The one skill you must have to lose weight, get healthy

How many times have you promised yourself you were going to eat right, start exercising, lose weight, get healthy? I made those promises to myself for over 30 years, experiencing some success, only to undo it and start over again and again and again. My weight was a literal battleground as I bounced from one diet and/or obsessive exercise routine to another. I was in a constant war with myself that included plenty of guilt, shame and punishment.

What was wrong with me? Why did food have so much power over me? Why did I allow it to rule my life? Was I lacking some magic motivation gene or willpower chromosome? Around age 45, I began to take a closer look at my way of life and the choices I was making. I realized I wasn’t missing anything. I had simply lost faith in myself.

It may come as a surprise to you as it did to me, but losing weight and getting healthy for life doesn’t have to be complicated. Chances are you already know exactly what to do. You just don’t do it. Most people think they need a lot of motivation and willpower. You don’t even need that. What you must have is self-belief. If you’ve stopped believing in yourself, the first step toward losing weight and getting healthy is to rehabilitate your word.

To regain trust in yourself, make a list of actions or tasks that you’ve been putting off that would make a difference in your life if you completed them. They can be small, easy actions, like returning a phone call, filing some paperwork, cleaning out your purse or closet… Or, they can be significant like clearing up a misunderstanding with a friend or family member or volunteering for a charity project. Don’t get stuck on the magnitude of the action. It doesn’t have to be a giant step like getting married/divorced or going back to school—although it could be.

Sometimes just clearing off your workspace or calling for a medical checkup or hair appointment can give you a breath of mental fresh air. There’s no right or wrong. Just do it. Make a list of 3-5 things each day. As you check items off of this list, your brain will get the message: When he/she says something is going to be done, it gets done. You are retraining your subconscious mind to know that your word is golden.

If you have this one skill—the ability to keep your word—you will accomplish what you set out to do, no motivation or willpower required. I will ________ (exercise, choose healthy food, eat smaller portions, drink more water, etc.) because I said I would.

Weight loss doesn’t begin with a diet. It starts with a decision. What’s on your healthy to-do list? Start trusting yourself to get the job done, one step, one day, one decision at a time.