Five Tips for Planning and Losing Weight

As the holidays approach we are already trying to be mindful of not gorging ourselves to the hilt once we hit those ever-so-scrumptious parties that consist of piles of rum balls and endless slices of pumpkin pecan cheesecake.

One of our Well Past 50 Advisory Board members, Angela  is the owner of a women's health club in Bettendorf, IA, who also serves as that little angel on our shoulder whispering to us about being sensible and staying healthy for the long haul. Below are her words of wisdom that we should keep in mind as the season of gluttony approaches:

Five Tips For Planning And Losing Weight

If motivation is the spark that lights the weight-loss fire, then smart planning is the timber that will keep your desire burning. Lots of folks jump into a new diet or weight-loss plan without giving it much thought. This can lead to disappointment later when results aren't as stellar as had been hoped and people don't understand what went wrong. Here's a rundown of the factors that most weight-loss experts agree will help you succeed.

• PREPARATION

1. Draw On Internal Motivation - Write down your reasons for wanting to lose weight. An honest assessment can go a long way toward predicting whether you will succeed. Knowing why you want to lose weight can also help you focus your efforts more definitively. Play to your strongest internal motivation. In general, internal motivators (getting healthy, feeling better) lead to long-term success. External motivators (fitting into new clothes in time for a friend's wedding) tend to be powerful but short-lived. Aim for something like climbing stairs without becoming winded rather than trying to fit into that old dress or suit. Specific motivators make powerful inducements.
2. Elicit Support - You could go it alone, but support makes the job easier and more pleasant. Telling the people closest to you about your intentions announces that you're serious and committed to your new lifestyle. This doesn't have to be a media event. Just tell your family and friends that you plan to change some important aspects of your life and that you'd appreciate their support. A caveat: Don't proclaim, "I'm starting a new diet." Diets are temporary. You're making changes for the long haul. Having a support partner works for many people. Together, you can bolster one another's sagging spirits by offering encouragement. Promising to meet a partner for regularly scheduled gym time is a great way to stick to a workout routine.

• ACTION

1. Make Gradual Changes- Dramatic changes tend to disappear dramatically; gradual changes stay with you for a lifetime. Make a list of your long-term goals. They may include reaching and maintaining a certain weight, feeling more energetic or reclaiming a sense of control over your life. Break this list into manageable chunks. Perhaps you'll say, "Over the course of the next year, I want to lose X pounds." Divide that number by months or weeks, then plan how you can meet that goal through decreased caloric intake and increased activity. If you've been inactive for a long time, don't start by exercising 30 minutes per session. Ease into it. And when planning your new menu, don't eliminate all "bad" foods in one sweep.
2. Schedule Regular Activity - Exercise burns calories and makes you feel better. Make exercise an automatic part of your day and pretty soon you won't remember a time when you weren't active. On days when a full workout is impossible, you can accumulate activity by squeezing in short bouts of action throughout the day. Park your car far from a building's entrance and walk. Take a brisk stroll after lunch. Perform desk exercises while you work. Tap your foot to music. Use the stairs. These all can add up to more calories burned than are burned during a workout at the gym, and are a lot more convenient.
3. Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals - Smaller meals help stave off feelings of starvation, which can lead to binge eating. It's also an easy way to get fruits and vegetables into your diet. Keep healthful foods handy so "calorie-dispensing" vending machines or fast food joints won't tempt you. Aim for snack-like portions of about 100 to 150 calories. By choosing fruit and vegetable snacks, you can easily satisfy your hunger without the extra calories. A quarter cup of raisins, for example, has about 130 calories.

You can eat as often as you feel genuinely hungry. This means not eating out of habit or boredom. Drink a glass of water before you eat anything. You need water anyway, plus it helps you fill up without adding calories.

Comments

[LInda Barnes]

I am 59 years old. I work full time and go to school a couple nights a week. If all goes well, I will graduate this year. To my question: I have been overweight nearly my entire life. From a plump baby to a chubby pre-teen to a big-boned teenager who never had a date, I was always lonely as a child. I was just over 200 lbs when I graduated high school. I moved away from home and Mom's good home cooking; I lost 70 lbs in 6 months (actually too much too fast), gained a waistline and boyfriends. Within 6 months I was married and pregnant. I gained 40 lbs with that baby. It took forever to lose that weight. And it has been constant yo yo dieting from then on. I had a hysterectomy at 50, and it has been a losing battle ever since. No matter what weight loss plan (and believe me I have probably tried them all), nothing seems to work. At 59, I am 220 lbs (the fattest I have ever been) and miserable. Have you any idea what can help me, or am I stuck living like this?