7 Weight Loss Tips For When The Scale Won't Budge
donyellemoniquex3
Posts: 2,384 Member
Saw this on HuffPost, and thought it was worth sharing :happy:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/weight-loss-tips_n_5197679.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
1. De-emphasize the scale.
Most physicians would readily agree that the scale alone is a very incomplete metric, says Sullivan. So is your BMI number, or any other metric number on its own. Being healthy involves dozens of measurements, and utilizing more of them will help you realize how far you've come and help you set new goals, he says. Perhaps you aren't moving the scale but you're lowering your heart rate, reducing belly fat or improving your cholesterol numbers. Start taking measurements so you can see how your body composition is changing by shedding fat and building lean muscle when your weight stays the same. Being able to fit into a smaller size? Now that's a milestone worth celebrating!
2. Enlist an honest buddy.
A solid support system is a must when you need that extra push to reach your goals. Whether that's a friend with similar goals or a significant other who just knows how you're wired, find someone you can be completely honest with about how you're doing, says Dr. Susan Albers, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center and author of Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence. Having someone to check in with daily or at least a few times a week will keep you accountable and may help you stay on track when faced with temptation. Knowing you'll have to tell your weight loss buddy you went back for second helpings may help you put the kibosh on that habit.
3. Don't break old habits -- start new ones.
Instead of trying to break old eating habits, form new healthy habits to crowd out the old ones, says Dr. Albers. “It's easier to form a new habit instead of breaking an old one you struggle with.” So if your old tendency is to have ice cream every night, try swapping the ice cream for non-fat yogurt with granola and factor that into your daily calorie intake, Dr. Albers suggests. Taking control with a positive mindset can help you stay motivated to stick to your healthy eating plan and make it more fun. Keep in mind that diet boredom and eating the same old foods could also be a factor in your plateau.
4. Give yourself a hand.
It's common to overeat because you're bored or upset about something (aka 'emotional eating'). The next time you find yourself diving in for seconds, try tensing your fists to stop yourself from noshing, suggests Dr. Albers. “Clenching your fist while thinking 'no' helps you stay true to that behavior. You're seeing an action and feeling it.”
5. Clean up your environment.
It might seem like an odd way to kick-start weight loss, but getting your home and kitchen organized can help you feel like you've got a handle on your weight. “The more in control you feel in your external environment, the more you feel in control internally,” says Dr. Albers. Get rid of the junk (and junk food!), and get your kitchen, home and office in tip-top shape to start inspiring calm and clarity from the inside out.
6. Stop dwelling on your diet.
“The time you spend away from a problem is just as important as the time you spend trying to solve that problem,” says Sullivan. Since you're not going to be able to eat and exercise perfectly every day, it's important to avoid stressing over it 24/7. Spending too much time 'fixing' a problem limits how far you'll actually get. “Most people don't know this, so they keep banging their head against a wall. That's the very epitome of a mental plateau becoming a physical plateau.” Keep tabs of your daily food intake and workouts, but remember there's more to life outside the confines of your diet. Keep your interests varied and social life active!
7. Start with today.
The disappointment you feel when you don't see the number you want on the scale can lead to a dangerous cycle of negative thinking. People don't really get depressed because the scale reads 152 instead of 150, they get depressed because they feel fat, says Sullivan. This can lead to feelings of fatalism (i.e. “I might as well just eat that quart of ice cream anyway”), which can lead to binge eating, research shows.
To keep from falling off the wagon, have “today-only goals,” suggests Sullivan. Go for a quick run, split that cookie with a friend, skip the sugary cocktail at dinner. Celebrate these small victories to get back a sense of control, power and achievement. “Take care of the little things and the big things will follow.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/weight-loss-tips_n_5197679.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
1. De-emphasize the scale.
Most physicians would readily agree that the scale alone is a very incomplete metric, says Sullivan. So is your BMI number, or any other metric number on its own. Being healthy involves dozens of measurements, and utilizing more of them will help you realize how far you've come and help you set new goals, he says. Perhaps you aren't moving the scale but you're lowering your heart rate, reducing belly fat or improving your cholesterol numbers. Start taking measurements so you can see how your body composition is changing by shedding fat and building lean muscle when your weight stays the same. Being able to fit into a smaller size? Now that's a milestone worth celebrating!
2. Enlist an honest buddy.
A solid support system is a must when you need that extra push to reach your goals. Whether that's a friend with similar goals or a significant other who just knows how you're wired, find someone you can be completely honest with about how you're doing, says Dr. Susan Albers, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center and author of Eat Q: Unlock the Weight-Loss Power of Emotional Intelligence. Having someone to check in with daily or at least a few times a week will keep you accountable and may help you stay on track when faced with temptation. Knowing you'll have to tell your weight loss buddy you went back for second helpings may help you put the kibosh on that habit.
3. Don't break old habits -- start new ones.
Instead of trying to break old eating habits, form new healthy habits to crowd out the old ones, says Dr. Albers. “It's easier to form a new habit instead of breaking an old one you struggle with.” So if your old tendency is to have ice cream every night, try swapping the ice cream for non-fat yogurt with granola and factor that into your daily calorie intake, Dr. Albers suggests. Taking control with a positive mindset can help you stay motivated to stick to your healthy eating plan and make it more fun. Keep in mind that diet boredom and eating the same old foods could also be a factor in your plateau.
4. Give yourself a hand.
It's common to overeat because you're bored or upset about something (aka 'emotional eating'). The next time you find yourself diving in for seconds, try tensing your fists to stop yourself from noshing, suggests Dr. Albers. “Clenching your fist while thinking 'no' helps you stay true to that behavior. You're seeing an action and feeling it.”
5. Clean up your environment.
It might seem like an odd way to kick-start weight loss, but getting your home and kitchen organized can help you feel like you've got a handle on your weight. “The more in control you feel in your external environment, the more you feel in control internally,” says Dr. Albers. Get rid of the junk (and junk food!), and get your kitchen, home and office in tip-top shape to start inspiring calm and clarity from the inside out.
6. Stop dwelling on your diet.
“The time you spend away from a problem is just as important as the time you spend trying to solve that problem,” says Sullivan. Since you're not going to be able to eat and exercise perfectly every day, it's important to avoid stressing over it 24/7. Spending too much time 'fixing' a problem limits how far you'll actually get. “Most people don't know this, so they keep banging their head against a wall. That's the very epitome of a mental plateau becoming a physical plateau.” Keep tabs of your daily food intake and workouts, but remember there's more to life outside the confines of your diet. Keep your interests varied and social life active!
7. Start with today.
The disappointment you feel when you don't see the number you want on the scale can lead to a dangerous cycle of negative thinking. People don't really get depressed because the scale reads 152 instead of 150, they get depressed because they feel fat, says Sullivan. This can lead to feelings of fatalism (i.e. “I might as well just eat that quart of ice cream anyway”), which can lead to binge eating, research shows.
To keep from falling off the wagon, have “today-only goals,” suggests Sullivan. Go for a quick run, split that cookie with a friend, skip the sugary cocktail at dinner. Celebrate these small victories to get back a sense of control, power and achievement. “Take care of the little things and the big things will follow.”
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Replies
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Thanks for posting this. Ive been facing this battle for months and that was just what i needed to read today.0
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Pretty good considering the usually unhelpful mess of "diet advice" even from respected sources.
I like #3 - make new habits instead of breaking old ones. I didn't think about it like this, but it is what I've noticed has helped me improve. Can I ADD running? Yes. Will I always be able to say no to fast food? Probably not. Can I ADD more vegetables to my diet? Yes. Focusing on adding more healthy habits rather than trying to completely get rid of all my unhealthy ones in an instant has helped me make at least some progress.0 -
I break a lot of these. Although I do use the daily support of MFP (#2), I really do need the scale in my life. My body doesn't have random fluctuations; if I'm up, it's because I gained water weight due to excess sodium/booze. I don't let myself get fatalistic, but it is the number 1 measurement I use. I agree with organizing your kitchen and pantry (all of our pantry shelves are labeled), but I disagree with throwing out the "junk." In my pantry I have movie theater butter popcorn, chocolate truffles, crackers, kraft mac n cheese, you name it. I also spend a lot of time thinking about my eating and exercise habits. I'm not obsessed, but I do plan very carefully, even for days where I plan to eat poorly.0
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Thank You so much for the great instruction.....Its really helping
Very good writing......Appreciations for you.
I am 20 years old and 85 kg and doctor told me that it is just because of Hormonal Imbalance. .Now doctor told me to follow http://recoveryourself.net/ plus asked me to go for walk in morning as well as in evening for 2-3 hours and give some medicines.But I believe that losing weight is nothing but a minor self control and require high stamina to get far from fast food and laziness. Thanks again :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
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Thank you for sharing this. I also like #3 0
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some aren't bad additions but really if you want to lose weight...
Log everything accurately...weight solids, measure liquids...eat in a deficit.0 -
Bump, This is perfect, i'm starting to feel like im obsessing,
Hopefully some of these ideas work.0 -
Hey hello guys! I'm just new to the community since I'm not a very computer-savvy person and I hate spending hours in front of my computer screen. The thing is I'm really obese, like I mean actually over-weight and I badly need to get rid of those ugly fat balls clinging to my body!! My wife and children are literally driving me nuts, asking me to lose weight ASAP but obviously it's impossible for me to do it so quickly. I feel bad because I don't want to embarrass them in public and yeah it even starts to look awkward when I'm with them. I hate those s******s and whispers directed right at me and I'm sure my family hates them too. Besides my wife is so smart and beautiful so she'll naturally want me to complement her style. GOD I'm so upset and desperate to lose weight!! My wife says I won't be able to exercise that rigorously so she's checked out a couple of blogs and YouTube tutorials and found this weight loss program from http://weightlossedge.net/ last week. She says I should start using supplements immediately too but I was just concerned about the side effects. I was just checking the internet today to see if I could verify the ingredients and stuff that are being used in supplements and see if it's safe and healthy to use them. I'm already on a diet pan that my son brought from his gym trainer so I wanted to ask if I could use supplements alongside such diets. Could any of you please help me out with this?? Thanks guys.0
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