Losing weight is one of the commonest resolutions that people make every year. Yet obesity and overweight are on the increase.

Makes you wonder what is wrong with that picture.

What makes it such a difficult goal to accomplish or stick to?

Well there are several things, but for now let's talk about the most important reason.

It's the way you state the goal. In other words, it's the command you're giving to your subconscious mind. Your mind functions to attract and bring about the physical form of what you think about.

You say, 'I want to lose weight'.

Your subconscious mind reads that statement as 'I have excess weight', or 'I don't have weight loss' because that's what you're implying when you state your goal that way. That's the thought behind that statement.

There are 3 main problems with stating your desire this way.

- Since the predominant thought behind the statement is 'abundant weight' or 'excess weight', that is what you get. Remember, you get what you think about most of the time. You become what you think about - it's the way your mind works, whether you're aware of it or not.

- Since there is also a thought on 'losing weight', there is the danger of your subconscious finding creative ways to help you lose weight, for example you could have an accident and lose a limb or something. You'd weigh less then, for sure. Not quite what you had in mind I'll bet.

- Your mind is designed to bring about what's best for you. So it doesn't want you to 'lose' anything. If you talk about losing weight, your mind will do everything to help you find it.

You can see how stating your goal the wrong way can set you up to lose the battle right from the start.

Many 'weight loss' programs fail because they deal with external activities without paying attention to what's going on in your mind. Yet your mind is what decides the results you get. The programs that teach you the right way to think are the ones that will help you maintain any weight level you seek.

A program that focuses on 'weight loss' is inadvertently focusing on attracting weight because that's the predominant thought throughout the program.

How should you state your goal then?

First of all you need to understand that 'weight' in itself is not the issue. What the weighing scale reads, is not the threat you face. Your threat is excess fat. Muscle weighs more than fat, so if you've got a lot of lean muscle, you'd probably weigh more than someone who has the same amount of fat, yet they're are the ones in greater danger, healthwise.

This is one of the flaws of the BMI measurements that are so popular. Body Mass Index measurements measure your weight against your height. They *are* useful indicators of weight- related health risks, but because they do not take account of the source of the weight (fat or muscle), the readings can sometimes be misleading.

If you desire to 'lose weight', a better way is to speak in terms of 'releasing fat'. The best way to state a goal is in the present tense.

So you could say 'I am releasing at least 500grams of excess fat every week' or you could say 'I weigh....(state your desired weight) of lean muscle and 10% body fat (if that's your desired body fat percentage level)'.

Those are examples - try them on for size. Better yet, come up with ones of your own.

Notice how you feel when you rephrase your weight goals that way. Notice the shift in energy behind those words.

Now here's a paradigm shift for you:

what if your goal statement had *nothing* to do with weight or fat. What if your goal statement focused on 'health'. Do you think you could achieve your ideal weight with that sort of goal statement?

Absolutely! This is, in my opinion, the best way to state a 'weight' goal.

Here's the thing: a perfectly healthy body is not over-weight. It's not under-weight either. When you are in perfect, true health, your body *naturally* releases excess fat and holds onto just what it needs to function perfectly.

So here's my challenge to you.

Don't join the masses who obsess about their body weight. A wise man once said that if you see the majority doing something, you'd better go the other way.

Be one of the few people who are truly 'health conscious'. What you are conscious of is what you attract. So state your goal as 'I am perfectly healthy now', and focus on that thought, for that is what you'll attract.

When you look in the mirror and what you see doesn't reflect your goal, remind yourself that your statement refers to the 'real' you, not the 'case' you move around in. The good thing about this is that your subconscious will latch onto your predominant thought which is 'I am perfectly healthy now', and guide you to do things that make it your physical reality.

It's amazing the way your mind works. Learn to make it work for you though, not against you.

Upgrade your 'weight' goal today. Focus on perfect health, for the 'ideal weight' is part of the 'perfect health' package.

Let me leave you with an excellent way to state your new and improved 'weight' goal. I learnt this (the 'I am so happy and thankful' bit) from Bob Proctor. Go ahead and say it out loud with me now:

"I am so happy and thankful that I am perfectly healthy now".

Make that your predominant thought and it will become your physical reality in good time.

Dr Kem Thompson is a Health & Success Coach, Speaker and Author. Discover how to achieve optimal health, create balance and achieve success in every area of your life: financial, social, spiritual, physical and mental. Subscribe to the FREE ezine, 'Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Life' now by submitting the form at http://www.truehealthseminars.com You will receive a thank-you gift when you subscribe.