Think diets have to be pure torture to be effective? Convinced that eating healthy means depriving yourself or it’s not working? Your out-dated beliefs about losing weight could be holding you back.
1. “I know how much I’m eating.”
An extra bite here, a snack in the car there …“It’s surprising how often people don’t know exactly what they’re eating. Instead of trusting your powers of recollection , start tracking daily calories in a food journal (or on your smartphone). In one study, women who kept a food journal lost up to 6 pounds more than those who didn’t.
2.“Losing weight is all about cutting carbs.”
This is true but not the whole truth. You don’t want to load up your plate with refined carbs like white bread and cookies. But not all carbohydrates should be limited. Your body needs Carbohydrates for energy and brain function. A better choice is to fill up on complex carbs like those in vegetables, fruits, and choose only whole grains. A better strategy is to monitor your overall calorie intake and include a variety of healthy foods in your diet.
3. “Skipping meals will help me lose weight faster.”
“Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do. Once hunger kicks in — and it will — “you’ll overeat, and probably not something healthy.” Missing a meal also puts the brakes on your metabolism. To keep your blood sugar stable and hunger cravings to a minimum, we recommend having a healthy meal every 3-4 hours. Start with eating a healthy breakfast within 2 hours of waking up, then have a healthy snack between your main meals of the day to curb hunger and fill in nutritional gaps. This will keep your metabolism running at its peak and drive your weight loss.
4. “If I’m not hard on myself, I won’t lose weight.”
Instead of berating yourself for choosing chocolate cake instead of an apple, show yourself compassion. We’re more likely to change when we’re kind to ourselves. Nothing positive can result from negative thinking. Once negative thoughts develop you start to doubt your ability to succeed and are more likely to quit. Staying sympathetic makes it easier to examine how you can prevent those same setbacks from happening again.
5. “If I cut calories, then I don’t have to exercise.”
Actually, the two go hand in hand. Cutting calories will help you shed pounds, and with regular exercise you can keep the weight off. It’s not just about the initial weight loss but also finding a way to maintaining that weight loss over time. The people who successfully maintain their weight loss beyond a year are the ones who exercise at least 45 minutes most days of the week. Also our bodies metabolism has a tendency to slow as we lose weight and can lead to plateaus. Exercise keeps the body burning calories and can prevent a sluggish metabolism.
6. “I can’t eat out if I’m trying to lose weight.”
Going on a diet doesn’t mean putting your life on hold. “The changes you make to your food choices and meal planning should be lifestyle changes that are sustainable. That means go ahead and meet friends for dinner or plan to go to that party everyone is talking about. To avoid overindulging do a little planning ahead: Research the restaurant ahead of time to find healthy menu options. Request a to-go box for half your food at the beginning, rather than the end, of your meal. Bring a healthy food option to the party so you know you will have something to nibble on and not be tempted to over do it with less healthy options. Remember to limit alcohol consumption. It can make it harder for you to be in charge of your choices and add a lot of extra non-nutritious calories to your day.
7. “I’m embarrassed I’m dieting.”
Trying to get in shape is nothing to be ashamed of. Really owning your goals will help you succeed. The very fact that you are trying to do something healthy and positive your yourself is something to be proud of. Accountability and support are key for weight loss. Sharing your goals with a trusted friend that you know will be supportive can help you stay motivated. Don’t shy away from admitting when you’ve had a setback. Sometimes you need other people to cheer-lead for you through from their own attempts that have helped sustain them during the weight loss process. Most of us have at least one trusted friend or family member, but if you don’t we have a wonderful on-line support group for patients of Dr. Kuri (ask your patient facilitator for details on how to join)
8. “I can’t eat anything good when I’m dieting.”
“Diets shouldn’t be ‘all or nothing, researchers have found that being too rigid about what you eat leads to food cravings, which can hamper weight loss. “Allow yourself to have a treat meal or dessert once a week, and don’t think of it as cheating. Occasionally indulging yourself will help you stay on track. The key word being occasionally. You do need to learn moderation and limits to be successful.
9. “If I fall off my diet, I might as well quit.”
Get rid of “All or Nothing” thinking. It’s better to dust yourself off and try again, rather than quit once something’s gone wrong. Setbacks are an inevitable part of dieting. So, next time you’re derailed, think about what habit or thought undermined you. Then plan exactly how you’ll react differently — and successfully — next time.
