Free Weight Loss Tips from a Recovered Dieter

In the past, one section of my closet looked like you’d just stumbled into a Big ‘N Tall store. This section moved around frequently, sometimes occupying the readily accessible front, and other times tucked away in the back where it didn’t see the light of day for months on end. I’d just begin to dig out the Goodwill boxes for these over-sized clothes when, like clock work, IT would happen: weight gain, the fast and furious variety to boot. Slowly, but surely, the Big ‘N Tall store would move to the front while my cute little Ann Taylor Loft numbers would be collecting dust.

My weight was up and down like the Grand Old Duke of York. My closet had every size from a 6 to a 16 and at some time I was wearing each and every one of them. One day I was disciplined, the next a binger, one day I was working out like a professional athlete, the next I was lucky to walk from the bedroom to the kitchen a few times. I became extremely unbalanced emotionally and physically, deciding to punish myself for these eating extravaganzas by limiting my caloric intake to 800 Kcal/day here and there. I’d have horrific blood sugar swings, I was tired, depressed, and just flat out defeated. It was then I recognized there was a significant psychological component (Oprah was right) to this whole debacle and I decided to be pro-active. First I joined Jenny Craig, I considered myself a successful graduate at 30 pounds lighter. Then in a matter of months I put it all back on. Two of my best friends were on a “Revenge of the Nerds High School Graduation Diet” and looked fantastic. They told me it was Weight Watchers, well I was enrolled online in a matter of hours. I hated counting points, I overate on the Core Program, and food seemed to take over my life. I lost 10 pounds, quit and gained every pound and then some back. I was distraught.

I began to examine what had worked for me, what had not, and why I could lose the weight but not keep it off. I did learn some valuable tools from both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. My mindset shifted and I stopped thinking of myself as “being on a diet”. I found exercise I actually enjoyed doing, the things that come naturally for me and focused on those. I took a strong stance that nothing, absolutely no foods whatsoever were to be off limits in moderation, After all of my experiences, I began to learn how to maintain my weight in a healthy way, the only way. I’ve successfully kept off the 30 pounds I’d gained for many years now.

My Free Tips Weight Loss Tips (and the Science Behind Them)

I'm sure you've heard weight loss entails "a lifestyle change" ad nauseum. My trainer at the gym kept telling me “you need to change your lifestyle” without really explaining to me what precisely that entails. That word “lifestyle change” is scary when you think about it. It connotes permanency, something huge and all-encompassing, doesn’t it? Self-doubt came oozing out of me when my trainer said it. I thought: “I can’t do it. It’s just too much, I can’t change anything forever.” I began to realize I needed to pick this huge concept apart.

The Mayo Clinic states: “Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating habits and daily routine. After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts.” Okay but what are these lifestyle elements and what questions do you need to ask yourself? Here’s some for starters:

1) Do I exercise on a regular basis or is my lifestyle active enough in and of itself? Or do I just sit at a desk or computer all day long?

2) How often do you weigh yourself? We all hate to do it, I know. It can be very discouraging, no doubt. But, recent studies have shown that stepping on that scale is your friend. This University of Minnesota, in cooperation with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation states: “Based on the consistency of the evidence reviewed, frequent self-weighing, at the very least, seems to be a good predictor of moderate weight loss, less weight regain, or the avoidance of initial weight gain in adults.”

3) What really are my eating habits? How and when do I eat? Do I have numerous unhealthy food associations? Do I eat during times of stress and/or engage in emotional eating? Make an honest assessment.

4) Do I get enough sleep? A study on sleep and weight by Stanford University and University of Wisconsin researchers showed there is a correlation between sleep loss and overeating. The study shows how lack of sleep can contribute to a decrease in the production of hormones ghrelin and leptin. These two hormones aid in telling the body it’s full. The researchers state: "Our results demonstrate an important relationship between sleep and metabolic hormones." The researchers noted in the paper: "In Western societies, where chronic sleep restriction is common and food is widely available, changes in appetite regulatory hormones with sleep curtailment may contribute to obesity."

5) What is my attitude about food and eating? A study performed at the University of Minnesota’s Food Industry Center showed some interesting results. A co-author, Dennis Degeneffe stated: “The basic attitude people have about food is related to the likelihood that they’re at risk for obesity and weight gain.” This subjects in this study were all middle-aged women. Basically, the study reveals that “guilt-ridden dieters” and “impulsive eaters” scored the highest in body mass index, waist measurement and percentage of body fat. The next highest scoring group was called “busy cooking avoiders” who were so busy taking care of their families that they were not attending to their own healthy eating needs. Their own health has been triaged to the bottom of the list.