Free Diet Rehab: 28 Days to Finally Stop Craving the Foods That Make You Fat by Mike Dow, Antonia Blyth Page B

weight, so I’m just doomed to be fat forever.”
    “I feel so sad and lonely. I’m always going to feel like this.”
    “I’ve never had a management job—I’m just not that kind of person.”
     
    REFRAMED THOUGHTS:
    “Although I’ve never lost weight before, I’ve found a new approach to eating that just might work.”
    “Even though I feel sad and lonely right now, I’m doing things to change it. I remember feeling this way ten years ago, and even though things looked just as bad then, I did get out of that funk.”
    “I don’t know if I want a management job—but it might be fun to see if some of my inherent strengths combined with learning new skills may make me a terrific manager.”
    It’s very tempting to judge the future by the past, especially because that makes us the expert. We know what happened in the past, so now we can know what’s going to happen in the future. We can protect ourselves from disappointment and maybe even avoid the hard work of transformation and growth.
    I urge you to resist the lure of the “permanence” pitfall. Instead, accept that the future is unknown and that you have both the opportunity and the responsibility to create the life you want.

Booster Attributes: The 7 Ps to Master
     
    Just as pitfall thoughts erode your brain chemistry, booster qualities improve your brain chemistry. In fact, the more of these booster attributes you fill your life with, the fewer pitfall thoughts you will have. All of the booster activities actually target one or more of these booster attributes, so by the end of twenty-eight days, you will look back and realize your serotonin or dopamine booster activities have created a life rich with these seven booster attributes. It’s also easier to sustain booster qualities when you have sufficient serotonin and dopamine—a nice example of an upward spiral!

     
    Here are the seven booster attributes:
     
    Booster Attribute #1: Purpose
    Filling our lives with purpose is the best way to cultivate lasting and meaningful happiness. Why are you here? What’s your life’s purpose on this planet? What do you think you’ll remember most when you’re looking back on your life? My guess is that you’ll remember your relationships, the times you made a difference in the world—even on a small scale—and the work you did, paid or unpaid, that was your chance to express yourself. These things have the greatest impact on your well-being and lasting happiness. They are also the behaviors that give you lasting surges of serotonin and dopamine. If you can switch from asking “What do I want out of life?” to asking “What does life want out of me?” you may be surprised at how rich and full of possibilities your life suddenly seems.
     
    Booster Attribute #2: Peace
    What fills your life with a sense of peace or calm? And what spiritual beliefs help you to make sense of your life? As you think about the answers to these questions, consider the practices that are both spiritual and good for your serotonin: meditation, yoga, prayer, listening to music. Filling our lives with peace also has a direct effect on weight. A lack of peace increases the stress hormone cortisol in the brain, which tells the body to store fat in the most dangerous place—the belly. So find the activity, the pet, the relationship—and the food—that help you bring peace into your life.
     
    Booster Attribute #3: Pride
    If someone were to ask you, “What are the three things in your life that you are most proud of?” what would your answer be? When you can feel good about these answers, your serotonin and dopamine stores will rise. Enjoy the qualities and achievements that you are most proud of—revel in them and share them with others—and your brain chemistry and your waistline will benefit.
     
    Booster Attribute #4: Power
    What gives you a sense of power in your life? People who don’t feel power are prone to hopelessness, anger, low self-worth, and sadness. We all