I've taken some time to do some research and explore the diet industry and familiarize myself with what's out there trying to crack the code, the mystery of why it's so hard, so very difficult for human beings to lose weight and keep it off. I've come up with some interesting hypothesis and I've decided to test them out on myself.

First of all, why, if the diet industry is a multi billion dollar industry, why doesn't it work? I have an answer. If it worked, there wouldn't be a multi billion dollar diet industry. There is no incentive for anyone who sells or promotes weight loss to have people keep the weight off so the answer cannot, does not lie in the diet industry.

So what's left? The medical industry? Nope, because they'll likely tell you that you should go on a diet. Try Jenny Craig, try Weight Watchers, try whatever works for you. Except, nothing works.

So is that it? Are we doomed? Is this such a difficult thing that it's very rare that anyone ever succeeds?

I think, that's what they want us to think. I think there is an answer but it's not out there anywhere, it's inside of us, everyone of us, if we let go of all the thoughts that prevent us from succeeding.

I'm going to give you some examples of thoughts I have that have defeated me in the past.

1. I can't give up sugar, I'd feel deprived
2. I have to give up sugar, I'm addicted to it
3. I always have cravings for carbs after dinner
4. I always have cravings for carbs before my period
5. I always lose traction on any diet around the 6 week mark.
6. Only 5% lose it all and keep it off, surely the odds are against me
7. My family is obese
8. I need to eat large amounts of highly nutritious food
9. I have to write everything down to lose weight
10. I have to workout every day for 1 hour to lose weight.

So one by one I'm debunking these thoughts for myself.

I've come up with a counter thought to undo the negative thought.

1. I can give up sugar.
2. I don't have to give up sugar to lose weight, but I can if I want to \
3. I don't have cravings for carbs after dinner anymore
4. I never have cravings for carbs before my period anymore
5. I never lose traction maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle
6. Says who? The diet industry, the medical profession? Billions of dollars and they still can't get us to lose weight and keep it off, their credibility is shot.
7. I'm not my family, I am me.
8. I need to eat nutritious food until I'm comfortably full and satisfied. Large portions are not necessary
9. I can write down whatever I want to or not write anything down
10. It is good to take part in activity that satisfies my soul and strengthens my body.

So those are just 10 thoughts that flit in and out of my mind that are negative. Some are my own doubts but some are planted by the diet industry itself in an attempt to lure me in to buying this or that product.

I've no problem with programs like Weight Watchers or other organisations as long as we understand that we may encounter validations of the negative thoughts that hold us back from truly succeeding.

If you believe you will be successful you will be successful. So now, I challenge you, come up with ten thoughts of your own that you believe must happen in order for you to be successful and then put a positive spin on them or debunct them if you can, particularly if they are defeating you.

I'm my own guinea pig here and I'll be working on changing the thoughts in my head that have held me back. We'll see how it goes. I want to be here two years from now, healthier and fitter than ever and I don't think my answer is out there, I think I have the answers for me right here inside my head and yours are inside you. You just have to turn them around, debunct those that can be proven to be untrue and move forward.

In the next post I'm going to go further into actual practical tools to make this work for you. Have your list ready.