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“You want to feel good about yourself, but it's hard not to compare yourself to others. Here's how to measure up.”
No matter what you do you'll never be Angelina Jolie, Oprah, or Christy Brinkley. You'll also never be Willard Scott. And, guess what? No one else gets to be you. There was probably a time when all of those famous people we envy envied someone else, and they probably still look in the mirror and think, "...if only..." It's your job to be the best YOU you can be. You'll have to decide if it's going to be a good gig or not.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You just can't stick to a diet. Here's how to battle that four-letter word:”
You're on a diet, you're off a diet. On. Off. On. Off. Almost everyone who has lost weight for the long haul has discovered an important fact about trendy diets: they usually don't work. If you're on a "diet" that has you eating by your blood type, consuming only liquids, or a very lopsided pyramid of food choices, you might as well save yourself the agony. You may be able to lose weight by suffering through the program, but how do you think you're going to maintain it? You have to realize that this isn't a diet plan, it's the rest of your life. A real "diet" should arm you with the tools to learn which foods are healthy, which foods need to be limited, and maybe most critical, portion control. Once you uncover a menu of foods that will both aid in your weight loss and that you like, you'll be on the road to eating healthier and never thinking of it as a diet at all.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You want to be more confident, but you still don't have a good relationship with the mirror. Here's how to reflect a positive attitude.”
Because most of us aren't runway waifs, music icons, or ballerinas, we may be a little put off by our reflection. When it comes right down to it though, it really isn't about what we have to flaunt. It's just about our attitude. Confident people come in all shapes and sizes. If you are confident that you are an awesome individual, it really doesn't matter what wrapper you come in. When you are truly okay with who you are (not what you do, what you look like, or where you live), people will be drawn to you. Having confidence is more desired than any other trait. Put your shoulders back, lift your chin, and keep that confident pose as you move through your day
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“About the same time every day you feel helpless against snacking and your willpower goes out the window. Here's how to stand your ground:”
The easy answer would be, "Then change your schedule." Sometimes that's just impossible to do. But, if you know when you're going to be bombarded, prepare for the fight. If the temptation strikes and the only thing available is the vending machine's horde of health-stomping snacks, bring something with you: whatever healthy stack you know your body tolerates. The same is true if you're at home. Have healthy snacks planned and as ready as possible so you can grab that before the junk food cravings grab you. The key here is to not wait until you're so hungry you won't make sensible decisions. Structure your snack time before you are slammed to the mat.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You try to eat right but old habits die hard. Here's how to stop worrying about the starving people in (enter the third world nation of your choice here:”
We've all heard the standard lines from our parents as we were growing up: Sit up straight, don't sit so close to the television, you'll go blind if you kiss a boy, etc., etc. As we grow up, we realize what was good advice and what was bad, or do we? Do we still think that cleaning our plates will somehow save a starving person in a third world country? Do we clean our plates because, "waste not, want not," echoes in our memories? Maybe we go back for seconds or thirds at the buffet because "you want to get your monies' worth!"
How can we change these ingrained thoughts? Let's find a way around them. If you feel bad because you have so much food while others in the world are starving, eating more is not going to save them. How about buying less food? Tally up what you saved on chips, cookies, and fast food and send it to starving children somewhere. There. Starving children actually benefited from your abundance. If you feel wasteful, stop buying food you're not going to eat and stop dishing up more than you can eat in one sitting. Cut back on your portions so you don't waste food. Problem solved. If you feel you won't get enough value from the buffets, stop going to them. Most places offer a regular menu as well. Order just what you want so you get what you pay for. Many times you'll find you get more than you can (or should) eat at once. Ask for a take home container right away and divide half into it before you begin. This way, you'll feel like you've gotten twice as much for the same price.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“The people around you don't understand or don't support you. Here's how to stop letting others rain on your health parade:”
First of all, you have to realize that it's truly not them, it's you. When you have dinner at your mother-in-law's and you know she'll feel insulted if you don't eat the feed-a-family-of-four serving she just put in front of you, do you eat it? When your kids roll their eyes and complain (incessantly) every time you say you're trying a new healthy recipe, do you cave and make chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese? When your husband wants a plate of nachos or some pizza rolls, does he expect you to share when he's made too many? People around us may seem to be deliberately trying to sabotage us, and maybe to some extent they are. They may like things the way they are. You can't change them, you can only change you. Instead of letting your mother-in-law dish up the food, you may want to take on the duty. If your kids are just not giving in to new menu choices, make a deal with them. Make certain nights of the week their night. They may get hot dogs, but insist that they always have a piece of fruit or some veggies on the side. Plus, they need to agree to try your new dishes at least a couple times a week. If your husband's snacks are hard for you to resist, make yourself something healthier, or head out the door for a walk when he wants a treat. While you're waiting for the people around you to get on board with healthier eating, you'll need to work around them. It may seem a bit like a workout on its own, but it's well worth the effort.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You and your friend made a pact to work out together and keep each other on track. Now, he/she's making excuses and wanting to go out to lunch instead of to the club. Here's how to kick your BFF in the rear:”
You made the pact so that you'd have each other to lean on, to motivate, and to prod each other when one of you started slacking. So if your friend is encouraging you to eat out, or just skip it today because it's too hot outside, or doesn't want to miss if Publisher's Clearing House stops by, this is when YOU need to be the motivator. Don't forget, this is a two way street. Sometimes he/she encourages you; sometimes he/she's the one who needs a kick in the tushie. Go even if he/she's not going. It's far more likely he/she'll tag along if you are going, or if his/her excuse didn't win you over yesterday, maybe he/she won't try again today. Stick with the plan as much as you can and it will be more likely you'll continue for the long haul, and your friend will thank you in the end.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You want to get in shape, but just aren't finding time. Here's where it's hiding.”
While we'd all like to think we are fabulous at multi-tasking, let's just admit it - that was the dumbest idea anyone ever came up with. Trying to cram more and more into our already full days is insanity. We have become "doing" hoarders. No, it's not pretty. There's no magic here, it's just choosing what's important to you and making time for it. We have to sleep - so we make time for that. Eating - yep, we fit that in. How important is your health? If it's important, you will find time to do it.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
“You do pretty well while youre at work, but once you get home you eat too much. Here's how to push away from the pantry:”
Imagine an evil gun slinger: maybe Barney Fife. He walks into your kitchen and as you pull the chips from the cupboard, he raises his gun and says, "Move away from the food." Some days it seems like someone will need to get violent before we change our ways. How can we possibly resist when we're so abundantly blessed with food at our disposal 24/7? Think about the times when you do the best at sticking to your healthy eating plan. If you do well during the day when you're away, is it because you have such great willpower, or is it that there are just fewer choices available?
So, try the same plan when you're home. When you're in the kitchen, determine if you need to be there. If you're just hanging out, go do something somewhere else. If you need to be in the kitchen, focus on what your job is. Do you need to do the dishes? Focus on getting that done as quickly as possible. Don't open food cupboards or the refrigerator; guessing you don't keep your pots and pans in there. If you have a desk in the kitchen and need to pay bills, do that. Focus, focus, focus. Don't allow yourself to browse the pantry shelves. If you really know you're going to nibble, grab something healthy. This will keep your mouth and hands busy. Realize what your weaknesses are and avoid them or remove the temptation completely. Limit the availability of at-home foods or put treats in hard-to-access areas and you may fare better.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
