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Gratitude & Weight Loss
Rainbows,
Puppies and Children—Reasons to Be Thankful
by Linda Spangle, RN, MA
Article Summary:
Linda Spangle, author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, shares how cultivating
a sense of gratitude can help you in your weight loss efforts.
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to overeat on a day when everything
goes wrong? But wait! Eating is NOT the only solution. Instead of
letting a bad day pull you down, start focusing on the good things
around you and use them to overshadow your challenges.
Here in America, Thanksgiving Day encourages us to remember and
celebrate all the things we are grateful for and appreciate. When you’re
struggling with rainy days and whiny children, brighten your spirits by
looking for rainbows instead of clouds.
Find the rainbows
Even in the middle of a really bad time in your life, you can always
find a few things to appreciate. Start by watching for positive things
that show up when you weren’t looking for them. Label these tiny bright
spots as rainbows—gifts that slip in quietly, giving you an emotional
boost right in the middle of an otherwise difficult day.
Cultivate a sense of gratitude about the simple things that happen in
your life. Be thankful each time that your children arrive home safely
after school. At bedtime, appreciate your cozy blanket and the way your
pillow fluffs up under your head. Pay attention to these rainbows and
consider all the ways they help you feel better.
Gratitude journal
Now take this another step and start writing down all the things you are
thankful for. Call this your gratitude journal or your rainbow list.
Watch for bits of joy, kindness and beauty that cross your path. Keep
your notebook handy this week and record all of these special things.
Put your favorite people, events or places on your gratitude list.
Include your friends and family members, then add acquaintances such as
the friendly neighbor who always waves as you drive past. Think about
the subtle rainbows such as the person who delivers your mail during the
middle of a snowstorm or the grocery clerk who slips your eggs into a
separate bag to protect them from breaking.
Review your blessings
Fill in some of your journal pages with great memories and events from
the past. Recall favorite books that give you great insight or music
artists who move you to tears. At the end of each day, read from your
gratitude journal and celebrate what’s good in the world.
Anytime you’re tempted to eat away a bad day, get grateful instead.
Mentally rehearse your gratitude list during times when you’re stuck in
traffic or bored with the train ride. You’ll discover you can instantly
change your attitude as well as your actions by simply ignoring the rain
and instead, focusing on the good things in your life.
About
the Author:
Linda Spangle is a weight-management specialist recognized as a leading
authority on emotional eating. She is the author of
100
Days of Weight Loss and the award-winning book
Life is Hard, Food is Easy. A registered nurse with a master's
degree in health education, Linda Spangle is a skilled teacher,
counselor and writer. She is the owner of Weight Loss for Life, a
healthy lifestyles coaching and training program located in Denver,
Colorado. Linda has been featured on Fox News, Lifetime TV and The
O'Reilly Factor as well numerous radio shows and magazines including
Shape, Redbook and Fitness. For more information visit
www.foodiseasy.com.
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