Studies show that people who exercise consistently are much more successful long term with weight loss than those who don’t exercise.
If you haven’t noticed, a lot of people go on a diet, lose a little weight, then go right back to their old habits. They sit on the couch, eat Doritos and ice cream, and feel lousy. They gain all of their weight back (or more).
When someone is exercising consistently, even if they struggle with their food, they’re keeping their weight and health in focus. They may have a period of weight loss then a plateau, but if they keep exercising they can hang on to their weight loss. Usually they can return to a weight loss phase because they are exercising.
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When I begin working with someone who is significantly overweight, I hear a lot of negative self talk: “I don’t think I can ever lose this weight. I hate the way I look. I feel so big.” And so on.
How they think about themselves eventually comes out of their mouths and shows what is in their minds. How they think about themselves and their weight will direct their course when it comes to weight loss.
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My son rode a full-size, adult bike for the first time this week. At first he couldn’t get on because the seat was higher than him. He had to straddle the bike then stand on the pedals and push off to get up. He wobbled around, but eventually got moving and steadied. Anytime he slowed down, though, he fell off because he lost momentum and balance.
I see the same thing happening with my clients. They come to me because they want to lose weight and start exercising. They haven’t been eating right and exercising so it’s really tough to get started – kind of like getting on a bike that’s too big for you!
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Have you ever gotten behind writing receipts into your checkbook? Did you know exactly how much money was left in your checking account? Probably not.
How about your monthly bills? Do you know what they are and put money aside for them? Or do you just spend money and hope you have enough to pay them? Hopefully you have a budget to follow!
Well, tracking our money can be compared to tracking our calories. We have to know how much money we need, how much we can spend, and how much is left over.
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It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to live every day of your life without getting any sugar of any kind. Going out to dinner, having a work luncheon, or going to a friend’s house probably means food with sugar.
Even if you try to make the best choices, sugar is found in almost every product – including bread, crackers, sauces, dressings, etc.
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This week I’m fasting all sugar, sugar derivatives, and products with sugar. Several of my clients have joined me on this venture too!
What’s been frustrating is finding sugar in everything – light salad dressing, low sugar ketchup, Bisquick, low fat mayo, pretzels, cereal, crackers, bread, etc.
I’m beginning to wonder if there’s anything in a box, bottle, or package that doesn’t contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
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There are a lot of natural sweeteners available. Some of them have no calories and many of them have a low glycemic index, meaning they don’t raise your blood sugar quickly. I have found that they are also very sweet and you only need a little to sweeten your foods.
I prefer stevia powder for drinks, shakes, and oatmeal. I drizzle a little agave over my oatmeal pancakes or into my oat mixture when making apple “crisp”. Brown rice syrup can be really great in natural peanut butter cookies made with whole wheat flour.
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So, you want to get sugar out of your daily diet. Well, it’s not too easy, but it certainly can be done with a little effort. And getting sugar out of your diet is totally worth the effort!
Meal times aren’t too difficult when you’re eating lean proteins and fresh veggies. Snacks and treats can be a challenge, however, so here are ideas on how to enjoy tasty, sugar-free eating.
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Did you ever hear the saying, “Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile”? Well, you can think of sugar the same way.
Take one bite of sugar and it’ll tell you to eat the whole bowl of ice cream, cookie, or candy bar. One little taste is never enough. The more you eat it the more you want it. The more you eat it the more you crave it.
For many people sugar is like a drug. They have ridiculously strong cravings for it – and when they do eat it they eat way too much of it.
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I’m really picky about my water. I prefer spring water to any other kind. I can especially taste chlorine in water and I hate it!
I usually fill my water jugs at a spring water distributor. When I have that sweet, clear water I drink lots of it and stay hydrated.
I’ve noticed that when I run out of it and have to drink tap water, I never drink enough. The taste of it is so yucky to me that I drink about half my normal amount.
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If you want to lose weight, you need to stay positive and truthful with yourself. A lot of this comes down to how you think about dieting and exercising.
Make sure you’re not falling into these pitfalls – or thought traps:
I’ll do better tomorrow. So many times people think they need to wait until a big deadline at work is over, or for a less stressful day to start eating right. The problem is that life always throws us curveballs. There never will be a “good day” to start dieting. You have to make each day a good food day despite your circumstances.
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I babysat several kiddies yesterday so my mom wanted to be a help by bringing some food over. This included a plate of icing-covered cupcakes and a bag of homemade cookies. She placed them on my counter for easy access.
I had to look at these things all day. I had to handle them and serve them to the children. And I had to NOT eat them!
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After working really hard to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is gain some back. Unfortunately this is easy to do because you get comfortable. So you start getting a little sloppy with your eating and lax on your exercise.
Before you know it 10 or 20 pounds have crept back on.
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Weekends are usually a bust when it comes to dieting and exercise. Everyone wants to kick back, have some R&R, go out to dinner, get together with friends, etc. Usually by the end of the weekend there’s been too much food and too little exercise.
Weekends are when people have time to do something for themselves. Instead of overeating and sitting around, why not grab that time and work on your weight loss? It’d be a great way to kick start your diet.
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Few people can lose weight alone. Even if they know what they should do, it’s hard to do it without someone alongside cheering them on.
If you’re feeling discouraged and frustrated with your weight loss progress (or lack of), try building a weight loss support system. This support could be the key ingredient to your success.
Here are 5 ways to get your weight loss support system in place: [More]
Most people grossly underestimate how much they eat in a day – both the quantity and the calories. Then they say, “I don’t eat that much. Why can’t I lose weight?”
Those of you who’ve kept a food log (I mean really kept one) know how quickly calories and portions add up over the course of the day. It’s easy to eat way more than your body needs. A handful of pretzels, a cookie, and some of your kid’s gummy bears and you’ve added on hundreds of calories.
The only way to lose weight is to consume less calories than your body burns each day. This causes a calorie deficit and the body has to draw from its fat stores.
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It’s never any fun to see your kids acting like you – when they’re acting like your bad side. You can tell them not to pout, slam the door, or hold a grudge, but if you do it….
Talk is cheap. Our children are influenced more by what we do than by what we say.
This is true for all of our behaviors, including eating and exercise habits. How we eat – skip breakfast, drive-thru for a quick dinner, eat ice cream out of the box, etc. – will influence how they eat. The kinds of foods we serve them will shape their taste buds for the rest of their lives.
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I have a love-love relationship with peanut butter. I love it on pancakes, on bananas and apples, stirred into vanilla yogurt, and straight out of the jar.
Now, I’ll go weeks or months having a cordial, restrained relationship with peanut butter. Every so often, however, I find I’m becoming peanut butter obsessed. (When I start dipping straight out of the jar I know I’m in trouble.)
I have found that certain peanut butter brands don’t bother me at all. I do not like the kind with added sugars or oils. My true love is Smucker’s natural creamy peanut butter – just roasted peanuts and salt.
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It’s really tough to see others excel in an area that you’ve been doggedly trying to get ahead in. Trying, but not succeeding.
In one of my groups, one lady has lost nearly 200 pounds. Another lady in the group has been trying to lose weight, but has suffered many setbacks. She felt very discouraged tonight after working out with her friend – happy for her friend, but down about her own lack of progress.
I can understand. I’ve only been allowed to do light exercise and have felt very frustrated that I cannot run. I had originally planned on doing a marathon this fall. A friend from work has been in training and recently completed two triathlons. I am so proud of her and I am amazed at her journey. Though I rejoice with her, on the inside I feel discouraged about my own lack of progress.
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Did you know your taste buds are trainable? Over time they adapt and “get used to” the kinds of foods you eat.
For example, think about salt. People who don’t eat salty foods, like someone with heart disease, may eat at a restaurant and say, “This food is so salty.” The next person who consistently adds salt to his/her food may eat at a restaurant and say, “Pass the salt. This food’s too bland.”
Your taste buds will become accustomed to and enjoy what you give them.
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What you eat has the biggest effect on your health, your weight, and your clarity of mind. If you eat junk, you’ll feel like junk and look like, well, a cream puff.
You can start eating healthier today. It’s not hard. Just swap out unhealthy foods for healthier varieties. Here are 10 easy replacements to get you started:
- Whole wheat bread for white bread
- High fiber, low sugar cereal for sweetened cereal
- Light popcorn for chips
- Raw almonds for pretzels
- Fat free milk for 1%, 2% or whole milk
- Plain nonfat yogurt for sweetened yogurt
- Skinless chicken breast fillets for breaded chicken
- Low sodium canned tuna for lunch meat
- Low sugar protein bar for candy bar
- Water with lemon/lime for soda
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Have you ever read the ingredient list on your food label and choked? You can easily find high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil, sodium polyphosphates – and a ton more of unpronounceable names.
All these unnatural, unhealthy additives load our bodies up with toxins. They do no good for our health. And they’re in everything!
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Vegetables are perfect for weight loss and good health! They are high in fiber, low in calories, and packed with vitamins. Vegetables help keep you full. They keep your bowels moving. And they ward off diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
You don’t want to skimp on veggies. But did you ever get to the end of the day and realize you didn’t eat enough vegetables?
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Is food mastering you?
For a lot of people with weight issues, food is the main problem. It’s often easier to start walking during your lunch break than it is to control the food that goes into your mouth all day.
Food is supposed to be used for sustenance and strength. It’s meant to give nutrition to the body. Unfortunately, especially in the U.S. and developed countries, food is used for entertainment, stress relief, pleasure, and instant gratification.
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I really enjoy reading the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It is filled with practical wisdom. One theme that is carried throughout the book is this: the wise man heeds correction, but the fool despises discipline.
This was exemplified for me tonight as I sat around a table with 7 other people. They were at the end of a 10-week weight loss program. I was the personal trainer for some of them so I joined in on their final meeting/party.
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