I recently heard somewhere about Judith Beck's book called "The Beck Diet: How to Retrain Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person". So I went and checked it out from the library. The book was pretty much about behavior modification and changing your thoughts so that you change your actions. It gave solutions to overcome issues that may come up and tells us to plan out everything. The book wasn't anything new to me as far as the ideas for the most part. It just finally clicked in regards to using positive self talk. I had to laugh because the book described me perfectly in it's examples! lol. I realized that I have the power to change my behavior through my thoughts. I have already accomplished the first step of paying attention to my behaviors and my body. I am taking my power back. Instead of eating, I am learning to solve issues. I refuse to turn 28 in 8 months and be at the same weight I am today. I will be at goal weight and I will be happy. So I have been using positive self talk when there were times I wanted to eat something just because. It has been working for me. Another thing that used to set me off was when I would work really hard at eating well and exercising and the scale would go up. That would result with me saying to heck with this and going on a junk food binge for the next couple of days or weeks and gaining another 10 pounds or so. The book taught me to ask myself before I put something in my mouth that is not on my plan, is it worth it to eat this and feel pleasure for all of 5 seconds, or is it worth it to me to be at goal weight and be happy? So I am learning that everytime we give in to our desires or whatever we are that much more away from getting to goal. It becomes a vicious cycle. It gets to the point it is depressing. So I am taking it one meal at a time, encouraging myself for making great choices, and using a lot of positive self talk and retraining my brain. It is amazing that when I tell myself I don't really need that because I am not hungry and it is just out of habit, the craving or whatever goes away. I am the kind of person that dives in with everything I got and get burnt out quickly when I don't see results. I am learning that it isn't about perfection rather it is about consistency. Those little wins will add up to the big wins. So that keeps me motivated. I have recently rejoined Curves gym for women. I love it there. I am going 5 days a week for 30 min and I am also walking in addition to that for 30-60 min several times a week. I am focusing on being more active. I have also ordered an Omron pedometer. Just waiting on it to get to me. I got it off Ebay for only $16.99 when in the stores it is going for $35.00.