The most effective way to lose weight may lie in doing what naturally slender people do. This is what the NLP naturally slender eating strategy is all about. Based on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) this method shows you how to make healthy food decisions, step-by-step.
But first, what is neuro-linguistic programming or NLP?
What Is NLP?
There are many people who miss out on the positive effects of NLP due to a lack of understanding or a general lack of education on the topic. Some people have never even heard of it while some others have heard horror stories about mind control. Still, others think that it is far-fetched and “new age” so it is dangerous to be around. And yet, there are others who grab hold of the hope it can offer and use it to change their lives for the better.
NLP, or neuro-linguistic programming, is actually not new at all. The practice has been around since the 1970s by a linguist and a mathematician/information scientist that began to notice patterns in thinking. Others have contributed to NLP through the years and the knowledge has spread into the fields of psychology and self-help.
While it may be defined in multiple ways, a very simple explanation of NLP is in changing the language of our brains. For instance, someone who has PTSD due to a car wreck may associate driving with pain. Through the practice of NLP, the PTSD sufferer can change the mental association to a more positive one, allowing him or her to feel comfortable getting back into a vehicle.
Many who practice NLP have discovered how to use it to reach the goals they wish to reach. Try viewing your brain as a roadmap. Your destination is the goal that you wish to reach, such as buying a home. Perhaps you have had a few rejections or problems reaching this goal before, which cause certain roadblocks and potholes in the road. These tend to be negative thoughts and negative associations that then prevent you from succeeding.
Using NLP, you could pull up the roadblocks, fill in the potholes, and reroute your mental map to success. NLP is not a magic wand or some type of hocus pocus to fix your life. It is a way of changing your thinking that will help you live a better life. Through training and studying, you can learn how to change your mental roadmap for a more successful life course.
What Is The Naturally Slender Eating Process?
Developed by Steve and Connirae Andreas and featured in the NLP book, Heart of the Mind, the Naturally Slender Eating Process is the way in which naturally slender people mentally process their hunger. When many people feel hungry, they automatically grab something to eat. Often, this is the closest thing available. Usually, people who respond to hunger signals in this way are overweight. Additionally, you will find that many “emotional eaters”- those who eat in response to sadness- carry at least a few extra pounds.
Naturally slender people go through a completely different process, one that they are usually unaware of. When they feel hunger cues from their body, they analyze it. They might ask themselves something like, “Am I really hungry, or am I just thirsty?” or “Do I really want food or is this just a response to that juicy hamburger I saw on TV a second ago?” Many times, they discover that something to drink fixes the problem as thirst is often confused for hunger.
When a naturally slender person decides that he or she is, in fact, hungry, there is still more analyzing to come before a single bite is taken. This person will think through food choices and consider not only what would taste good but also how they will feel after eating it. After all is said and done and the food is finally chosen, naturally slender people will continue to pay attention to their bodies and stop eating long before they feel stuffed. All of this together leads up to less weight gain.
How To Use The Naturally Slender Eating Process
If you decide to try the naturally slender eating strategy, you need to be aware that you will not change your eating habits overnight, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with an eating disorder. It will require some work on your part and some patience with the process, and there is one word that should apply as you reroute your roadmap: intentional. Using the naturally slender eating strategy will require that you make intentional choices with what you eat, how often you eat, and how much you eat in one sitting. You must be intentional in listening to your body so that you can decode the clues it sends to you correctly.
To put this strategy into place, there are a few things you can do. You want the triggers that normally send you to the closest fast food joint to instead have you stop and think. One way to do this is through visual cues. If you know that you normally get hungry sitting behind your desk at work, hang a reminder by your computer or clock that tells you to stop and think it through. The words do not have to be spelled out – it can be a picture of something that only you understand. The point is to have some type of visual cue that gives you pause when you feel hungry.
Often times, when you really analyze whether you are hungry, you will probably discover that instead, you are actually just bored or thirsty. Keep something to drink close by. When you feel hungry, takes a few sips and see if you are still hungry afterward. Also, keep some mints or gum in your desk. This will help with boredom. Taking a walk around the office could help, as well. Use things like this to change your immediate response to hunger cues.
Consider your biggest food weaknesses. Do you have a hard time saying “No” to chocolate cake? Do you feel that you have to finish everything on your plate because that is what you were taught growing up? Do you drink sodas all day long? Consider roadblocks such as these and clear them out. You can do this through physical anchors.
For instance, you might train yourself to pinch your hand when you are standing in front of a chocolate cake. When you pinch yourself, your body can associate that pain with the strength to tell yourself “No”. A pinch on the hand is much better than overeating when you want to change your eating habits.
One day, you will no longer need to consciously think about these things. Instead, once you have rerouted your brain’s map, it will become your automatic reaction. With time, patience, and training, you, too, can be a naturally slender person.
Conclusion
Though NLP can lead to very positive changes in your life, it is important that it is practiced correctly. Without proper training, it is possible to cause even more roadblocks and potholes in your journey. Invest in yourself and your future.
*collaborative post
