Am I Ready to Start a Weight Management Program?

You know what you need to do - eat a low-fat diet and get plenty of regular exercise - for life. But are you ready to do it? Weight loss is a big commitment. You need to be ready physically, mentally, and emotionally to succeed.

Before you start, make sure you are honest about who you really want to lose weight for. Is a family member or spouse nagging you? Is your class reunion coming up? Or do you want to lose weight because you are tired of being so heavy and want to be healthier? If you’ve answered “yes” to any question but the last one, rethink your idea of starting a weight loss program. The people who are most likely to succeed with a weight management program have improved health as a primary motivation.

Be honest about what you are really willing to change. Can’t stand the thought of jogging? Okay, but are you willing to take the stairs instead of the elevator and park a little farther away from the building? You say you can’t live without ice cream. Would you be willing to substitute low-fat frozen yogurt? A real burger fan? Can you skip the bacon and cheese on it? Never exercised a day in your life? Will you at least increase your physical activity? Consider which changes in your food choices and exercise behaviors you are ready and willing to make and start with those. You can add to these changes as you go.

Once you feel you are truly ready, start with these steps:
Ask your doctor if you should be evaluated at different stages in your weight loss. Also ask if any of your medications need to be reduced as you lose weight, such as medications for diabetes or hypertension.

Plan to eat. Learn about nutrition, particularly counting fat grams and calories. Start planning your menus. Learn what foods are healthy alternatives to your high-fat favorites.

Set a manageable, realistic goal. Most doctors agree that a 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss is enough to improve your overall health.

Pick a meaningful start date. Plan for the start of your weight loss the same way you plan the start of your vacation. A target date helps you become mentally prepared.

Weigh in once a week, no more. Weigh yourself the same time of day with similar clothing and no shoes. Learn to say “I lost another half pound this week” instead of “I only lost a half pound this week.” If weighing is very emotional for you, consider checking body measurements instead: an inch loss is a good measure of fat loss.

Celebrate small victories. When you reach one of your goals — walking 10 minutes a day, sticking to your diet — reward yourself. Buy new walking shoes. Get your nails done. Hit golf balls at the driving range You’ve earned it. Learn to reward behavior changes instead of pounds lost.

Follow the 80-20 rule. Worry about your diet and exercise 80 percent of the time. Don’t fret about the 20 percent in which you ignore your program - the party, the day you blew off your exercise, the irresistible piece of chocolate cake. It’s going to happen and it’s no reason to throw in the towel. Just get back on track.

How to Stay on Track
It’s going to happen. You’ve been dieting for two or three months. You’ve lost about 12 pounds and don?t mind exercising. Then . . . Boom! You hit a plateau. The scale doesn’t budge for a month and your willpower starts to weaken.

How do you jumpstart your motivation and lose those stubborn last pounds? How do you keep from regaining the weight you’ve lost? The short answer: Make it fun. Don’t dwell on the deprivation you’ve put yourself through. Instead, look at all the new pleasures you’re gaining as you lose weight.

Explore these tips to keep you going:

• Understand why your weight plateaus. Often, when fat is burned, water is a byproduct. Your plateau could be caused by a few pounds of water weight. Also, if you are gaining muscle, it will weigh more than the same amount of fat. If your weight plateaus, check how your clothing fits or take body measurements. Loss of inches equals loss of body fat.
• Vary your physical activity to prevent boredom.
• Tape “before” and “after” photos of yourself on the refrigerator.
• Weigh yourself once a week only.
• Set a new goal for yourself, walk 10 extra minutes, or incorporate another healthy behavior, like strength training.
• Put a dollar in a jar every time you exercise. Then treat yourself to something nice . . . but not fattening.
• Remember your reasons for wanting to lose weight.
• Give yourself credit for the hard work you are doing.
• Write down how you felt when someone complimented your weight loss.

Addressing Your Eating Triggers
Weight management programs work on the theory that to lose weight you need to take in less calories than you use. Most overweight people can do this, at least for a while. Then they either reach their goal or get tired of the program and revert to more comfortable habits, some of which they weren’t even aware of.

People often associate certain activities or feelings with eating. These eating cues are called “triggers.” Often, the first step to permanent weight loss is learning what your triggers are.

Take this quiz to help you determine what triggers you to eat

• Do you eat when you are angry or frustrated?
• Is the perfect end to a stressful day a hot fudge sundae with all the trimmings?
• Can you watch TV or go to the movies without a big tub of buttered popcorn?
• Would you say the sadder or more depressed you feel, the more you eat?
• Do you nibble while you fix dinner? Eat the batter when you bake?
• Are you always hungry when you eat? Or do you eat because it’s noon and you’re supposed to eat lunch?
• Do you finish your children’s leftovers?
• Do you eat when you’re lonely or bored?
• Do you eat when you’re tired?
• Do you have other triggers like these that you can identify?

Once you understand your eating triggers, you can take steps to manage them. Try these tips:

Keep a hunger scale and feeling diary. The hunger scale is done by rating how hungry you are on a scale of 1 to 10 — 1 is extremely hungry, 5 is satisfied, and 10 is extremely full. If you are satisfied and still feel the urge to eat, explore your triggers. Write down how you are feeling - this can give you valuable insight.

Get some exercise. Exercise will release endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals released when you’re active. It will also divert your attention from eating.

Find enjoyable activities to focus on. Eating is an extremely pleasurable experience for many people. Try to adopt hobbies and other activities that also give you pleasure.

Stay away from the television. Watching television is a sedentary activity and will expose you to numerous advertisements that are designed to entice you to stray from your healthy eating plan.

WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS

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