Difficult to Tighten Your Belt?

When times get tough drastic action is called for, but it's not always easy to make progress at first. The excesses of the past don't just disappear overnight, it takes time before you see any real effect. Tightening your belt financially might be a whole lot easier than tightening the belt round your middle!

When people get concerned or worried, there is a tendency for to take comfort in food, particularly high calorie, sweet food like cookies and candy. There is a very good reason for this. Eating these types of foods prompts the release of serotonin - the happy hormone - in our brain and we feel better. Our cares and woes are temporarily shelved. Life is good again, that is until the effect wears off. Our blood sugar level plummets and 'black dog' reappears. ('Black dog' is what Winston Churchill used to call his dark moods)

Avoiding the 'serotonin trap' is essential if you are going to avoid piling on the pounds when you get worried. The easiest thing to do when you are feeling low and tempted to eat some sugary delight, is to drink a good glass of water. It won't make you feel any happier, but it will distract your intention to have a calorie binge and help to stop you putting on weight.

This is really a time when you have to put your self-discipline to the test. Self-discipline is something to feel good about. You can give yourself a real sense of achievement by setting yourself tasks and goals. Practice this, and when it comes to wanting to lose weight you will be in a far better position to be successful. Successful long-term weight loss comes from making change, learning new habits, slim habits. Self-discipline will help you to achieve long-term weight loss. Tightening you belt may not be as difficult as you thought it might be!