Photo by Stephanie Loehr | Flickr

There’s a lot more to losing weight than eating less and exercising more.  Often times, it is a matter of years of mental and behavioral programming that needs to be adjusted.  The problem is that we subscribe to certain thoughts that cause us to be our own worst enemy.  Here are 5 patterns of thinking which may actually be working against you in your pursuit of reaching your weight loss goals.

I can do this alone. You absolutely need a support system that will challenge you and keep you motivated.  The accountability factor will also be a major key to your success. You can recruit a co-worker, friend, or family member who has similar goals. Or, you can join one of the many communities online with thousands of members that may be facing some of the same struggles as you. Members of these communities swap tips and strategies for successfully meeting weight loss and fitness goals. They are usually very warm and welcoming of new people.

I’ve been fat for most of my life, so I’m always going to be fat. It’s never too late to re-engineer your body, from the inside out (even if you have genetics working against you). You may have been fat all your life because you just didn’t have the resources you needed to change. Knowledge is power. Educate yourself by reading books and trustworthy information online. Talk to professionals about your situation so they can help you devise a custom eating and exercise plan. You might have unhealthy habits that need to be broken. This is certainly possible if you are committed enough. Some people have medical issues that may be responsible for their excess weight. Work closely with your doctor to pinpoint the problem so that it can be treated. Most importantly, be optimistic.  The good news is that if you are reading this, you’ve already taken an important step.

I just worked out so I deserve that king size Snickers bar. You do deserve it - just not every single time you finish working out. Having a reward system is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated. However, the fat and calories from whichever foods you reward yourself with can add up pretty quickly. You may end up overwriting all the good you’ve done by pushing through your grueling workout. So what’s the point. Try reaching for a reward only after every 4th or 5th workout.  And instead of an oversized treat, have a more sensible and diet-friendly portion.

Skipping breakfast is the easiest way for me to cut my calories and lose weight. This may seem like an easy way to cut back on calories but it’s actually more advantageous for you to continue eating breakfast each day.  The consensus among the medical and research community is that eating breakfast will jump start your metabolism in the morning, keep your blood glucose levels stable so that you don’t binge on junk before lunch, and also enhance your brain function.  You’ll be better off finding other ways to reduce your calorie intake. 

Diet soda is better for me than regular soda. Neither is great but if you had to choose, pick the one with sugar. Recent studies have found that people who drink diet sodas are more likely to gain weight than those who drink sugary drinks. Normally, your metabolism increases when you eat or drink sugary substances. Apparently, when the taste buds detect the sweet taste of diet sodas and no calories are actually registered, the body becomes confused.  This results in the metabolism no longer reacting to sweets by ramping up. So even though you may initially be saving calories by drinking diet sodas, this decision may come back to haunt you (and your metabolism) in the long run.