WHY DO WE YO-YO ? Our self image talks!

By Rene Bastarache, CHI

    It is truly frustrating for millions of Americans today. The reason for this is due to your self-image. No matter how hard you try to rise above it, by trying all the different fad diets, by counting calories, eating low or no carbs, purchasing special meals or programs, and even exercising in a gym every day, you will still ultimately snap right back to who perceive yourself to be, and that is a person who overeats! It has nothing to do with a lack of willpower or dedication. It is simply your self-image

     How do you see yourself? How do you describe yourself to others? Do you say that you are healthy? Happy with your appearance? Or do you say that you are chubby, overweight, tired, hungry or worse? What you're constantly saying is what it will accept and make so. If you see yourself as unhealthy, you will remain that way until you change your feeling or image about yourself. All the dieting and programs in the world will not matter until you change your self image. You may be able to exceed your self image for a very short time but ultimately you will snap back to you you really see that you are.
This explains what we call the Yo-Yo syndrome, why so many times you may try to stop smoking, but ultimately you go back to it again, because you see yourself as a smoker. The same with overeating, if you have an image of yourself as one overeats, you'll ultimately snap back to who you perceive yourself to be.

     This works the same with any behavior. If your self-image is self sabotaging, or one who just does not seem to succeed, even if given a large sum of money, you will ultimately find some way to lose it.

     HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR SELF IMAGE?

     First you must understand how your self image became what it is now. Your self image has been developed through your past experiences. All your memories from birth to the present time, develop you into the person who you are right now. Children who were constantly abused, ridiculed, and insulted, in most cases grew up to have a very low self-image, while others who were constantly praised, encouraged, and spoken to positively usually grew up to have a successful and extremely positive self-image.

     So if your past memories made you who you are today, then creating new positive memories will elevate your self-image. The subconscious mind "cannot" differentiate between an imagined memory or a real memory. Therefore through guided imagery, positive memories are created within your imagination having to do with the goal that you would like to attain. By creating and visualizing these same memories, every day, without missing a day, for a 21 day period, new memories are created as well as positive habits. These new habits replace the old ones.

     The sub conscious mind is the most amazing computer in the world. We only use approximately 5% of our mind. It is the other 95% that is being utilized with hypnosis. If you are open to suggestion and sincerely want to improve in your specific area, then you meet the necessary requirements for success.
Dr. Maxwell Maltz, MD, a plastic surgeon with New York Hospitals conducted extensive studies of why brain circuits take "engrams" (memory traces), and produce neuropathways only if they are bombarded for 21 days in a row.

     This means that our brain does not accept "new" data for a change of habit unless it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day).

     The idea may be simple but the trick is in the determination to keep with it for the 21 days. The old habit does not leave you, it is simply replaced by the new habit. Old habits are not so easily replaced. The new habit will need to be encouraged and nurtured to have any chance of survival and that is exactly what our program does.