The First Step To Lasting Weight Loss

When my husband and I watched A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, I saw it as an amazing movie about the triumph of the mind. It really illustrates how much we are able to control in our lives simply by deciding to do so.

I have written many articles about the cornerstones of my motivational approach to weight loss, which are Knowledge, Purpose, Inspiration, Application, Motivation and Attitude. Each of these elements must be included in any plan of action we create for a change that we want to make in life. But the most important element of this process begins with a decision. I am referring to the initial decision to get started, the decision to change the current state of affairs, the decision to respond to lifes challenges differently than we may have in the past.

In the movie, Russell Crowe’s character portrays the battles with schizophrenia of the real life mathematician, Dr. John Nash. Nash believed that he was interacting with people that, in reality, he was only imagining. He also believed that these same illusions had the ability to direct and control his actions.

In the movie, a caring friend asks Dr. Nash if he still sees the tormentors of his mind. He responds very eloquently: “Life is a diet of the mind. Like a diet, I choose NOT to indulge in certain appetites!” Later in the movie, he also states that: “We must feed dreams… or nightmares to keep them alive!”

I think that what we must do to realize success on this journey can be summed up quite nicely by those sentiments. We must realize that life and our health is a diet of the mind. Our mind controls our actions as well as our thoughts; therefore, we must CHOOSE not to indulge in certain appetites.

What we eat is a choice. Twinkies do not magically fly home from the stores, unwrap themselves and leap into our mouths. We choose to buy them, bring them home, unwrap them and indulge in them. (Now, we are even deep frying them, but that is another story!) As easily as we can choose to do something, we can choose NOT to do that same thing. The choice is yours.

Imagine that your excess weight is the nightmare, and the body that you desire is your dream. You must feed them to keep them alive and make them real. If you want the nightmare to be the victor, then keep feeding it Twinkies, pizza, pie, ice-cream, fried foods and sugar-laden soft drinks -- and soon, it will grow to be the mother of all nightmares!

However, if the dream is what you seek to nurture, alas, you must feed it too! If you feed it any of the nightmare’s staples, you will soon have a sequel to your bad dreams. However, if you care for your dream with whole grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, water and exercise -- you will be living a dream! A beautiful, healthy, fit and wonderful dream.

Sweet Dreams!

Email Julia at julia@juliahavey.com or visit her website at www.JuliaHavey.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You've seen Julia on the QVC home shopping network and The Sally Jesse Raphael show. You may have read about her in Women's World, Successful Slimming and the National Enquirer. She has been called "America's weight-loss Cinderella, someone with the passion of Tony Robbins, enthusiasm of Richard Simmons and the humor of Jerry Seinfeld." Get your copy of Julia's blockbuster motivational books, .