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Resist the urge. Just keep walking. Don't waste your hard earned money. Avoid it at all cost. What ever you do, don't read that fitness magazine! Come on.. fess up, you are just as guilty as I am. Many of you browse through these magazines to find the latest and greatest way to freshen up your workout routine or to find a better (faster) way to look like those that grace the cover. Sure some of the articles can be motivating and inspiring, but the truth of it is, those magazines are better used as liners in your kitty litter box!
Every time I read an article it spouts the same typical information that we've heard for years but with a new spin. You know those snappy headlines that catch your attention and reel you in. "Three expert ways to avoid a binge", and "How to snack smart to lose weight. Blah, blah, blah. It's the same old "behavior modification" techniques that quite honestly don't work! Everyone has heard the same old rhetoric before to alter their behavior; eat slow, don't grocery shop on an empty stomach, don't eat in front of the TV, drink a full glass of water before a meal and my personal favorite brush your teeth after dinner to stop late night snacking. All of those sound good in theory, (I don't know about you) but if I'm hungry after dinner, I'm going to eat regardless if I've brushed my teeth or not! Let's face it, if you or anyone could lose weight by using any combination of these techniques then why does America's waistline continue to get bigger?
Recently, I was approached by a local TV talk show to discuss how to avoid a binge, and how to snack on the go to lose weight. I agreed. Later that afternoon I received an email that outlined the show, only to find that the topic of the show was based off of a recent article in Shape Magazine. I took one look at the article and laughed. The tips offered were so ridiculous I could not believe what I was reading. The three "expert" ways to avoid a binge focused on scenarios where binging is more likely to occur: in front of the TV, hanging out with friends and after a workout. So how does identifying these scenarios help you to avoid a binge? It doesn't. If you pay attention to what you're told by that article you don't stand a chance! This is an example of the media food chain at its worst. Talk about the blind leading the blind! How about providing readers with ways to avoid hunger, snack ideas, and discuss the "Anatomy of a Binge" and how to recover from one? Don't you think that information would be more useful?
Every month you read articles written by myself, Keith and Kim, and every month we educate you about the pitfalls of healthy living, and you know what, eating to lose fat is just not that complicated. It can be, but only if you let it get the best of you. I know what your thinking, "Margo you been eating this way and living this lifestyle for years. It is easy for you, because it is your job!" I disagree. I haven't always eaten this way, and believe it or not, I do have a life outside of being a Nutritionist. I run into the same high risk situations that you do and in some cases even more! I work a 40 hour work week, outside of work hours I prepare for the radio show, write articles monthly for our on-line newsletter and work with local TV stations as consultants for health segments, all the while maintaining the typical duties and responsibilities of a mother of a 6 month old and a wife! I'm not here to stand on my soap box; I share this with to impress upon you how living a healthy lifestyle can be incorporated in a busy schedule. The only thing you need is the desire (that's why you subscribe to the newsletter) and the commitment to follow thru. So what's the secret? Would you believe me if I told you that you can lose fat (and keep it off) by making simple changes to your routine day? Believe it!
The best way to lose weight is to not diet! That's right, don't diet. If you want to lose fat and keep it off, the key is to make changes that last a lifetime. Understand that small changes over the course of time yield huge results. Before you read further ask yourself one key question. If you are unhappy with your physique and your choices and decisions have led you to this point, then what are you willing to change about those choices to get what you want? In other words start off by making a list of the top 3 or 5 things that are holding you back from getting what you say you want. For example, it could look something like this;
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I binge in the middle of the afternoon.
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I'm a night time eater.
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I don't exercise
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I overeat
Now, looking at the list you should be able to see a pattern. First, three of the problems involve overeating or eating the wrong things. To find a solution, you must understand that you're letting yourself get hungry. Once hunger strikes, there is no such thing as control. So, if you want to gain control, you have to learn to use food to have control over food. By eating a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon mini meal binging throughout the day and evening cease.
Secondly, when you sit down to eat a meal and you're no longer hungry, control over how much you eat is easier to maintain. For starters if you don't go to the supermarket every week, you won't have the proper foods available and never be able to get the hunger under control.
Step One:
Go to the grocery store. Don't have time to shop? Don't tell me you can't find one hour during an entire week to go to a grocery store and shop for food. Grocery stores today even do online shopping where you can have your food delivered to your home and shop online ! If you're organized and take 5 minutes to create a shopping list, you can get in and out of the store in less than 30 minutes! If you don't have food in the house, you cannot use food to lose fat. You see most people try to avoid food when it comes to weigh loss. No wonder diets never last! Believe it or not, you can use food to lose fat, but first you must have the correct foods available. As a subscriber, you have a number of recipes to choose from. Just click the "recipes" link and find 4 or 5 recipes you'd like to try. Start there then add a new recipe to your stash each week. Shopping should be a part of your weekly routine, so schedule it into your week as if it is an appointment. If you don't shop, then how do you expect to get the foods you need?
Step two:
Cook your foods. The good news is that you do not have to be Martha Stewart or Emeril to create meals taste great. By cooking your own foods, you can make them taste to your liking. By adding moisture, flavor and texture to your foods you can create a meal that is so satisfying, you won't want to eat anything else! Very rarely do I encounter someone who has the time or energy to prepare meals multiple times a day, 7days a week! The secret is to cook once or twice a week and to make enough food to last for the next few days. Cook a meal or two on Sunday and make leftovers so that you have enough foods for the next few days. Then cook again on Wednesday so that you have leftovers for Thursday and Friday and then dine out Saturday and Sunday. That's it! If you're like me and you don't enjoy eating the same thing for days in a row, then try cooking two meals at once or perhaps use a different sauce, marinade or starch with each meal. Click on the "Recipes" link and you will have a list of recipes to pick from! If there is something about the recipe you do not like, change it! Make it your own, just try to keep the ingredients low in fat and low in sugar! Bon Apitite!
Step Three:
Carry your foods with you. If you do not carry your foods with you, you are destined to fail. Without the correct foods, you are bound to encounter hunger, make a poor food choice or you may end up over eating. By packing and carrying your foods you have exactly what you need when you need it! Imagine avoiding, hunger, temptation, and overeating by constantly fueling your body. Eating a meal or snack shouldn't take too much time, nor should it disrupt your day. In fact, if you plan your meals accordingly, you can actually make your day more productive.
Make those changes first. Then as everything begins to feel comfortable figure out how many days a week you can insert exercise. Just 30 minutes of cardio a day, 5 days a week can be sufficient to really get where you're trying to go. Think about that for a minute. In the time span of a news program just power walking 15 minutes away from home and power walking 15 minutes back you created a 30 minute exercise program! It doesn't have to be hours at a gym or running yourself ragged. A simple cardiovascular program like that will reduce your weight, help your heart, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and even lower your blood sugar!
Of course, we all have our own individual "stories" that stop us from getting results. What's your story? Don't use it as an excuse, use it as a motivator. Do what it takes to get what you say you want! So why doesn't the media food chain share this with you? The answer is simple; anything this easy wouldn't make good press. Take my word for it. If you have the desire to lose fat and keep it off, make a commitment to yourself right now to cook and carry food with you. |
