Your subconscious doesn't argue with you, or reason with your statement. It just goes to work following your instructions.

This one, small lifestyle change can make a difference between being successful in reaching your weight los.s goals, and continual struggle to lose weight.

It's simple, just replace your current thoughts and words with ones that support your "new" you starting with those two most important words, "I am":

"I am healthy"

"I am slim"

"I am fit"

"I am healthy and trim"

"I am at my goal weight of (your goal) pounds"

Saying "I am" gives your mind a statement and command in affirmative... as if it were already true.

Do this regularly, every day, and watch your thoughts and self talk closely. If you catch yourself slipping, immediately stop your negative thoughts and replace them with those above, or your own "I am" statements.

Before you know it, your actions and results will start taking shape (literally :) ). It's a proven fact, your mind acts on what you tell it, just tell it what you want!

You CAN do it!

In American, we spend 90% of our food budget on processed foods. The government reports that over 40% of foods found in an average grocery store contain trans fats. Most fast foods contain trans fats. Snacks, chips, candy bars, cookies, crackers, commercial baked goods, pastries and cakes... almost all processed foods contain trans fats.

In example of island population above, effects of eating processed foods and lack of activity turned a healthy population into one with alarming rates of obesity and disease.

How can we avoid trans fats and their effects? What do we look out for?

1) Become a label reader.

Read ingredient labels of foods you buy and look for "partially hydrogenated". If you see those words, avoid that food. Any food that contains "partially hydrogenated" anything is unhealthy and will negatively affect your weight loss program.

Some common foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils are:

-candy bars -chips -snacks -commercially baked pastries -processed foods -most fast foods -cookies -cake mixes -cereals

Bottom line, you can't lose weight and regularly eat foods containing partially hydrogenated oils.

2) Ask questions.

When eating out, ask if foods you are ordering contain "partially hydrogenated oil" or "trans fats".

3) Look for alternatives.

The good news is that because of more media exposure about dangers of "trans fats", companies are starting to replace "partially hydrogenated oils" with alternative ingredients and creating healthier versions of some of your favorite products.

Restaurants are starting to add more natural oils and are removing partially hydrogenated oils from their kitchens. Ask about it when eating out.

Try to get as many "whole" foods into your diet. Add more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats and avoid processed, prepared and fast foods as much as possible.

Avoiding these hidden oils in food you eat every day alone will make a significant impact on your health, and specifically in reaching your weight loss goals. Add a few lifestyle changes and imagine where you will be on your journey towards better health next month.

In Part 2 of this article, I'll cover other secret additive in foods that no one talks about. This ingredient tricks your brain into thinking what you are eating is delicious and makes you want to continue to eat it, bypassing all your natural signals of feeling full and satisfied! It's also found in a large group of foods we eat every day.