|
8
Secrets for Permanent Weight Loss
#1) EAT SLOWLY:
Decide that you are worth (a minimum of) 20 minutes per
meal to just sit, relax and enjoy your food. If you eat in less than 20 minutes
your brain does not have time to register that you have eaten. You may eat
beyond fullness before the rising blood sugar level can send your brain the
"full" message to tell you to stop eating. Try timing yourself to be
sure you take 20 minutes.
#2) EAT WITHOUT EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS:
Eat in a peaceful environment without T.V., reading,
doing office work or having upsetting conversations. If you can't give up these
distractions and eating at the same time, notice your resistance to change. Try
eating one meal in total quiet or just with soft music. Notice if any feelings
come up for you around just being with your food and being fully aware of the
mechanics of eating and what you're eating. Do you pay more attention to the
tastes? Do you enjoy that particular dish? Does eating bore you?...
#3) EAT WHILE YOU ARE SITTING DOWN:
Are there certain foods that you are more likely to eat standing up or lying on
the floor or couch? (Cookies, chips, etc.) Notice that you never eat broccoli
lying on the sofa. Some people eat in the car, in front of the 'fridge, or
walking down the street. Thus, these relaxation activities, and/or postures
become associated with eating certain (junk) foods. When these foods
become part of the relaxation process, you will not feel able to relax when you
are not eating these foods, even if you are not hungry.
Example: You come home from work tired and stressed. You fling yourself on the
couch, turn on the T.V. and devour a bag of chips to give you the strength to
get up and make dinner. If you do this a few times it becomes a pattern.
• Here is a weight-loss strategy to try: Notice what
it is like to relax or lie down, read a book, etc., without eating. Is it just
as enjoyable? Consider if a glass of water or hot tea would be just as
relaxing. Give it an honest try to break your habits.
#4) CHOOSE ONE EATING LOCATION IN YOUR HOME OR
WORK:
Eat all your meals and snacks at this one location You
may discover that once you formalize your chaotic eating patterns by eating at
your eating place, you begin to disassociate eating with relaxation or
socializing and start to eat more for nourishment. Be sure to take every meal,
midnight snack, or even a simple handful of pretzels to you eating place.
Notice if it takes the fun out of your "stolen" munchies. If you have
to make the effort to go sit down, you may notice that you are more willing to
let go of this quick enjoyment.
#5) MAKE EATING A SPECIAL OCCASION: (Especially
if you eat alone).
Make your eating place attractive by creating a place
setting. Use candles, flowers, linen, music, etc. Even if you don’t do
that – at least clear off the table of the past week’s newspapers
and mail!
#6) IDENTIFY YOUR EXTERNAL FOOD CUES:
If you are triggered to over eat by the
sight or smell of a particular food, even when you're not hungry, you might
consider the following:
• Drive or walk in another direction
to avoid your favorite ice cream or cookie store. (Did you ever notice how you
crave a Mrs. Fields cookie as soon as you see their counter?)
• Don't shop for food when you are
hungry- statistics show that when your are not hungry you will buy up to 20%
more food, and your food choices will not be as good.
•Leave the room or change the channel
when food commercials come on T.V.
•Time can be an external food cue as well. Do you eat
because you're hungry or because it's lunch time? Do you follow a routine that
triggers you to eat even if you are not hungry?
#7) IDENTIFY OVER-EATING HABITS and Try THESE
STRATEGIES:
• Remove leftovers from the table
immediately to avoid picking.
• Cut back on baking deserts for your
family. Discover other ways to show your love for them, such as taking walks or
spending more time doing activities together.
• Portion out everyone's food from
the kitchen when they first sit down. Family style serving often leads to
overeating.
• Have your partner or kids buy or make their own
snacks if they want high fat/sugar. When you find yourself saying "I must
buy brownies for the kids " know that in fact you are buying them for
yourself!
#8) IDENTIFY RESTAURANT AND SPECIAL OCCASION
OVER-EATING HABITS:
• Alcoholic drinks before your meal
often lead to overeating as well as "empty calories".
• Identify eating companions who
trigger you to overeat or emotionally eat. It may require you to find other
social activities with these companions than eating.
• Assertive behavior may be necessary
with people who want you to eat for their sake or because "they made it
just for you", "it's only a little piece", "how often do
you get to eat this"? They may act offended, but remember it's your body
and you are in charge. If nothing else works tell them you are allergic to it!
• Before going out to a meal, imagine
yourself as only eating what you want and taking the rest home in a doggie-bag.
Seeing yourself doing this before hand will make the action easier. You can
enjoy the meal twice by having the leftovers again tomorrow!
• When your food first arrives at the
table, divide it in half. Make a conscious decision that after you eat half the
food you will re-evaluate how you feel, wait five minutes and then decide if
you want anymore.
• If you think you might be full but
aren't sure, stop and wait five minutes before another bite.
• Have the waiter clear your plate as
soon as you know you are through eating.
• Visualize what a naturally thin
person would do before you go to a restaurant. Imagine yourself doing that.
Re-program your brain as if you already think and act like a thin person and
your body will follow.
• At holidays, weddings, parties and
other social gatherings decide to choose five things you really like and eat
only those. Prior to going out for the evening, imagine yourself doing the
above suggestion and you will leave the party feeling light and energetic
instead of stuffed!
• Notice what it feels like to go out with your
friends and focus on the conversation and companionship as the main event,
rather that the eating.
GIVE IT A TRY
AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOU WON'T BE IMAGINING THAT YOU ARE A THIN, HEALTHY
PERSON, …
YOU WILL BE
A THIN, HEALTHY PERSON!
If you need help with a
weight-loss program to get you started on the right track for the new year,
please contact Irene Diamond at
Diamond Massage &
Wellness Center for more information.
(415)921-1290
P.S. A few of you have
expressed a desire to have a weekly 60 minute telephone conference call with me
as a Wellness Support Network. I am considering doing this if at least 10
people are interested in getting fit together starting January 4th, 2006.
It will be great because each week you can tap into my over 15 years of
experience and knowledge to help you with any struggles you might be having. We
can all learn from and support each other over the telephone through the New
Year to reach your fitness and wellness goals! Each weekly call will cover a
topic regarding everything from exercising to food choices to body fat testing
to all the secrets of living a healthy, fit life!
To get this started off on the right track, I will be offering an exclusive
introductory rate to the first 10 people who sign up to be a part of this
Wellness Support Network. Pay monthly at only $15.00 / conference
call for a total of $60.00 / month. (After the first 10 people the rate
will go to $80/month.) We will also have recordings of the calls available for
you to replay to be sure you won’t miss anything juicy!
If you
want to make this the year you reach your goals –
give
me a call ASAP to secure your spot as one of the first 10 people to sign up to
take advantage of the discounted rate! Call 415-921-1290.
(Calls will be held on
Wednesdays at 11:00 am PST.) |
