Over the 35 years I was caught in the rebound weight-gain cycle, it wasn’t because I didn’t know “what” to do.

I devoured books on nutrition and exercise and several times I got into incredible shape. I even ran a half-marathon.

Yet I couldn’t sustain it.

Ultimately there was a gap between knowledge and action and releasing the weight for good.

It took most of my life for me to figure out what was needed to bridge that gap.

I thought it was about willpower.

If I was just strong enough or disciplined enough . . . then I would finally have the body I wanted.

And this is a belief held by many.

The vast majority of people believe that being slim is about self-control.

In reality, that belief was only making the gap wider.

Because that belief actually made me feel flawed and weak—like I was a failure. I literally felt like I was less of a person because I could not maintain my weight-loss.

This made me:

• Doubt my ability to create the body I wanted.
• Made my already intense self-criticism even worse.
• Eroded my trust in myself—and my body.

Let me be clear.

Releasing weight is ultimately NOT about discipline or self-control.

And the more you beat yourself up for being “weak” or a “failure,” the more you keep yourself stuck where you don’t want to be.

So what is required to bridge the gap between knowledge and action and lasting results?

The answer may surprise you.

It’s not about dieting or exercise at all.

The answer is self-love.

This is why a significant majority of diets and exercise programs fail long-term.

For lasting results, you’ve got to change your core thoughts and beliefs about who you are, what you deserve, and what you can achieve . . . along with eating healthy foods and moving your body.

For many, loving yourself is harder than dieting and exercising.

Louise Hay, one of my favorite spiritual teachers, tells women to just look in the mirror and tell themselves, “I love you.”

And while that is a powerful and life transforming exercise, many women can’t do it long enough to experience significant change.

To many women, that feels like a big fat lie.

Here’s an assignment for you.

If you haven’t done it before, go to the mirror and look yourself in the eye and tell yourself, I LOVE YOU.

How does it feel?

If it feels good, practice it! Do it every day.

If it doesn’t feel believable–or it actually feels uncomfortable–it’s OK.

You can learn to Love Your Way Slim.

When you begin to practice self-love as diligently as you pursue that new diet or exercise program, you’ll be amazed at how the internal changes begin to transform your body—and your life.

You’ll discover how more love, more energy, and more confidence shifts your perception of self-care so that it becomes something you WANT to do instead of something you HAVE to do.

Most women are struggling with their weight because they are suffering from beliefs about themselves that not only don’t serve them, but that are totally and completely untrue! 

Those heavy, negative thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are literally weighing you down!

When you practice loving yourself, you lighten up by letting those thoughts, feelings, and beliefs go.

This is not woo-woo! There is science that shows the physiological changes in your body at the cellular level when you shift from negative to positive thoughts and emotions. These changes actually make it easier to release weight.

Here’s an exercise to help you begin—or strengthen—your self-love.

Today, make the time to write a thank you note . . . to yourself.

Write about:

• What you like about yourself.
• What you are good at.
• What you do that you can appreciate.
• How you serve others that provides value.
• The little things you do that make your—or someone else’s life—more joyful.
• The things that you wish someone else would show you appreciation for.
• How your body is serving you. (Even if it is that your heart is beating in and out, there is something to be grateful for if you look.)
• The things you notice that no one else does.
• What is unique about you.

Every day for the next month, read this Thank You note and add to it if you can.

Notice how this begins to shift your thoughts and feelings about yourself.

Ultimately, this will also change how you think and feel about your self-care.

Together we can do it!