Obesity has become a health crisis of epidemic proportions, with nearly two thirds of Americans considered overweight. How can it be, then, that practically every woman I know, even the skinny you-know-whats, are obsessed with weight loss?

It seems the more panicked and desperate we become, the higher the numbers on the scale climb and the fatter we get.

It’s a ridiculous and depressing dilemma, and according to the NOW Foundation, 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Unfortunately, the poorer your body image, the more likely you are to suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, even suicide.

It’s become clear that weight loss gimmicks are not the answer. We’ve learned that although they may result in a significant weight loss initially, they often cause us to gain it all back and then some once we revert back to reality.

So, what is the answer?

Successful weight loss and healthy body image begin with the way we think.

• Write it down. The next time you’re berating yourself, take a moment to examine, and rewrite, your thoughts. When you’re at your worst, cursing yourself for eating that pint of Chunky Monkey and telling yourself that you’re a cow who can’t do anything right, take a moment and right down that nasty thought.
• Now rate your belief. Once it’s there in black and white, rate your belief in that thought on a scale from 1 to 10. If you’re not actually a cow but feeling fat and frumpy, maybe half of you buys into the thought, so give it a five.
• Reword to reflect the truth. Now reword the thought so that it more accurately reflects the truth. For example, “I’m 20 pounds overweight and don’t feel very good about myself, especially after eating all of that ice cream. I’m working on it though. I’ve been exercising and eating right, but I made a poor choice.”
• Now rate the reworded thought. How much do you believe the revised statement? Hopefully, your attempt to be more accurate has put you at a 10. And it’s possible that if you continue to reword those self-defeating thoughts, eventually you won’t hear that berating voice at all.

The critical, even abusive voice in our heads does us no good. If you struggle with your weight and a negative body image, take an honest look at the way you think about yourself. Steering clear of negative self-talk just might help you accomplish your weight loss goals.

Regardless of whether or not you lose a pound, chances are you’ll be much happier with yourself, and isn’t that what matters most?