Slow and Steady

Have you lost a lot of weight at one time only to gain it all back? Did you exercise regularly, but now sit on the couch eating your ice cream and watching Biggest Loser? Do you look at the smaller sizes hanging in the back of your closet with a heavy heart?

You’re not alone. So many people have lost weight for a time, then slid back down the slippery slope into bad lifestyle habits. I lost and gained at least a half dozen times. And what a wretched feeling it is.

I recently caught up with one of my past clients. He’d lost a lot of weight, but gained it all back during a transitional time in his life. Now he is working at weight loss again. Though the pounds aren’t coming off quickly, he’s at peace. He knows that this time around, he needs to make changes that can be part of his life, forever. Not a diet. Not a flash in the pan. But lasting changes. He signed off his email as “slow and steady.”

I couldn’t give better advice. The healthy changes you make need to be ones you can sustain and live with day after day, month after month, year after year. Even if your progress is slow, as long as it’s progress. Keep moving toward your goal. Keep making adjustments, doing better, making healthier choices.

Slow and steady always wins the race in the end.

Low Cal Coleslaw

A side order of coleslaw at a popular fast food restaurant contains 232 calories and 14 grams of fat. Not what you want to be taking in just to get some veggies.

You can make great light-tasting coleslaw that’s low in calories and fat. It gives you the tang of the mayonnaise dressing and the crunch of the cabbage while being good for you.

Take a ready-to-eat “Coleslaw” mix of shredded green cabbage and carrots (it is a bag of veggies, washed and ready to eat in the refrigerated section). In a bowl whisk together: 1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt, 1 Tbs. vinegar, 1 Tbs. Splenda, and a dash of salt and pepper. Toss the coleslaw veggies with the mayonnaise dressing until evenly coated. Keep refrigerated.

A serving size of 1 1/2 cups is only 43 calories! (You could eat the whole bowl for under 200 calories if you wanted.)

Ward off Weight Gain with Exercise

Exercise does more than simply burn calories. For those who tend to pack on the pounds with ease, exercise can actually thwart the body’s tendency to gain weight.

Scientists discovered a link between a certain “fat” gene and obesity. Those who carry the gene have a greater tendency for weight gain and obesity.

Researchers studied the daily activities of 700 people with this gene. Amazingly, the subjects with high levels of physical activity – equal to one hour of brisk running every day – did not gain weight as expected.

The findings showed that exercise thwarts the gene’s weight-gaining effects. So even those who have the gene and are “genetically disposed” to being overweight, can do something about it. Exercise!

Future studies hope to uncover a way to treat obesity in people based on their genetic makeup. But for now, make it your goal to exercise vigorously one hour every day.

Never Quit Trying

“Trying times are not the times to quit trying.”

I read that slogan on a sign in front of a church and thought, “How true.” It applies to all areas of life, and we can certainly see how it holds true when making healthy lifestyle changes.

We all have stressful weeks at work under deadlines, or weeks when the kids are sick and housebound. We have travel times and party times. There are all sorts of challenges we face every day that make it difficult to eat right and exercise.

What kind of “trying times” are you facing? Are you frustrated, burned out, ready to quit?

I want to encourage you to hang in there. Bad days pass. A good day is always around the corner.

Don’t quit trying. Even if you have setbacks and your progress is slow, it’s okay. Remember, this healthy lifestyle is a forever thing. You have a long time to perfect it! So, even if you don’t do the greatest during a trying time, never quit trying.

My 5 Top Tricks for Building Boundaries

In my last blog, I asked you to consider accepting your food issues. When you do, then you are able to face food honestly and say, “What can I do to manage this behavior?”

I want to share some of my secrets for building boundaries around food. If I didn’t do this, I would not be successful. I do not have Goliath-size will power. I love to eat. I hate to feel hungry. And over the years, I’ve learned tricks to keep myself on track.

1. Clean out your environment. Get rid of anything that is a trigger, pleasure, temptation food. For me, I cannot keep ice cream in my fridge freezer. (I have been able to keep it in the deep freeze in the basement.) Nor can I keep chocolate bars in the house. Instead I keep diet hot cocoa mix for my chocolate cravings.

2. Always preplan your food and know what the calories are. It’s the same as counting the costs before you build. This will help you make smart choices. I subtotal my foods throughout the day, and then plan out and total the evening foods to make sure I’m staying in my calorie range. If not, I make adjustments to my plan before I eat. (This step includes journaling everything!!)

3. Eat often. Six times a day works well – three meals and three snacks. Don’t let yourself get overly hungry. Not only will your blood sugar drop, but you will lose control and overeat. I always make sure to get in my meals and snacks, even if it means packing food to take with me.

4. Avoid eating for socializing. It’s too easy to relax and just eat whatever because you’re with a group of friends. Meet up after dinner or invite people over to your house where you’re in control of the menu. (I avoid going to people’s houses for dinner at all costs.) If you do have to go to a friend’s for dinner, offer to bring a salad.

5. Use lots of substitute behaviors. I chew gum, drink herbal tea, brush my teeth, go to the library, take a shower, check my email, etc., during the “snacky” times. I know what time of day is my hardest to stay out of the kitchen so I get busy with other stuff. (Getting out of the house to run errands works great.)

So, there are my top tricks for building boundaries and being successful with food. Try building boundaries for yourself. See how much easier your day can be.

Trade Guilt for Acceptance

“I ate too much this week,” my client moaned over her dismal results on the scale. “I guess I just need to have more control.”

“No you don’t,” I told her. “You never will.” She looked at me liked I’d grown two heads. We were walking together on the indoor track while she did walking lunges. “You’re not going to magically, somehow have more control. What you have to do is control your environment. Get rid of the stuff that tempts you.”

She didn’t want to accept this at first. “But my husband wants to eat certain things,” she said. “It’s not his fault. I have to take responsibility. I’m the one with the problem.”

“Yes,” I responded, trying to get through to her. “You have to take responsibility and admit that you don’t have control over your eating. You need to explain that to your husband and tell him you need to keep certain foods out of the house.” I smiled, “Tell him to get his treats when he’s out.”

Do you feel guilty because you don’t have control over your eating? What if you just accepted that? Could you then set guards and boundaries in your life to help yourself adopt healthy eating behavior?

Set boundaries like removing temptation foods from your home, asking coworkers to choose a restaurant with healthy options for your lunch out, telling your spouse how much you struggle and asking for his/her support, inviting friends to socialize with an activity rather than food.

Could you trade in your guilt for acceptance? If you could, you might find the ability to move forward and bridge your weaknesses.