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Lifestyle Refurbishment

I am not certain how many of my readers are aware that a certain diet book I reviewed recently really impacted the way I think about losing weight. Many of you might recall my 30 pound weight loss several years ago. Well, I have gained most of it back.

Losing weight is a lot harder than putting weight on, especially when one considers we pack it on while enjoying food and friends and laughter and good-times, but we try to take the weight off grimly and seriously all on our own. There has to be a better way.

Sure there are dozens of weight loss programs one can try. Seems like a new one hits the market everyday. But what really works?

I don’t think it is a specific exercise program, or exercise product, or menu plan that makes the difference. When people jump up and yell, “I’ve found the secret to weight loss!” what they mean is they have found what works for them. Will it work for you? Maybe. Maybe not.

Before you can lose weight the first thing you have to change is your mindset. If you expect to fail, you will. In fact, if you think at all in terms of long range success or failure, there is a very good chance you will fail. Most long range plans rely on perfection. We can’t do perfection, so we fail.

Give yourself permission to have set backs and make mistakes, but don’t give yourself permission to quit. Set daily goals and set them based on what you know the day will bring. If you know you are going out to your favorite restaurant, then make your goal relate. “I will ask for a go box and take half the food off my plate before I eat.” That is a fabulous restaurant goal! Or, vow to forgo a cocktail (empty calories untold!) and/or dessert.

You don’t have to suffer to take the weight off, you just have to persevere.

10 Comments

  1. The TRUEST thing in this post is you have to change your mindset! And I don’t really know how a person does that…. for ME the diet has happened when the mindset happens… not the other way around. But I’m positive God can HELP with it! That much I am sure of! And I totally agree that every person has to find what works for them. But the BOTTOM line is calories. Calories in, calories burned… whether you count them in points or just count the calories themselves… you have to burn more than you eat to lose. That never changes.
    .-= Melli´s last blog ..Here We Go Again! =-.

    1. Melli — The whole point of the post is that NOTHING will work unless one changes their mind set.

      I didn’t bother to say anything about calories or exercise because to me those are givens. Most diet failures start with the cutting of calories and the exercise. Instead, they hey need to start in the mind.

      And yes, God can help us succeed. For those of us who rely on him, God can and will issue the mind set if we ask with sincerity and keep asking — especially when we are feeling weak.

  2. Dieting doesn’t work because when you go off the diet, you gain it back. So I don’t diet anymore. My yardstick is my lab scores. Every 6 months or so, I have the doctor order a lab test for me. If my cholesterol, blood sugar, liver, etc. scores are excellent, I am satisfied.

    However, if the doc tells me my blood sugar is too high — or cholesterol is above threshold, then I cut back on certain foods that led to those bad scores. Then get tested again.

    Works for me.
    .-= gigi-hawaii´s last blog ..Dis n Dat – Jan. 30, 2010 =-.

  5. yep, much of it isin the mind.
    i gained significant weight twice – on both occasions when i quit sports. once i managed to shed two thirds of what i had gained, but i am yet to make up my mind for the second time. it ain’t getting any easier, though…
    .-= polona´s last blog ..observer II =-.

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