Nurture Your Mind and Mental Well-Being 

In addition to addressing your body and your physical health, you must also nurture your mind and mental well-being.  Your mind is a powerful force within you. 

Some of your difficulties with weight management may be related to emotional issues, an eating disorder, or even a psychiatric disorder that you may be suffering from.   As you prepare to lose weight and keep it off, new issues may come up that need to be addressed.  Old issues that were never dealt with properly may resurface. 

There are a number of psychological and emotional factors that can contribute to eating disorders and weight gain, as either a primary cause or as a secondary cause that is associated with some type of medical condition.  These include:

• using food to deal with and suppress feelings of anger, frustration, fear, loneliness, and sadness
• using food as a psychological defense for emotional emptiness
• using food as either a reward for something good or to deal with something bad
• using food as a body armour to deflect the sexual desires of others
  

If food has been a primary coping mechanism for you and you remove it,  you will face new challenges.  How will you deal with these new challenges?  What will you use a your new coping mechanism?

Having a plan, being prepared, identifying a support system, and taking the appropriate actions will make all the difference in your ultimate success.