You have lost weight. You gained weight again. Several times. You've reached the point where the following wish is deeply rooted in you: "I finally want to know how I can lose weight sustainably and keep it off!" All right! Let's get to it. Please read on to find out how you can consciously guide your subconscious to make your wish come true.
What is the yo-yo effect anyway?
You go on a diet and lose weight. Your body has drawn on its energy reserves. When the carbohydrate reserves are used up, it attacks the fat deposits. It also breaks down protein, especially muscle protein, if you are not active at the same time. As a result, your basal metabolic rate drops and you are basically running on "low fuel". After the diet, you return to your original diet and are forced to put on weight - your body just doesn't burn as many calories.
Hormones also play a role here because leptin in the fat cells signals the brain to burn more calories. But the more you lose weight, the more your leptin level decreases.
But don't worry, you're not alone: this happens to around 95% of people who go on a diet. The yo-yo effect is actually an important protective function to guard against periods of hunger.
Counteracting the yo-yo effect: make your subconscious your strongest ally
The well-known "yo-yo effect" can be really annoying, can't it? You start losing weight full of motivation, lose weight, are really happy - and then you gain weight again (and maybe even weigh more than before). What is your subconscious doing to you? Why are you totally motivated at first and then you don't follow through? And you even do this several times in a row? Why don't you remain constant and can't keep your weight off after losing weight? The answer is probably frightening:
Because your subconscious guides you in the short term and you feel important (e.g. because you receive compliments from your social environment). After losing weight, you lose this significance, fall back into your old habits and gain weight again.
"The strongest impulse in human nature is the desire to be significant."-
John Dewey
If you manage to make your subconscious your strongest ally, then you can realize your desire: You lose weight and then keep it off.
And how? Let's get into practice and learn the 5 tricks to make your subconscious your strongest ally by finding your meaning.
Lose weight without the yo-yo effect: With these 5 tricks you can do it
1. Imagine you are dead: what do you want others to say about you? Your subconscious is listening
Why would you even think about something so sad? Yes, I know, it's heavy stuff. Write down your obituary (your eulogy). This trick can really work wonders.
Why?
There are three types of obituary. They have different effects on you, depending on how you "tick". In any case, your subconscious pays more attention to one of the three variants than to the other two. Desire to find out where your subconscious is more likely to listen? Read on, here are the three variants:
Variant 1: the negative obituary
"Heinz was a lousy loser who didn't get anything done. He died alone and without friends, and nobody took any notice of his death.
Variant 2: the positive obituary
"Heinz was a fun-loving, courageous and cheerful person. He never failed to help others and was always on hand with help and advice. He lived his dream, he made his dream his life. He leaves behind a spark in the hearts of his friends and family, in which they carry on his courage to face life.
Variant 3: the mixed obituary
"When Heinz developed diabetes due to his obesity, he had to take vast amounts of medication for years to stay alive. He could hardly get anything done, he was aggressive towards his fellow human beings and people avoided him, they didn't like him. But at some point, something changed. Something happened that made him learn to change his life slowly and step by step. He lost weight and hardly needed any more medication. His aggression disappeared and people began to like him. More and more people wanted to be close to him, wanted to know how he had changed his life. He gave his love back to life and won everything. We will always carry him in our hearts with respect and love."
And? Did you get a little tear in your eye? Which obituary "softened" your heart more? This version made your subconscious sit up and take notice. And you write down exactly one of these variants. It can be short or long.
2. be kind to yourself and make a pact with your subconscious
Now make a pact with your subconscious. Take a piece of paper and write down:
"My pact with my subconscious mind"
I, (first name and surname, street, zip code and town) irrevocably agree with myself and my subconscious mind, (first name and surname, street, zip code and town), that I will lose weight and maintain my weight. My subconscious mind will support me in the strongest possible way.
My service to my subconscious mind: I acknowledge the existence of my subconscious mind by saying for 10 seconds every day in front of the mirror: "I am a valuable person who is allowed to lose weight and then keep it off!"
My subconscious mind's service in return is: It acknowledges my wish and supports me with advice and support every day so that I can make my wish come true.
The rewards: Every day I reward my subconscious and myself with a piece of chocolate (or optionally something else, in small quantities, that is good for you)
Should I break this contract, and not fulfill the points, this is my compensation: I offer to mow my neighbor's lawn (it says something you will do, but that in reality totally pisses you off)
Date and signature (optionally a second person signs as a witness as well. Your partner, your brother)
Why the trick works:
Psychologically speaking, this is about the following: Your subconscious keeps setting traps for you because you don't listen to its calls. It keeps calling you, but you ignore it. Therefore, it prevents you from using your new abilities to and fall back into your old habits. BUT: With this pact, you are consciously saying to your subconscious: "I hear you, I accept you, I need your help and I will help you so that I hear you!"
3. develop love for your subconscious and tell it exactly what you want
This is a very powerful trick. It can help you to recognize what you really want. Take a piece of paper and simply write down keywords. Everything you've always wanted to do or have. No matter how unlikely it might be. Write it down!
Attention: While writing these keywords, it can happen that you become even more demotivated. Why? Because they may be things that you know you can't achieve. But I promise you: if you write down 20 things, there will be something among them that you know you can achieve!
4. have a loving dialog with your subconscious and it will recognize the importance of your wish
This trick is also very powerful. You have a loving dialog with your subconscious. In the end, it recognizes your wish and can help you achieve your goal in the long term. Write down your dialog according to this pattern:
You ask: When will you finally lose weight?
You answer: I don't know, it's no use anyway, I've already tried everything.
You ask: What have you already tried?
Answer: Don't ask such stupid questions, you know! Diet here, diet there...
You ask: Yes, and you know that diets are useless? What do you want to change?
Answer: I should look for something so that I can learn to change my diet.
You ask: Bravo! That's exactly the right thing! Where do you look for it?
Answer: Well, on the Internet! I type in change of diet and do some research.
You ask: Excellent! When are you going to do it?
Answer: Ok, I've got time right now.
You ask: Great, you see, and you're already taking action! Solution-oriented and constructive. It's not "always the others' fault". No, it's yourself, right?
Answer: Right.
You ask: Who do you think can change you? Others or yourself?
Answer: Myself. The most others can do is inspire me.
Most of the time, one A4 page is enough for you to realize how to take action. Really true, this is a great trick to have a loving dialog with yourself (= your subconscious).
5. tell your subconscious what your heart's desire is and it will become your strongest ally
This is a wonderful thing! Buy a large sheet of paper, e.g. A3 or even larger. If necessary, if you want to get started right away, take a smaller sheet of paper. Take different colored pens, or different types of pens (e.g. pencil, fountain pen, felt-tip pen, etc....) and write down in small and large words things that have a positive effect on you, that inspire you, that warm your heart, that give you goose bumps...
The title: "My Manifesto" / or "My Manifestus". This means: "A public declaration of an intention, a goal." Well, you don't have to make it "public", it's enough if you hang it up somewhere, where only you see it (or only your family). Here's an example from me and my blog:
The important thing here is that your words should be different sizes. Or in different colors, as you like. Discover your creative streak here! When you are finished, celebrate this wonderful work. Frame it if you want, but be sure to hang it up in your home. Every time you walk past it, you will feel joy Try it out!
More tips to avoid the yo-yo effect
- Write a food diary.
- Don't underestimate the stress that dieting can cause.
- Get enough sleep!
- Incorporate more exercise into your daily routine. If exercise doesn't work out, it often helps to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Make long-term changes to your diet. You can also find an article on changing your diet on our blog.
What do you think of these 5 tricks? I would love to hear your comments! I wish you lots of fun and success with these 5 tricks!
