Losing Weight Permanently
Tips to Diet and Exercise Effectively
A weight loss strategy involves healthy eating, exercise and positive planning and thinking. In her article entitled “How to Lose Weight for Good” that appears in the September 2007 issue of Health magazine, psychologist and diet coach Dr. Judith Beck shares her 6-week diet solution plan based on her book entitled The Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook (Oxmoor House, 2007).
The 6-week plan doesn’t tell you what to eat. “What it does teach you is how to handle the voices in the head that threaten to undermine you and how to stick to your plan,” she says. Here’s a quick look at the plan.
Week 1 – List down Reasons to Lose Weight
Don’t diet yet. Instead, write down reasons for losing weight – to look better, feel more confident, be more in control, etc. Make copies of that list and put them in strategic places, for instance the kitchen or fridge door. Read the list several times daily, particularly when tempted to munch. Fostering the right attitude before any diet plan starts is crucial to stay motivated.
Week 2 – Move the Body
Set a realistic goal. For instance, aim to lose five pounds first. Then start exercising. Stick to appointed exercise times. Use a fitness journal if necessary. Move about as much as possible even when not exercising. When out shopping, walk instead of driving or park the car a little further away from the stores. Dieters having hunger pangs can distract themselves by calling a friend, brushing teeth, organizing the room or taking a walk.
Week 3 – Start a Healthy Eating Diet
Plan meals ahead and jot down exactly what will be cooked. This allows dieters to make decisions about what they are going to eat even before they encounter cravings, giving them more control when temptations strike.
It’s also crucial to use a food diary to record everything that’s been eaten, even foods not supposed to be eaten. This will force dieters to be aware of what they are eating. Stick to the plan at all times. Many dieters make the mistake of relaxing the diet plan after “cheating” a little. Avoid that. Don’t let a minor slip turn into a major setback.
Week 4 – Overcome Negative Thoughts
Write each negative thought down as soon as it occurs. Then respond positively to those negative thoughts. For instance, a dieter is tempted to eat something because everyone else is eating it. She should respond by reminding herself that her goal is permanent weight loss. If she is tempted to skip exercising because she feels tired, she should tell herself that exercise can actually energize her.
Week 5 – Deal with Dieting Challenges
There will be many challenges along the way to fitness. If there are plans to eat out, decide how much you’ll be eating and be prepared for negative thoughts and temptations. If there are pressures from others to eat something, keep thinking of the reasons to lose weight written down in Week 1. The weight loss goal should always come first, not other people’s feelings!
Week 6 – Fine-tune New Skills
Pursue new interests while waiting to lose weight. Travel, meet new friends, get a new hobby or join a club. In the meantime, keep using motivations and distractions to reduce weight. Always refer to skills acquired in the early weeks to cope with negative thoughts, temptations and dieting challenges.
To reduce weight and keep it off permanently, positive planning and thinking are just as crucial as diet and exercise. A week-by-week plan will include listing down reasons to lose weight, moving the body, starting a healthy eating diet, overcoming negative thoughts, dealing with dieting challenges and fine-tuning new skills.
For more weight loss ideas, read also Keeping Track of Weight Loss, Eating Less and Portion Control Made Easy.
Right Planning and Thinking Crucial to Lose Weight
|
More in Health & Wellness
Latest Articles