Why You Should Shed Pounds Instead of Lose Weight

As a former hypnotherapist, one of the first things I learned was not to use the phrase "lose weight" because when we lose something we subconsciously try to find it again. Instead, we say "shed pounds" as if we are shedding our fat like dog fur (though, come to think of it, dogs do manage to grow that fur back).

I personally like to use the phrase "melt fat" and picture my body as a furnace that is melting my fat like candle wax.

What messages do you send yourself through the words you choose?

The point is that words matter when it comes to motivating ourselves to do something.

If you have trouble finding time to exercise, for instance, find time to play instead. When I was a kid, my mother never said, "Go out and exercise." She said "Go out and play." So even though that meant I was going to burn calories and build muscle by playing tag or kickball or riding my bicycle, I just thought I was having fun.

Even the phrase "go on a diet" can be self-defeating since it implies a diet is a carnival ride of which we will eventually get off. What happens then? Do we suddenly have license to eat every fattening food we see? "Changing our eating habits" is a far more permanent way to look at making different better food choices.

Medifst Ziti Marinara is one of my
favorite replacement meals.

Ironically, Medifast is a term that brings to mind an outmoded image of someone subsisting on protein shakes all day. Though the company started as an all-shakes diet, it has since morphed into a far more sophisticated program in which participants eat five replacement meals (of which shakes are only one option) and one lean & green meal consisting of lean protein and low-glycemic vegetables.

Take Shape for Life, on the other hand, implies a more holistic approach to taking control of one's life life by permanently changing our habits. Though many of us start the program merely hoping to fit into our skinny jeans, by the end of the journey we have gained a more profound awareness that the ultimate goal is optimal health.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

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