 |
Weight Loss Program: Do Your Expectations Sabotage Your Success?
When women talk about their biggest obstacles to successful weight and health management, we often hear about hurdles like not enough time or knowledge to prepare healthy meals. Or frequent social occasions that involve food. Or hectic schedules, or stress in their lives, or transitions they're currently going through. The list goes on. But if you're like many of us, it's really none of these. Instead, our biggest obstacle is unrealistic expectations. All the menu planning, exercising, and positive behavior change in the world will not help the woman who has set goals that are impossible to achieve. Unfortunately, too many of us are that woman - driven, all-or-nothing, compulsive perfectionists. Because of feelings of insecurity or inferiority, we idealize our standards of success and try to mold ourselves into perfect people. The irony is that the worse we feel about ourselves, the more perfectionistic we become and thus set ourselves up for failure. It's easy to understand intellectually that healthy eating, physical activity and a balanced lifestyle are key to getting and staying fit. The hard part is 'doing it'-- dealing emotionally with the slow, ordinary, day-to-day process called moderation. Unrealistic expectations don't blend well with everyday life. As such, everyday life becomes a failure; each failure undermines confidence in our ability to succeed and creates feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. After a while, it's easy to stop trying. Often, we identify family and friends as saboteurs to our efforts to take care of ourselves. We're angry when we realize that, rightly so. But how often do we fail to identify the biggest saboteur of all: ourselves. We set the unrealistic expectations that cause failure. On the other hand, realistic expectations promote success. Success builds confidence. Confidence creates a feeling of self-efficacy - that we can do it. That makes it easier to maintain a high level of commitment and to accept that changing behaviors takes time and is a less than perfect process. Resolve to start supporting yourself by being moderate. Learn to live, breathe, dream moderation because moderation helps you keep your life in balance which ultimately leads to success. Know that change is a back-and-forth process that is only perfect in its erratic course. Look at mistakes as learning opportunities. Be kind and gentle to yourself. ©2004 Green Mountain at Fox Run, Ludlow, Vermont. Marsha J. Hudnall, MS, RD, CD is director of health communications and senior nutritionist at Green Mountain at Fox Run, an all-womens weight loss program. For over 32 years, Green Mountain at Fox Run has developed and refined a life-changing Weight Loss Spa through lifestyle change, exclusively for women. To learn more about Green Mountain at Fox Run, visit us at: http://www.fitwoman.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
Stop Signs In Food - The New Secret to Weight LossForbesThis week, researchers from Cornell University divulged results from a clever and innovative project that may offer a new secret to successful weight loss. A team of researchers from the Food and Brand Lab (following a study protocol designed by ...and more » |
|
Common weight loss myths debunkedJamaica ObserverIt's hard not to feel overwhelmed, but losing weight doesn't have to be as mind-boggling as you think; instead of spending your days deciphering the numerous studies on weight loss and second guessing informercial claims, apply the facts. |
|
Summer diet: Weight loss summer foodTimes of IndiaFor those on a weight loss diet the options are slim, you need food that is delicious, low in calories, rich in vitamins and minerals as well as fibers. Let's peak into your refrigerator and cook up the best summer weight loss meals. |
|
Finding a 'normal' diet is key for weight lossAiken StandardBut the problem isn't that the diet wasn't effective for weight loss. What Bob didn't realize is that his "normal" diet was not consistent with maintaining the weight loss. In fact, it is what caused him to become overweight in the first place. |
Google News
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Scottish Diet
(Ailsa's Apple Crumble Diet)I'm Scottish, so it's not a big stretch that I love Oatmeal, like any Good Scot! We grow up eating tons and tons of Porridge, and then anything else with lots of Oatmeal in it. Oatmeal is like Soul Food for the Scots! After my Second Child (Aidan) was about Two, and I still hadn't lost that 'Baby Weight' -- not all of it, since there was a fair bit to lose.
Lose Fat by Choosing The Best Weight Loss Plan For You
Are you sick of the hype? Wondering what diet products really work? The fact is, most of them do. It's simply a matter of finding what works for you.
No Excuse on Getting in Shape
America is getting more obese every year. Even our children are becoming dangerously obese, even though we are more self conscious over our appearance.
Weight Management Secrets That My Mother Never Told Me
There have been endless numbers of fad diets over the years, each one promising to free you from the bulge. You see numerous infomercials on the next so called proven weight loss strategy such as diet programs, supplements, and fitness equipment.
Weight Loss for Good - The 80/20 Rule!
Have you ever thought, "I just can not seem to get motivated anymore to workout. I just don't understand why I have not lost a pound in two months.
Waist To Hip Ratio
Your health is affected not only by how much body fat you have, but also by where most of the fat is located on your body. Waist to hip ratio (WHR) analyzes the relationship between your waist and hip measurements to help you understand your body-type and current health
status.
11 Steps to Guarantee Weight Loss and Fitness Success
1. Persistence!Violate this step and you'll never achieve permanent results.
Positive Imaging for Weight Loss
Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you make lasting lifestyle changes. Just by "day dreaming", you can significantly improve your chances in achieving your goals.
Eat More Often to Lose Weight
I'm sure you have heard it before, but one of the best ways to control your caloric intake and lose weight is to eat more often throughout the day. Ideally, you should eat 5 to 6 times per day, with 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours between each meal or snack.
Possible Pitfalls
There are as many reasons you've given yourself to eat as there are minutes in a day. Storm clouds do it for me.
Diet Pills And Supplements
Losing weight is a struggle that many of us face every day. In the search for the best diet program, the subject of diet pills and supplements can be the foremost thought on our minds.
Gastric Bypass Myth - All Patients Stretch their Stomachs and Regain Weight
Have a conversation about gastric bypass surgery with just about anyone and you will hear, "Yeah, I know someone who had that done and within a year they stretched out their stomach and regained all that weight - plus some."Unfortunately it is true that some weight loss surgery (WLS) patients do regain their weight after losing it.
5 Simple Steps to Start Your Weight Loss Program
Remember there's more to you than meets the eye. You've got personality, brains, feelings? in short, all those things that make you, YOU.
Holidaze
It's the travel time, meaning hours spent sedentary. It prepares me for the visiting, when I know there'll be no activity.
School for Overweight Teens
Getting Kids Moving - Help for Overweight TeensA residential school program for overweight teens comes with a hefty price tag (some in excess of $5,000 per month). These programs rely on the same formula for weight loss as is commonly recommended; strict eating guidelines and increased activities.
Simple Plans for Social Eating and Travel
It's one thing to stick with your diet regimen when you're at home, in control of the contents of your refrigerator and your portion sizes. But what about going out to dinner with friends? Worse, how do you stay on track when your dream vacation has you seated by the dessert cart at every meal?Eating right when you're out of your comfort zone can actually be easier than when you are at home, so long as you think smart and plan ahead.
Weight Loss Can Be Achieved In As Little As 5 Days By Increasing Your Metabolism
One-size-fits-all diets don't work..
Low Carb vs. High
Low carb diets can be classified as food plans that require keeping carbohydrates as low as 3% and never more than about 25 to 30%. This is much lower than the 50 to 60% recommended by most good scientists and valid research.
6 Simple Steps To LifeLong Weight Loss
If You are sick of losing the same weight over and over, and feeling like a failure because your last "diet" didn't work, try these tips to not only lose weight, but lose it for good. I have watched hundreds of clients over the years and almost without exception, those that lose their weight once and for all have these six basic habits as a part of their lives.
Spot Reducing is For The Laundry
· Can you give me an exercise that will get rid of the fat on my stomach?· What exercises an I do to tone my thighs?· Can you recommend some exercises to make my arms, thighs and stomach smaller and also speed up my weight loss??I hear questions such as this on a daily basis, both from our clients and from people standing in the grocery line with me who want to know what exercises I do for such "toned" arms. Spot reduction works only in the laundry room, ladies and gentleman - there is simply no such thing as localized fat loss.
|
