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"How can I be more focused on losing weight? I have always been a little overweight and I really want to change but my problem is that I tend to slack off on diets and exercise but I tend to think I don&amp;#039;t have what it takes to commit to it and lose the weight. How do I stop wanting to change to actually making it come true and become the person I know I can be? Liliana, 15 Hi Liliana \u2013 you are asking the million dollar question! All of us have visions and dreams of who we want to be in the world. We can see ourselves healthier, smarter, in love, and more successful. The tricky part is how to get from point A to point B. That&amp;#039;s why there is a zillion dollar diet industry \u2013 selling us the quick fixes of a new body or toned abs. I maintain that the best (but not fastest) way to achieve increased health is the old fashioned way \u2013 hard work, dedication, commitment, and PATIENCE. Diets don&amp;#039;t work. I repeat \u2013 diets don&amp;#039;t work. They only set us up for shame and guilt. Think about it \u2013 don&amp;#039;t you feel terrible when you say you are on a diet on Monday but by Wednesday, you are off the diet and eating all the junk food you crave? It happens to all of us. And I think you are stuck right now in the diet dilemma. You say you want to lose weight. But before you can really go into that goal you have to understand why you arena to lose weight? How much weight? Is that coming from your doctor or you? Is it to be healthy or to be thin? Do you think your life will be so much better once you lose weight? You have to ask yourself (we all do) these questions because you must understand your inner-workings before you can change your outer appearance. Weight is just a number on a scale \u2013 but it sounds like you want to change your life. And the reason these diet and exercise routines aren&amp;#039;t sticking for you is because they are not specific or detailed enough to your REAL goal. So here&amp;#039;s what you need to do. Sit down and write out why you want to lose weight? What is your specific goal? Make it realistic \u2013 and make it doable. Start small and build your way up. But it&amp;#039;s not just about food or exercise \u2013 you have to figure out what you are willing to change in your THINKING and FEELING, too. Are you the type of person who procrastinates? Do you give up too easily? Always trying to find the easy way out of things? Do you get easily distracted? Do a little soul searching and make a deal with yourself to change one of those things. If it&amp;#039;s to finish what you start \u2013 then take a class for six weeks (maybe belly dancing?) and make sure you go to every class. The goal should be finishing not weight loss- but watch what happens along the way. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish if you stick to your guns and do something for the inner (and outer) you. Liliana, you already are the amazing person you know you can be \u2013 now you just have to bring out those qualities in small, action oriented steps! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.seventeen.com/health/q-and-a/a3064/weight-loss-problem/>