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Day 1: I used to be that way...
You are so determined to make this program work. This time, you really want to stay on your weight-loss plan and reach your goal. But deep inside, you may be afraid you haven't changed at all and that you'll quit your program long before the 100 days are up.
Perhaps a tiny voice is reminding you of your past failures with dieting. In the beginning, you're always very excited and motivated. But after a few weeks, your enthusiasm drops, and without meaning to, you slip up.
Maybe you sneak an extra candy bar or a bowl of ice cream at the end of a bad day. Then you reason that, since you've already blown it, you can go ahead and eat more. Soon you get discouraged with your behavior and eventually you quit your diet completely, just like you always do.
Change your thinking
Stop right there! Your past does not determine your future. In fact, your previous failures have absolutely no effect on your ability to succeed now. Starting today, eliminate the belief that things always go a certain way or that you never stay with your goals. Whenever those doubts creep back in, immediately give yourself this new message:
I used to be that way, but now I'm different!
This powerful statement completely ignores whatever you did before and instead, it promises you can change your outcome entirely. Rather than being fearful that you'll repeat the past, build a new way of thinking.
Make up a new ending
Because now you're different, you can do anything. You can even create different endings for your old negative patterns. Suppose you've been worried because you "always gain your weight back." Come up with a new statement that describes what you can do to prevent this.
For example, you might say, "I used to give up on a diet after a few weeks. But now, I pull out my journal every day and use writing to keep myself on track."
When doubts creep in, remind yourself that now you handle life differently. Go ahead and invent entirely new outcomes for your goals, then remind yourself often about your ideas. Over time, these patterns will become permanent, and your dream of success will actually come true.
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