Try to understand that whatever has contributed in you gaining weight in the past will lead to you gaining weight today and also in future, until you change it. You must identify what your weaknesses are. For instance, you could be a "stress eater" that munches or gorges on food when life gets difficult; or you could be a "reward eater", rewarding yourself for having a good day or accomplishing something great; or may be you are a boredom eater that just eats because there is nothing else to do right then. Perhaps you feel like you always must be chewing something because of nervousness.
Are you a "social eater" who goes out to a rib restaurant with your friends and gorges on the main entrée but then forces down a dessert (even though you're not hungry) just because it looks good or your friends are having some? Your first step to overcoming weight loss is to identify what the problem is. You need to identify what motivates you to eat other than normal hunger. Stress, depression, reward eating, social eating, boredom eating, nervousness, anxiety etc all contribute in a major way to weight gain.
Identify what the problem is and replace the behavior with something else. For instance, the next time you're stressed and you find yourself heading for the refrigerator say to yourself, "this is stress eating, I can't do this!" Then replace the behavior with something like going for a walk or reading a book, etc. Our lifestyle centers on food. How many of us take food for reasons other than fuel? Most of us eat for reasons unrelated to hunger; it may be "time to eat," or perhaps you eat because you're anxious, depressed or stressed. Do you eat when you're bored? Do you eat because someone tells you to? Many people feel guilty if they don't eat something that a family member or friend made "especially for them."
Recently, I read an advice column in a newspaper that said it seems a friend has become the "enemy." This friend is constantly baking sweet treats for a girlfriend, who is now gaining weight. With friends like her, who needs enemies, as they say?
You've all been in similar situations; may be a birthday party, a family celebration or a holiday dinner and the host has made all your favourite foods, especially for you. You come into the situation with your resolve strong; you're going to politely refuse, and exit with your weight intact. How to stay strong?
Maybe you're trying to take pounds off or have reached a weight that you want to stay at! Are there any people in your life that seem bent on sabotaging your resolve? You need some snappy comebacks to comments like:
"Come on, one bite won't hurt."
"It's not healthy to eat so few carbs."
"If you lose too much weight, your face will look wrinkled."
These "friends" probably aren't malicious, but they surely do need a lesson in life!
Here are some real-life situations that cry out for a snappy rejoinder. Put a little humour in your refusal, and don't get swayed, cajoled or persuaded to eat something that you don't want to. Snappy rejoinders are also useful when someone says something very inappropriate. Chalk it up to ignorance, not maliciousness, and go on with your healthy lifestyle.
Your snappy rejoinders
1. you’re at a family dinner, and your aunt baked her fat-laden chocolate cake. She pushes a slice toward you and says, "Come on, one bite won't hurt." You say, "Oh, and so you can feel my pain?" If that's too snappy for you, try, "I may as well slap it on my hips... that is where it ends up anyway."
2. Your best friend constantly says, "Oh, I have to lose weight!" but never makes a real attempt. One of his favourite statements is, "She made me eat it!" You say, "No one can chew it up and swallow it for you. You're the only one with that kind of control." Now see what he says!
3. One of your office mates says, "Why don't you drink regular soda? You don't look like you need to drink diet soda." Your snappy rejoinder acknowledges the "complement" and you say, "That's because I DO drink diet soda!"
4. Your mother, who also constantly complains about not succeeding in weight loss says, "Since this is organic, I can eat all I want, right?" You say, "Only if you want to gain all the weight you want." Now, duck!
5. Your husband (or wife) brings home a box of candy, even though you're trying to lose weight, and insists that you have one saying, "Oh, come on... live a little!" You say, with a smile (don't forget to smile!), "That's the problem, I want to live!"
6. You're out to dinner with a group of people, and someone says in a loud voice, "You're eating pasta? Don't you know that pasta is a bad food?" (Your reply will get a laugh, I guarantee!) You say, "Gee, pasta never says anything bad about you!" You're at a restaurant with a friend and there are so many things on the menu that looks so delicious. You know you are on a disciplined eating schedule but you’re not sure if this entree or that desert fits in to your eating game plan. Don't be afraid to ask how the food is cooked. Is the meat fried or grilled? Tell the server you want a dressing 'on the side' or you want to replace the French fries with fresh vegetables.
Most restaurants will go out of their way to accommodate you. Even if something that you want isn't on the menu you've got a pretty good chance of getting them to make what you want in the way that you want. Take control when eating out and don't forget to leave a nice tip for your server. Centuries ago when men lived in caves and tents we didn't have drive up windows. There were no drive-up windows, preservatives, fat-free, and certainly not processed foods. The majority of the foods that were available were vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Because these foods have bulk inherent to them the consumption of such foods was naturally controlled.
In this new millennia we are subjected to a variety of nutrient lacking foods. Things like chips, popcorn, crackers, cake, cookies, ice cream, etc have no significant physical bulk so it is easy to consume hundreds of calories without satisfying your hunger. So, take real foods. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains and you will feel filled when you have had enough.
(The author is a certified personal fitness trainer) |
