routine. We get into grooves and we stick to them. You get into the groove of being a giver, and your family members or co-workers get into the groove of being takers. But you need to take too, and you might be surprised just how much your family is willing to give when you give them the chance.
Making the decision to lose weight with medical weight loss is a big step. Be proud of yourself for it! Give yourself a big hug in the mirror and tell yourself how great you are doing—audibly. Remind yourself out loud that you are happy and smile about it. Research shows that projecting happiness can make you feel happier, so give being happy with yourself a try. Be open with your spouse and children about your concerns, and tell them how they can help you. By spreading the give and take, you can actually spread the love—and after all, love is all you need.