My goals were to eat right whatever I felt like, and in any quantity that came my way? Sound familiar to you? And oh by the way, here is the real kicker; I never planned on stepping foot inside a gym ever. Ok, so my goals and expectations did not match my waist line, by at least I had defined a goal in the first place, which is way more than I can say you 90% of the world.

I actually had convinced myself that that picture I saw in the mirror every morning and night was of a healthy and shapely physique, until I entered a contest. This was not just any ordinary reality TV style contest; it was a 90-day challenge that tested me from the inside and out.

I literally had to toss out all my old thinking and adopt new principles and beliefs, which over time would allow me to accept a set of habits that I would form during the challenge. While all this sounded easy?the one compelling driver for me, which got me seriously motivated me in the first place to even consider entering the challenge was the photos of my front side and back side (not my rear end) by my two profiles with no shirt on and in short shorts.

You see, the image of yourself that you see in the mirror every day is of an image that your mind has created for itself. And if you believe it is a good image, then your brain tells it is a good image, and you might find yourself flexing, and just simply telling yourself that you look good. On the other hand, take a picture as I just described and you will instantly create a whole new set of beliefs that in many cases do not match what you have been telling yourself for years.

So through that process alone I was able to adopt sensible eating habit that reduced my calorie intake, which as you know is a key to any weight loss plan. Recognize what you are giving up and what put you over the top in the first place will carry you very far in the process. Instead of eating a whole pie in one sitting, take two slices, and drink water, instead of your favorite beer.

I know this may sound strange, please allow yourself to indulge sensibly on occasion, once a week is ok as a cheat day. What I found is that by committing to a exercise plan at the gym to burn the excess fat my body stored up, and build in a routine that included some weight training to increase the muscle mass, I reward myself by not indulging as often as I would have liked, because the price became way to high to fall back into the same trap.