beingwell magazine Summer 2007

At any given moment, there are thousands of people working, wishing and hoping for the same goal – weight loss.

In 20 years as a nutritionist and weight loss counsellor, I have worked with many of these people and one of the biggest obstacles most people have to overcome is their perception of what it takes to lose weight and maintain that weight loss successfully. There are many psychological factors involved in why we overeat, eat poorly and do not exercise but, in my experience, the most common recurring barrier to success is the focus on short-term goals.

Ask the average person in a weight loss program why they want to lose weight and the most common answers are: to fit into clothes;  look better; self-confidence; feel better; increase energy; and, lastly, for health.

These short-term goals are usually geared towards the immediate gratification of looking better, losing weight for a specific event or an obsession with the scale.
The long-term approach – eating well consistently and following through on the commitment to regular physical activity – will naturally bring the desired results of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and improved health.

We have all heard the numbers – 60 per cent of Canadians over 20 years of age are overweight. The problem is also growing among children and many of the diseases associated with obesity are on the increase in both adults and children.

Even if you aren’t one of them, developing a personal diet and exercise program will still have great long-term health benefits.

You can assess your weight using the charts on the next page and, in setting weight-loss or fitness goals, remember that your mind matters.

Researchers have found people who lose weight and keep it off not only alter their eating and exercise habits, they also change the way they think about eating and exercise. Here are five attitudes to get you into a successful weight-loss frame
of mind:

1. Believe you can do it! Understand your weight problems are caused by your own choices, such as what foods you eat and how much you exercise. When this is acknowledged, you take control over your weight and have reason to believe you can lose weight.

No one can change it but you! Visualize yourself as a slimmer, stronger you, then do the work that is necessary everyday to make your dreams a reality.

2. For those who need it, seek support. Having someone cheering you on can re-enforce your commitment. You realize that you are not alone. Having someone who understands your struggles and successes will help you through the rough spots.

If you need to, join a weight loss support group, not just for what you get, but for what you can give too. Giving support when you are doing well and watching others benefit from it is inspirational.

3. Look at healthy foods in a new light. Educate yourself about good nutrition and make a commitment to enjoying healthy, higher-fibre, lower-fat foods. Focus on the positive aspects of what you are eating – try to see healthier foods as desirable foods. Allow yourself small portions of different desserts or other favourite snack foods – denying yourself will only backfire.

You will start to look at foods differently. It’s just food; it’s not your best friend; it’s not going to make your problems go away. It’s just fuel for the body. If you crave fatty, sweet or salty foods, eat a small serving. Never deprive yourself. Changing the way you think about food is a lot harder if you think that a healthy diet means never eating another dessert.

4. Welcome the opportunity to exercise. You are far more likely to get and stay slimmer if you accept exercise needs to be an everyday part of your life. It is crucial to both losing  and maintaining weight loss. Adults need 30 - 60 minutes of moderate
activity every day. Find something you like to do, and do it often.

5. Breakdown long-term goals into short-term milestones Setting short-term milestones within a long-term goal will help to create a positive feedback loop that nurtures your resolve and creates an aura of achievement that will build momentum. For example, if your goal is to lose 40 pounds, then losing two pounds in a week does not seem significant.

However, if you break down that goal into five pounds a month, then the two-pound weight loss is almost half of that goal – a tremendous accomplishment. Focusing on losing the 40 pounds can often fail to motivate healthy behaviour because they are too far away to inspire you to make smart choices dozens of times a day.

Concentrate on measuring success by looking at how you work the process – healthy eating, drinking enough water, tracking your intake and exercising. If you focus on doing the work, the results will come. Live in the moment and focus on today.

Celebrate that you exercised or passed up a chocolate chip cookie at lunch. Be proud you lost one or two pounds in a week – the numbers add up and in a month you could be one-half size smaller.

6. Infuse pleasure into your day Remember to include activities that bring you joy. If you are happy, you are less likely to use food to fill the void.

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