7 Keys to Weight Loss

The 7 keys to weight loss freedom according to Dr. Phil are as follows:

• Develop the Right Thinking  — Simply put, Dr. Phil is saying that in order for one to be successful in his weight loss campaign, he must, deep in his heart and mind, believe beyond doubt that he CAN succeed and achieve his desired weight loss results. Otherwise, no weight loss program he undertakes will ever get off the ground or stay successful over a long period of time.

• Develop Healing Feelings — Dr. Phil attempts to deal with emotional eating by focusing the dieter's attention on the fact that it exists. More often than not, when we are sad, we look for ways to gratify ourselves to make us feel better. Unknowingly, most of the time, we turn to food. Dr Phil advises dieters to understand that this thing happens and that they must put this urge to overeat to assuage hurt feelings under control. He advises doing something else that is equally gratifying like taking a stroll or soaking in a warm and relaxing bath.

• Create a 'No-Fail' Environment — It's a fact that when food is accessible to us, we tend to overeat. Dr. Phil suggests getting rid of junk food in the house so that when we get the urge to binge, we will have nothing to binge on except maybe healthy fruits and vegetables. In the long run, if we keep doing this, we will be assuring ourselves of a long and healthy life.

• Develop Mastery Over Food and Overeating — Dr. Phil urges dieters to be in control of their urges. Control your food and do not let food control you. Psychologists believe that there are certain times of the day or places in the house that tend to stimulate a desire to eat. Dr. Phil recommends that you know exactly when this happens and where it happens to you. If, for instance, you normally get hungry at 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon, then schedule something at that time to make sure you don't overeat. Also, avoid sitting or hanging out in places in the house where you normally eat as this may trigger an urge to consume food.

• Eat High-Response and High Nutrition Foods — Dr. Phil recommends that, instead of always eating junk food or processed food that are quick to prepare and quick to scarf down, one should develop the taste for healthy and natural foods that are high in fiber and are more nutritious. His belief is that foods that take longer to prepare are less likely to be binged on. Most of the time, these foods are natural and healthier unlike those that are processed like chips and crackers and fast-food fare like fatty hamburgers.

• Do Intentional Exercise — Dr. Phil recommends that we plan out our exercises. He adds that exercise is necessary for a weight loss program to be successful in the long term. There is no way we can maintain whatever weight loss we achieve without incorporating exercise in our day-to-day schedule. This is why he wants exercises to be planned and to be undertaken even if we may not regard it as enjoyable. He believes that, if we do this, time will come when exercise won't be as bad anymore.
  
• Maintain Supportive Friends — It is very important that we maintain a circle of friends and relatives who will provide us with the much-needed support during the difficult period of our diet and weight loss program. If we continually immerse ourselves among friends that are living unhealthy lives then the chances of our being successful in our diet plan is next to nil. Dr. Phil's idea is not just to take on a diet plan but also to embark on a new and healthy lifestyle.  We cannot do this if we persist in living among people who do not believe a healthy lifestyle is desirable. Dieting is difficult and we will need all the support we can get.