It is commonly believed that 55% of smokers are in avoidance, 30% are in contemplation and a mere 10% are ready for action. The statistics are even worse when it comes to losing weight. Why is this? Many times, the mind is so opposed to change that it will throw up all kinds of impediments. Many thoughts stop us cold in our tracks. Fear - fear of pain, failure, criticism, disapproval, rejection, and difficulty - kills one’s will to change.

Losing weight is perhaps the most popular change that people want to achieve. It is also the most difficult. When it comes to achievement, only 6% of people are able to lose at least 10% of their body weight and only 8% are able to keep this weight off. This shows how difficult it is for the average person to [tag-ice]lose weight[/tag-ice]. Most people go on yo-yo diets for years and NEVER achieve success. Remember, these are the same highly successful, brilliant people who are at the forefront of their respective professions. You will find courageous men breaking out into sweat when they speak about their forays into the world of [tag-ice]weight loss[/tag-ice]. Women often swear that they have tried just about EVERYTHING, but the scales just don’t dip! Given the fast-food culture and endless rounds of parties that make up our daily life, people become fat right from their infancy. They carry oodles of additional fat all through their lives and march roly-poly to their early graves. Even awareness of the danger that they are in does not make much of an impact. Most people are helpless anyway. Losing weight requires more will power than just about anything else in this world. Slimming down substantially and then keeping it off requires a complete change in lifestyle. Many of the much-loved things and comforts will have to be forsaken. New habits and new likes will have to replace the redundant practices. This is, in itself, a major challenge. Not many proceed beyond this. Given below are some of the fundamental behavioral changes that help to initiate weight loss:

-Changing the type of food that one is accustomed to for a major part of one’s life
-Changing the pattern of eating (again, this is a habit that a person has developed over the years)
-Changing portion sizes (this is perhaps the toughest of all)
-Doing exercise and other physical activity

Making even one of the above changes needs a lot of grit and determination. Imagine a person who loves rich chocolate cakes having to do with salads and crackers. Most people may successfully conquer boardrooms. But they lose the battle with their palates. Resisting rich food is something that most overweight people just cannot bear to do. Wafers, potato crisps, burgers and soft drinks are so much a part of our lifestyle that replacing them with fruits, salads and whole grains is not only boring but almost painful. A person who is accustomed to consuming whole buckets of ice cream will suddenly have to turn his hungry eyes away. Believe me, the strongest of us cannot say “no” to our taste buds and our stomachs. Keeping oneself within the stipulated portion size is another long drawn out battle. Most people are used to eating till they FEEL full. There is a BIG difference between feeling full and eating enough. Did you know that the brain takes almost 8 minutes to signal that feeling of fullness to us? Most of us eat so fast that we have already stuffed ourselves like crazy within those crucial minutes.

Once a person starts a diet, he has to conscientiously stick to the new portion sizes. This means going with an empty feeling for the major part of the day. This can be excruciating during the first few weeks. Having to go hungry for the better part of the day, every day, for many months is a sheer test of will. Something will have to give! Exercises are an important part of losing weight. How many times have you thought to yourself that you will start exercising from the next week, the next month or perhaps the next year? This is perhaps the most made-to-be-broken New Year’s resolution ever. And if truth be told, it really is not very easy to drag yourself to the nearest gym or club and start walking on the dreadful treadmill. At least not till it has become a habit. Again, your will and determination is put sorely to the test.

An interesting part of losing weight is what is called “hitting a plateau”. This is that stage when you have lost a number of pounds, but then seem to get stuck suddenly. You are doing it all - eating less, exercising like crazy, and drinking lots of fluids. But the scales just don’t budge. They stubbornly stick to the same figure. Things were going quite well for those first few weeks, but suddenly your body gets smart and decides to pull a fast one on you. Frustration really peaks at this stage. There is some yummy dessert waiting just round the street. This battle can break even the strongest will. In a nutshell, the one big resource that a person needs to make such a major [tag-ice]change[/tag-ice] is an iron will. Sheer strength of mind and bullheaded determination over an extended period of time are the only keys to successful weight loss. When it comes down to the brass tacks, it’s all in the mind. If you can continue to motivate yourself through the ups and downs of this harrowing battle, you will succeed. But that is easier said than done. This fact is proved by the millions of men and women who have lost weight sporadically, only to pile it all back.

So, how does one keep the mind on the right track?

Using [tag-ice]self hypnosis[/tag-ice] you can conquer anything that requires an effort of will. Self hypnosis is all about strengthening and building your will. Once your will is strong enough, nothing can stop you. Your body grows healthier and stronger when you eat the right food. So also, your [tag-ice]mind[/tag-ice] will become stronger and more resilient when you practice very simple techniques. Remember, most changes that we seek to make are often defeated because we cannot follow through. Many people can believe it only after they experience it. People have been regularly using these techniques to quit smoking, chuck an addiction, improve relationships, get better sleep, etc. The yogis in ancient India have been practicing this for millions of years. Why wouldn’t you?