You know how to lose weight -- create a calorie deficit through diet and exercise. Sometimes, however, knowledge isn't quite enough. You can use wise sayings from years gone by to motivate yourself to do what you know you must do to drop the pounds. Write them down and place them in an area where you will see them frequently to help yourself stay on track.
Eat to Live
Benjamin Franklin, always one to offer sound advice, famously said, "One should eat to live, not live to eat". If you find yourself looking a bit too forward to upcoming meals, work on developing other areas of your life so that mealtime can come and go without you even noticing. Once you let go of your focus on food, eating a smaller number of calories becomes much easier, and you will begin to lose weight.
The Road to Success
The anonymous individual who coined the phrase, "There is no failure, only delays on the road to success," must have been a successful dieter. It's the rare person who is able to change her eating habits and lose weight without ever experiencing a setback. Most people will diet, regain weight and yo-yo back and forth a bit before learning what sort of diet and exercise plan is best for them. The next time you fall off the diet wagon, remember this saying and keep working towards success.
No Regrets
In 1813, Thomas Jefferson wrote the "Decalogue of Canons for Observation in Practical Life" to an unknown person -- possibly someone who was struggling with weight control. He said, "We never repent of having eaten too little." Think about the slice of cheesecake you turned down at dinner. Chances are, you didn't regret it one bit, especially after the offending food was out of your line of vision. We tend to take our well-being for granted. The next time you pass up food that is not healthy for your waistline, take some time to appreciate that the calories won't be making their way to your hips.
Looking to the Future
By all accounts, Mahatma Gandhi never struggled with his weight. The lithe leader did have a philosophy that applies quite well to weight loss, however -- "The future depends on what we do in the present." It's simple, really. The cupcake you eat today is the pair of too-tight jeans you will be wearing tomorrow. Chances are, Gandhi was speaking of a heavier issue than cupcakes, but the principle applies to everything in life. Learn this quote and make better decisions in all areas of life, including weight loss.
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