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photo by Distec International
“Weight-loss goals can mean the difference between success and failure,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Well-planned weight loss goals provide a plan that keeps you focused and motivated. Poorly planned goals, on the other hand, are unrealistic and almost impossible to achieve. If you set unrealistic goals, you will probably end up frustrated and discouraged and decide to quit all your efforts to lose weight. These tips will help you create well-planned weight loss goals that will have you on the path to weight loss success:
1. Begin by breaking down one big goal into a series of smaller ones. Having one big goal can be overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. Take small steps to meet your main goal and you will be more likely to succeed because small goals are more manageable. Consider short-term goals as stepping stones to reaching long-term goals.
2. Be willing to change your goals as you progress. You may find that your smaller goals are not challenging enough and you may need to adjust them as you adapt to your new lifestyle. Review your goals each week, think about what worked and what didn’t and make new goals accordingly.
3. Set goals that take your personal capabilities into consideration. Take your schedule, fitness level and health into consideration, and your goals will be more achievable.
4. Make sure that your weight loss goals are realistic. Don’t expect rapid weight loss. Safe weight loss is usually around 2 pounds each week. This means that you will need to burn about an extra 1,000 calories each day. You can do this by cutting back the calories and adding extra activity into your life everyday.
5. Focus on changing your habits. Changing your habits and making a lifestyle change is the key to successful weight loss. Focus on the process of change and not on the outcome.
6. Identify potential setbacks. By recognizing potential setbacks before hand, you can brainstorm strategies that will help you to overcome them and keep you on track. Setbacks are normal and most of us have experienced them.
7. Write down your goals. You will be more successful if you write down all the details of your goals. It will help to make you more aware of your expectations, give you more accountability and serve as a great reference tool as to what works and what doesn’t.
8. Timing can make the difference between success and failure. Timing is crucial. You may need to look at your life and resolve some issues first. Make sure that other stressors such as work and personal life are as calm as you can make them. Don’t start a weight loss plan and a new job at the same time. Once you have chosen a starting date to lose weight – don’t put it off!
At Dr. Clark’s Center for Weight Loss Success you will learn that goals need to be SMART – meaning that they need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. Set your personal goals and get started! You’ll find that realistic and well-planned goals will help you have a more successful weight loss program.
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You know how mom used to always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, guess what? She was right! Mom knows best when it comes to realizing that breakfast is the fuel that keeps us running throughout the day. Let’s talk about the importance of breakfast and some alternatives for anti-breakfast folks.So, why do we do it? Sometimes it’s just too easy to skip breakfast. You’re in a rush, you’d prefer to sleep a little later rather than prepare a meal, or it’s so hectic getting the kids off, you just can’t seem to make the effort or find the time. Slow down or resist that snooze button!
You can even find some breakfast ideas in this article that are portable! Eat it on the way to work or, pack it and eat it once you get there and get settled in. How about fixing the whole family a healthy breakfast instead of setting for Pop Tarts or donuts for the kids? Or perhaps you’re taking the (unwise) meal-skipping approach to losing weight. Chances are this is going to backfire on you because skipping meals almost always leads us to overeating. This is especially true in the case of breakfast, because you’ve just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours and your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation.
If you don’t eat something in the morning, you are literally forcing yourself into running on empty. Say the last time you ate was 8 p.m. last night. If you didn’t eat lunch until noon today, that’s sixteen hours of no refueling! Your body is screaming out, “Give me some help here!”
The fuel that keeps our motors running is glucose. Your brain and your nervous system need glucose to work: that means walking, speaking, stretching, typing – any activity requires this fuel. If you don’t supply it, your system resorts to finding stored carbohydrates or it tries to turn fat into glucose. Why put your body through all this? Instead, do what mom said and eat that breakfast!
But… there’s a problem. So you don’t like traditional breakfast foods. Don’t worry! There are alternatives to traditional breakfast fare that you may not have considered!
Read the Full Story at about.com.
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One thing I’ve noticed in all the years that I have worked in both fitness and weight management is the amount of people who skip breakfast. Either people complain that they don’t have time to eat in the morning or they believe that skipping breakfast will cut calories and therefore, help them to lose weight. Research has consistently shown that that the people who successfully lose weight are the ones that wake up and eat breakfast.
Why is breakfast considered to be the most important meal of the day?
- Firstly: Eating a healthy breakfast can reduce hunger throughout the day so that better food choices can be made the rest of the day and portion sizes can be controlled.
- Eating breakfast will give you more energy for the rest of the day and studies have shown that people are better able to focus and function throughout the day.
- For many people, eating breakfast is part of a healthy lifestyle so they are more likely to set a healthy precedent for the rest of the day by making wiser food choices and exercising.
- People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat fewer calories from fat and have a better vitamin and mineral intake.
So, how can we work breakfast into our busy lives?
- Prepare the night before by planning what you are going to eat the next morning and have it ready to go.
- Place a list of foods on your fridge that are quick and easy but also ones that you enjoy. It will make it easier to choose what to have for breakfast the next morning.
- Decide to drive through a fast food restaurant on your way to work but know ahead of time what healthy choice you will be ordering.
Finally, the following are some foods that you might consider for breakfast:
- Protein shakes. Select already pre-mixed shakes or ones that are easily prepared by adding water.
- Eggs. They are great for satiety and that is partly because they are high in protein. Proteins require more calories to digest. If cholesterol is a concern, egg whites are also high in protein and a great alternative.
- Dairy products such as cottage cheese, yogurts and milk are also high in protein but take the carbohydrate count into consideration for the rest of the day.
- High-fiber complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and cereals will also help to keep you satisfied because fiber increases the sensation of fullness. Low carbohydrate tortillas are great for using as wraps. Cheese, eggs, Canadian bacon and deli meat are just some of the foods that you could place inside the wrap. Just make sure that you are getting adequate protein and keep track of your carbohydrate intake for the rest of the day.
Next time you are tempted to skip breakfast, remember that many studies, in both adults and children, have shown that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers.
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QUESTION:
I’ve heard that water is necessary for weight loss and that I should drink as much as possible to help me in my weight loss efforts. Is this true?
ANSWER:
There is some confusion surrounding the importance of water as it relates to weight loss. Unfortunately, more research is needed to clarify the issue. However, studies have clearly shown the importance of water in many other aspects, including some that are indirectly related to weight loss. Let’s review what we do know:
- To function at its best, the body needs to be well-hydrated. Our bodies are largely composed of water – about 55-60% of body weight. It helps with many tasks including
temperature regulation, cardiovascular function, waste product removal and metabolism.
- Although the body is efficient at regulating fluids, regular fluid intake (through food or drink) is required to keep the body hydrated. We lose fluid through respiration (breathing), sweating, and feces & urine. The result is a total body water turnover of approximately 5-10% per day. Luckily, our bodies are very good at compensating for normal fluctuations in fluid intake by either diluting or concentrating urine. However, sooner or later, water losses need to be replaced by fluid intake.
- Exercise is a hydration stressor. Due to water loss through sweat, dehydration can set in quickly during prolonged exercise – especially in hot and humid environments. The effects of dehydration are many and include decreased physical performance, cardiovascular stress, fatigue, depressed mental function, and heat illness. Increased perceptions of fatigue during exercise reduces your tolerance for exercise – and therefore your ability to burn more calories. (See Exercise & Avoiding Dehydration.) In addition, even small amounts of dehydration have been shown to cause general fatigue, which may affect your desire to even start an exercise session.
- The extreme opposite of dehydration can cause problems too. Ingesting large amounts of water without other added content (such as electrolytes, sugar, vitamins, etc.) can result in a medical complication known as hyponatremia. When too much plain water is ingested, large amounts of electrolytes (especially sodium) are transported from the blood and tissues into the small intestine, resulting in a dangerous electrolyte imbalance.
- A small study has indicated that metabolic rate increases following water consumption by as much as 30% and is sustained for over an hour.1 The mechanism of the increased calorie burn is thought to be a combination of the energy needed to heat the ingested water and additional unknown factors. The long-term effect of increased water consumption and weight loss has not been studied.
- Research has shown that cell hydration influences metabolism. However, changes in reactions at the cellular level cannot necessarily be extrapolated to whole body calorie balance. More research needs to be done to reveal whether extreme changes (either dehydration or optimal hydration) can actually influence the whole body’s caloric expenditure and/or fat loss.
- Contrary to popular belief, water intake before or with meals has not been shown to decrease the number of calories consumed during meals.2,3 However, it is interesting to note that when foods with high water content (such as soup) are consumed prior to meal, subsequent caloric intake at the meal is decreased.
In summary, the direct link between water intake and weight loss is not clear and should not be the main reason for your hydration efforts. However, the importance of hydration to your health is very clear and hydration efforts are well worth your time. Maintaining optimal hydration levels enhances your vitality and ability to exercise, thereby increasing caloric expenditure. Although there may be caloric expenditures associated with water intake, the added benefit is small compared to the caloric cost of exercise. Given the rare but potential danger of excessive water intake, keep your water intake within the recommended daily water intake.
Read more at myfooddiary.com
1 Water Induced Thermogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88:6015-6019, 2003.
2 Water Incorporated Into a Food But Not Served With A Food Decreases Energy Intake In Lean Women. Am J Clin Nutr 70:448-455, 1999.
3 Does the Consumption of Caloric and Non-Caloric Beverages With A Meal Affect Energy Density? Appetite 44:187-193, 2005.
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Water May Suppress Appetite Naturally
- Try drinking before a meal
- Some studies have shown that a decrease in water intake causes fat deposits to increase
Best Treatment for Water Retention
- The body perceives insufficient water as a threat to survival and holds onto every drop – resulting in swollen feet, legs and hands
- Give your body plenty of water so that stored water will be released
- Sodium – culprit, “wherever salt goes water follows” so, drink more water – water forced through the kidneys takes away excess sodium
Overweight / Larger People Need More Water
- Water is key to fat metabolism, also, metabolized fat must be shed
- Mayo clinic – body weight in pounds divided in half, convert into ounces, divided by 8 to determine cups needed
Weather / Exercise
- Increase in hot weather (especially dry heat)
- Drink before, during and after exercise – 1 cup within ½ hour, 4-8 ounces every 20 minutes, 1 cup following. Weigh before and after exercise Replace every pound lost with 20 ounces
- Cold water absorbed faster than warm
Constipation
Having difficulty drinking the 8 cups of water that is recommended daily for most people? Plan! Plan! Plan!
- Flavor it
- Have it with every meal
- Carry bottled water (drink on your way to work and on your way home) DRINK UP!
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There is nothing wrong with dedication and self-discipline, especially when it comes to weight loss. Be sure, though, that you aren’t being too hard on yourself whenever an obstacle comes along or when you make a mistake. No one ever approaches a diet, a workout or a lifestyle change in an absolutely perfect manner. And on that note, no one’s efforts ever result in a 100% perfect body.
Stick to your plan. Hold yourself accountable. Do all that you can. But don’t be hard on yourself whenever things fall short of perfection. Here are a few tips to remember:
- Perfectionism can cause you to hesitate. If your doubts are keeping you from acting upon your weight loss plan, you will never be able to benefit from it. Sometimes you just have to begin the process and refine it as you go.
- Perfectionism can lead to giving up. Unreasonably high expectations can create the perspective that if you cannot reach certain goals in a particular way or time, you may as well not try at all.
- Perfectionism can cause you to focus on the negative. Over the course of your weight loss, you will likely experience numerous accomplishments on a small scale. However, if you focus on the mistakes you’ve made, you will only see failure where there are actually small incremental successes.
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If you’ve identified an inner perfectionist, here are five strategies for getting it out of your way before it sabotages your weight loss plan or triggers emotional eating.
1. Separate yourself from your perfectionist. YOU are not your perfectionist. However, if you’ve been applying all-or-nothing standards for a long time, you might feel like you are. Spend some time stepping back and observing your behavior. Get familiar with the perfectionistic thinking. Notice where it comes up and what the consequences are when it does.
2. Label it. Start thinking about “that unhelpful inner perfectionist” or whatever name you want to give this way of thinking that gets in your way. Acknowledge it to yourself whenever you see it—“there goes that unhelpful perfectionistic thinking again.” This is different than “I’M doing it again.” Remind yourself of tip number one. Your inner perfectionist is an it and is NOT you. It’s simply a way of thinking–which you can change.
3. Make a list of all the ways that your inner perfectionist is not helpful or the examples of how your perfectionist has made or can make things worse. Don’t forget to include the guilt and shame that usually comes with listening to an inner perfectionist (because we never measure up).
4. Create an alternate mantra. Come up with a short, sweet message that you can use when the perfectionistic thinking chimes in with “you screwed up” or “you failed” or “now you blew it.” This must be a message you believe to be true. It may be as simple as “nobody’s perfect” or “trying to be perfect is not helpful to me.”
5. Give yourself permission to encounter your perfectionist over and over. Don’t fall into a trap of expecting to be perfect in vanquishing your inner perfectionist. You’ll have success—sometimes—and sometimes you won’t feel so successful. But over time and practice, it gets easier. Really.
Read the Full Story at empowerher.com
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Recently the American Society of Bariatric Physicians included an article on perfectionism in their July/August newsletter. The article, written by Dr. John Sklare, stated that perfectionism is the third most common psychological issue interfering with weight loss and maintenance. He also found that 51% of overweight individuals have a serious problem with this.
There are a few questions that he would like you to ask yourself:
- Do you feel that once you cheat – your diet is over?
- Do you believe that dieting means that you can never eat foods you like ever again?
- Do you allow yourself any wiggle room when trying to eat healthier?
- And finally, do you equate a minor slip with complete failure?
Dr. John Sclare has found that a perfectionist brings an unrealistic attitude towards weight management, expecting the impossible and having the “all or nothing” mentality. The perfectionist only has to vary very slightly from their program to abandon their entire effort.
At some point or another, I’m sure that most of us have given in to a moment of weakness and eaten something that we feel has been “off limits”. Unfortunately, once we have eaten it and deviated from our program we feel like failures and so we decide that we may as well eat “whatever we want”. This behavior can doom us to failure and according to research, can result in problems such as:
- Poor self-esteem
- Guilty feelings
- Pessimism about the future
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive behavior
- Low motivation
- An a Lack of self-belief
So, what can we do to have a more realistic and flexible approach?
- Firstly, we must set realistic goals
- Secondly, we have to change the way we think by challenging our irrational belief system
- And finally, we have to be prepared for minor slips. Dr. John Sklare recommends we do this by putting together a diet emergency kit. This kit would include a list of a days’ worth of healthy meals and snacks and all their ingredients. He suggests that if we slip we go to our emergency kit and follow the meal plan that we have put together, for the next 24 hours.
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While working to lose weight, even the most strong-willed of us can fall into the trap of relapsing every once in a while. Falling back into an old routine can be troubling for one’s self image and can make it seem tempting to simply give up. It is important to bear in mind, however, that this is a very common problem which can be overcome. A relapse is absolutely no cause for quitting, yet it may be necessary to reevaluate some of the aspects of your weight loss approach.
Follow these steps to get back on track:
- Evaluate the cause of your relapse. Has a schedule change made it difficult to workout, or has a new source of stress led you to snack more often? You may not be able to prevent the changes in your life, but changing your eating plans and workout routines around them is much easier once the changes have been identified.
- Take body measurements instead of relying on the scale alone. Your weight number can fluctuate due to water weight and added muscle (muscle weighs more than fat). That is why it helps to keep track of body measurements—you may find that you are making progress after all.
- Seek support from those you can trust. Find someone close to you who can provide encouragement and keep you accountable as you return to your weight loss routine. You may also find it helpful to participate in a weight loss support group.
- Don’t forget to acknowledge the smaller goals. If you focus on your long-term goals too much, the time it takes to reach them can seem discouraging. Instead, pay attention to the short-term goals as they happen: workouts getting easier, clothes fitter better, etc.
- Add some variety to your efforts. Try adding some new healthy foods to your diet to motivate more interest in your meal plans. You should also consider trying different exercises, not just to prevent boredom, but also to prevent your body from becoming to accustomed to the same workouts.
It’s a great idea to get in touch with people who understand what you’re going through. Sign up today to attend a support group meeting at the Center for Metabolic Health.
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When it comes right down to it, the “secret” to keeping the weight you’ve lost off is really very simple: Don’t stop doing the things that helped you take it off in the first place.
Obviously, you’ll need to make some small changes in your eating and exercise so that you’re achieving energy balance (to maintain weight) instead of creating a calorie deficit (to lose weight). But other than that, the key to successful weight maintenance is maintaining the healthy practices that got you to this point.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always as easy or simple as it sounds. Old habits really do die hard. If you struggled with obesity for a long time, or if you lost weight by following some diet plan that you can’t stick with safely or easily, you can’t assume it’s going to be easy to continue eating and exercising in a healthy way now that the weight’s off. Just stopping your healthy lifestyle and going back to “business as usual” will put you on the fast track back to your original weight, and maybe with a few extra pounds.
Even if you’ve taken the gradual “lifestyle change” approach advocated by SparkPeople, you’re likely to find yourself facing a new set of challenges as you shift gears into maintenance mode. Being aware of and prepared for these challenges can make it a lot easier to meet them successfully. So let’s take a look at some of the strategies and approaches of people who have lost weight and kept it off.
Read the full story at sparkpeople.com.
