by Mario Carini

Created on: April 30, 2009   Last Updated: May 02, 2009

Much has been said about the need to watch your diet and exercise if you hope to lose weight. A number of diets have come down through the years all proposing simple and easy ways to lose weight. And while these are important, there is one area that is seldom talked about, but without it the best of diet programs and the effort expended to lose weight will fail.

The main problem with all diets is that they focus primarily on the physical aspect of weight loss. But losing weight is not the exclusive problem of the body. Your attitude, beliefs and feelings have as much to do with how your body responds, either positively or negatively. Negative thoughts and emotions translate into physical symptoms. A befuddled brain filled with fear and anxiety will not lead to weight loss, despite how well you feed your body. If you believe you can't lose weight because you failed so often after trying every weight loss program, you will continue to fail, no matter how good the program is.

Your mind can block the intended effects of any diet program in three ways:

1. Fear, anger and resentment prevent the body from processing food properly. Undigested food clogs the intestines and is stored as fat. The "fight or flight" response is a reality for many people. High blood pressure, constipation and weight gain are the results of a mind that is constantly fearful and never at ease with itself.

The only solution to anger and resentment is to learn to let go. You must learn to forgive the transgressions of anyone who has done you harm. We are all human and are prone to making mistakes. We hurt ourselves and hurt others through life. When someone does some transgression it is usually not deliberate or targeted at you. While you can't condone wrong action, you can forgive. Letting anger seethe only leads to loss of your very existence.

2. Shame, guilt, sadness and denial lead to severe depression which suppresses the body's immune system and as a consequence, the body stores more fat. For many food becomes a coping mechanism, a way to suppress negative feelings. Unfortunately, the more food eaten, the more guilt asserts itself. It becomes a vicious cycle that isn't easy to address by willpower alone. It's hardly surprising that this group take more anti-depressants and other drugs.

The solution is to stop feeling guilt or shame in the light that you are unique. You have skills and talents no one else has in the same combination. You have something to contribute to the world. And because

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