Maria's Last Diet

Being Too Heavy Makes Me Feel Awful About Myself

by Maria's Last Diet

How can I go to the party?

I'm not pretty enough.
Certainly not thin enough.
I haven't got the right clothes.
My trendy pants have gotten to tight to wear.
I'll have to hide under a loose sweater.
Maybe if I spiff myself up with jewelry.
But what will I talk about?
I'm so boring.
I know Sarah will be wearing skinny size 4 jeans.
I wouldn't be caught dead in jeans right now.
I'm embarrassed about myself.
I guess I'll stay home.
God, why do I need to go through this every time?
I'm sick of it.
If only I could lose the damn weight.
If only I could look like I used to look.
Then I'd feel confident.
Then I'd feel OK about myself.
It's just the stupid weight.
That's all.

The Key to a Healthy Lifestyle is in the Mind

by Maria's Last Diet

Peoples' confidence and motivation are crucial to whether or not they have an active lifestyle. To put it more clearly, the main factors influencing the amount of physical exercise you engage in are 1. self-perceived ability and 2. the extent of your desire to exercise. These were the findings recently reported in the open access journal, BMC Public Health, from the public health agency of Canada.

In making a personal change and achieving your goal, like when you want to lose weight, these two factors, self-confidence that you can do it and motivation, definitely come into play. In other words, the psychological side plays a big part in whether you are a successful lifestyle changer, exerciser, or weight loser - maybe bigger than anything else.

So, it would seem that the key to a healthy lifestyle, weight loss included, is in the mind.

Overweight? Menopause? Incontinence?

by Maria's Last Diet

A lot of women who have problems with urinary incontinence (not uncommon after menopause) can do something about it.

The New England Journal of Medicine last week published results of a study involving incontinent women, average age 53. The women in the study who took part in a 6-month weight-loss program reduced their episodes of urinary incontinence by half. The average weight lost by these women was 17 lbs.

The authors of the study hypothesized that increased weight puts pressure on the bladder. It's as simple as that.

How to Lose Weight by Crossing a Bridge

by Maria's Last Diet

In as much detail as possible, write down the many things you do that work against losing weight.

Then:

Build the "alternate you", in fantasy.

This "you" takes every habit you just thought of that is keeping you overweight, and changes it into its opposite.

Let's start with your existing habits.

Suppose you...

• always eat when under pressure

•  eat too much as a matter of course

•  eventually gain back anything you lose

•  eat a lot of sweets for comfort

• feel hopeless about your weight 

Let's build the "alternate you".

Suppose you...

• have great ways to handle pressure without eating

• eat moderately as a matter of course

• are able to lose weight, and keep it off

• find comfort in non-food ways

• feel confident about controlling your weight

Now, build a bridge between every one of your "now habits" and the corresponding "alternate you habit".

What would each of those bridges be made of? How can you get from here to there in each case? What would it take?

Make your own "now habit" list, and  "alternate habit" list. Then challenge yourself to build that bridge.

Add in this kind of thinking to your weight-loss plan - it's golden!