You know that feeling when you feel disgusted with yourself for eating too much ? You tell yourself “This Monday will be different! I am going to stick to a new diet?”

So how do you know if you’re ready to start making permanent change?

What is the difference between this Monday and the 10 other times you have started a new diet again?

Is it different because you’re so ashamed of yourself that you’re motivation is the reason it will work this time?

Well, I am going to tell you that self-hatred does NOT get you to your goals of losing weight!

I am going to teach you how to make this the last time you start a new diet!

So lets get cracking.

Here are 5 questions to answer to figure out if you are ready to lose weight ….

1. Why do you want to lose weight?

Write out your reasons; make sure they are not just superficial. By this I mean if your goal is to fit into a certain pair of pants and that is your main motivation- that is not a good enough reason.

Sure that can be one of the goals! But deeper goals are the ones that are in your heart. Here are some examples.

· My health is suffering.

· I want to get off certain medications.

· I want to teach my kids good habits.

· To stop myself up emotionally with food.

Journal all your feelings and highlight your top 3-5 reasons that are truly motivating

2. How much do you want to lose?

It is important to have goals, but have realistic goals. So pick 5 benchmarks to focus on. Write out what you believe it will feel like every time you hit a benchmark.

So, let’s say you weigh 240lbs. Your first benchmark may be to lose 10 pounds.

What would losing 10lbs do for you? What would if feel like to reach that first benchmark? How will that get you closer to the motivations you created?

This will help keep you feeling accomplished and on track.

3. Write out what food offers you

Many client come in my office and tell me they do not get much from food. When you dig deeper you will recognize you get something positive out of eating. What does food offer you?

For example:

· It t may soothe you

· It could distract you from deeper emotions

· It may be your reward at the end of the day

These are just a few, think of 5 things that food offers you!

4. How is your self-care?

Everyone has a different view of what self-care is. So I will ask you some more specific questions…

· Do you get enough sleep at night?

· Do you have some time for yourself daily ?

· Do you get time with your friends?

· Do you share household responsibilities?

Be honest with yourself. I understand you are busy and self-care sometimes becomes lower on the priority list, but without self-care it is very hard to reach your goals.This also may be something you need to learn. Most of my clients are hardworking people that don’t have time to self-care. If this sounds like you, it's going have to become a priority for you.5. What are your eating patterns and habits now?

You may have a hard time answering this. Over the next 7 days write down the patterns you recognize. The more aware you are of them, the easier it is to change them.

So, are ready to start making changes and lose the weight?

These questions are the first step to helping you start to make changes and get off the diet rollercoaster.

Let’s start making permanent changes!

I would love to hear from you! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

Want to get off the diet roller coaster, stop eating emotionally, and lose weight? Get my Emotional Eating Toolkit.

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Natalie Shay is a Psychotherapist and Life Coach specializing in emotional eating. She struggled with her own weight for 20 years. She finally learned to stop dieting and lost 75 lbs. In 2007 she became a Registered Psychotherapist to help emotional eaters stop turning to food for comfort and lose weight without dieting. She helps support her clients and guides them to meet their goals to stop dieting and start living.

Natalie can be reached here

Are You Ready To Stop Emotional Eating and Lose Weight?