One of the most frustrating things about weight loss is going through all the effort, only to have the pounds creep back on again. A major cause of this is the going on a diet that is a drastic change from what you’re used to. You starve yourself or eat foods you don’t like. Along with that you don’t change your activities so the feelings of loss are that much greater. No wonder you can’t wait for it to be over!
Strategic Steps
There are 6 strategic steps I’d like to share with you that will make your decision to lose weight a positive one and a successful one. They integrate your food habits with your lifestyle habits so everything works together.
Step 1. Eat a good breakfast
You’ve heard this many times, and it’s one of the most important pieces of any weight loss plan. Very often weight gain happens from night eating. Late meals and snacking combine to put weight on because there is no time at the end of the day to burn it off. If you have been a night eater, you may say you don’t have breakfast because you’re not hungry in the morning. Stop night eating and you will be.
Step 2. Eat high nutrient/low calorie foods
What does this mean? it meanseat foods that have lots of nutrients, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, because these foods tell your brain you have the nutrients you need. These nutrients don’t come loaded with calories the way fried foods, bagels and other white flour foods do.
Step 3. Eat consistently
Breakfast at 6-7 am, lunch at 12-1pm and dinner at 5-7pm. This works well for most because you don’t go too long without food so you never get overly hungry. For those who need a snack, plan carefully with fruit and hummus or peanut butter.
Step 4. Be physically active
If you are physically active you will feel stronger and more alert. It naturally raises your endorphins, the feel good hormones. Watch children at play and you will see they don’t even think about food when they are moving around.
Step 5. Skip the TV and computer time
TV and computer time means you are probably sitting. It may also be snack time. You want to be active and distract yourself from activities that are associated with food when it is not meal time. Cut back on your TV and social media time and explore some long-ignored hobby, or clean out that closet.
Step 6. Don’t weigh yourself excessively
I wish I could tell you how many women have told me how often they weigh themselves. Once, twice, even three times a day. Noting even the fractions of pounds. 140.6, 138.9, 141.1This obsession with weight is distracting from other things you could be putting your attention to, and ultimately it leads to frustration and sometimes even giving up on eating well. If you are working on losing weight, weight yourself once weekly; if you are at a satisfactory weight, oncemonth or so is more than enough. Put your attention on eating healthy meals instead of on the scale.
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