Common Slip-Ups & How to Overcome Them
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Common Slip-Ups and How to Overcome Them
You may experience a weight loss setback or two (who doesn't?), but Biggest Loser trainer Kim Lyons has strategies to help you get right back on track.
By Amanda Junker
Kim and her abs
Every week on The Biggest Loser, contestants are pushed to their limits in pursuit of shedding pounds using expert weight weight loss tips. Sometimes they get sidetracked by obstacles—but that’s true of anyone trying to slim down. “When you first start to lose weight, everyone goes through the phase where they make mistakes and want to give up. But the important thing is to push through it,” says Kim Lyons, trainer on The Biggest Loser. Diet and exercise mistakes are inevitable, but the snooze button and a sweet tooth don’t have to derail your efforts. Kim and the show’s experts pinpoint four common slip-ups. Here are the weight loss tips to help you overcome--and avoid-- them in the future.
Late Night Binge
“One binge is unlikely to have any significant effect on body weight, but if you binge on 700 calories every Saturday night, that would be responsible for 10 pounds of extra weight in the long-term,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., The Biggest Loser’s medical advisor.
The Good News
Tomorrow’s another day. “Eating a lot of food at once rapidly raises your blood sugar and triggers hormones that cause hunger and mood swings,” says Dr. Dansinger. But you’ll sleep through those effects—for the most part, he says. “When you wake up, your hormones and blood sugar are back to normal levels, but be careful, because after a binge, you’re more likely to do it again.”
Quick Fix
Burn it off. Use the weight loss tips you've learned to avoid discouragement by getting right back on your fitness plan. “Instead of looking at this as a failure, realize your body might have needed something out of what you were craving,” says Biggest Loser trainer Kim Lyons. “Now take that food as fuel and burn it off.” Get a customized program to start walking off those calories with this walking calendar.
Long-term Strategy
Peg the problem. Identify what triggered your eating. “Ask yourself, ‘Why did I do that?’” says Lyons. “People overeat because of many different reasons like stress, boredom, exhaustion. If you are about to binge because you are stressed out, ask yourself, ‘Why am I stressed?’ Attack that rather than going to the fridge to make yourself feel better. If you genuinely are hungry, find a healthy snack.”
You Just Say No to Early-Morning Exercise
The longer you wait to work out each day, the more likely you are to skip it. “Morning exercisers stick to their programs better than if they try to work out later in the day, because life doesn’t get in the way,” says Michael Scholtz, M.A., a certified personal trainer and fitness advisor for The Biggest Loser. “If you can get into the routine of waking up early to exercise, you’ll be more consistent.”
The Good News
You can burn calories any time of day. “There are certain benefits to morning exercise—it gets your day going and boosts your energy—but the main thing is to get that workout done at some point in the day,” says Scholtz.
Quick Fix
Pencil it into your schedule. “If you don’t wake up early, integrate fitness into your day," says Lyons. "Exercise for 30 minutes before lunch and 30 minutes later in the day. Or if you can’t get to the gym, wear your flip flops to work and take the stairs instead of the elevator.”
Long-Term Strategy
Prepare in the P.M. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep and have your workout gear ready to go when you wake up. “Get your tennis shoes and workout clothes out the night before so you can just sleepwalk into them,” says Lyons. “When your alarm goes off, think to yourself that it’s just as hard to wake up 30 minutes early as it is to wake up 30 minutes late. Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit—you won’t love waking up early for 21 days, but after that it’s easier.”
Friends or Family Sabotage Your Efforts
One unhealthy meal won’t ruin your weight loss, but friends do play a role in each other’s weight gain. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a person’s chances of becoming obese increase by 57 percent when a friend becomes obese.
The Good News
Of course, friends and family can be positive influences, too. The study also showed that friends can help each other with weight loss. Plus, people are 50 percent more likely to start exercising if a spouse does the same, according to researchers at Duke University’s Center for Health Policy, Law and Management and Yale University School of Medicine.
Quick Fix
Start a trend. Help those closest to you adopt healthy goals so you can support each other. “Share recipes,” suggests Lyons. “Host a movie night or some other social gathering where everyone makes a favorite healthy dish. Or plan walks together or exercise together.”
Long-Term Strategy
Be positive. “People are more comfortable eating unhealthy foods--if they see you trying to change they might resist at first,” says Lyons. “Vocalize your commitment to weight loss and make it sound exciting. No one likes being around a ‘dieting blah.’ People’s responses will depend on how you reflect the change.” Another great way to get support: Find a walking buddy.
You have a bad workout, or skip it altogether
“From a fitness perspective, one missed workout makes very little difference," says Scholtz. "From a calorie-burning perspective it does make a difference, but it’s minimal. If you are burning 500 calories per session, even if you skip three workouts, that’s not even half a pound of calories, so you aren’t destroying your program.”
The Good News
Your body may need a rest. “Rest allows your body to make repairs, recover from intense exercise sessions, and get ready for another full week of activity,” says Lyons. “Taking days off will help prevent injuries, especially those due to overuse.”
Quick Fix
Rev up your routine. Research shows it’s easier to adhere to a workout routine that involves a variety of exercises. “Try something new, like yoga, to help you get your focus back,” suggests Lyons. “Even if you just stretch for half an hour instead of working out--don’t beat yourself up--kudos to you for making it to the gym at all.”
Long-term Strategy
Listen to your body. “Ask yourself, ‘Am I being lazy or do I need a break?’ says Lyons. “You should take at least two full days off from working out every week. This means no lifting weights, no heavy cardio, no spinning classes. Rest days are as important as exercise days, especially if you're working out four or five days a week.” With these weight loss tips, you can't go wrong.
You may experience a weight loss setback or two (who doesn't?), but Biggest Loser trainer Kim Lyons has strategies to help you get right back on track.
By Amanda Junker
Kim and her abs
Every week on The Biggest Loser, contestants are pushed to their limits in pursuit of shedding pounds using expert weight weight loss tips. Sometimes they get sidetracked by obstacles—but that’s true of anyone trying to slim down. “When you first start to lose weight, everyone goes through the phase where they make mistakes and want to give up. But the important thing is to push through it,” says Kim Lyons, trainer on The Biggest Loser. Diet and exercise mistakes are inevitable, but the snooze button and a sweet tooth don’t have to derail your efforts. Kim and the show’s experts pinpoint four common slip-ups. Here are the weight loss tips to help you overcome--and avoid-- them in the future.
Late Night Binge
“One binge is unlikely to have any significant effect on body weight, but if you binge on 700 calories every Saturday night, that would be responsible for 10 pounds of extra weight in the long-term,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., The Biggest Loser’s medical advisor.
The Good News
Tomorrow’s another day. “Eating a lot of food at once rapidly raises your blood sugar and triggers hormones that cause hunger and mood swings,” says Dr. Dansinger. But you’ll sleep through those effects—for the most part, he says. “When you wake up, your hormones and blood sugar are back to normal levels, but be careful, because after a binge, you’re more likely to do it again.”
Quick Fix
Burn it off. Use the weight loss tips you've learned to avoid discouragement by getting right back on your fitness plan. “Instead of looking at this as a failure, realize your body might have needed something out of what you were craving,” says Biggest Loser trainer Kim Lyons. “Now take that food as fuel and burn it off.” Get a customized program to start walking off those calories with this walking calendar.
Long-term Strategy
Peg the problem. Identify what triggered your eating. “Ask yourself, ‘Why did I do that?’” says Lyons. “People overeat because of many different reasons like stress, boredom, exhaustion. If you are about to binge because you are stressed out, ask yourself, ‘Why am I stressed?’ Attack that rather than going to the fridge to make yourself feel better. If you genuinely are hungry, find a healthy snack.”
You Just Say No to Early-Morning Exercise
The longer you wait to work out each day, the more likely you are to skip it. “Morning exercisers stick to their programs better than if they try to work out later in the day, because life doesn’t get in the way,” says Michael Scholtz, M.A., a certified personal trainer and fitness advisor for The Biggest Loser. “If you can get into the routine of waking up early to exercise, you’ll be more consistent.”
The Good News
You can burn calories any time of day. “There are certain benefits to morning exercise—it gets your day going and boosts your energy—but the main thing is to get that workout done at some point in the day,” says Scholtz.
Quick Fix
Pencil it into your schedule. “If you don’t wake up early, integrate fitness into your day," says Lyons. "Exercise for 30 minutes before lunch and 30 minutes later in the day. Or if you can’t get to the gym, wear your flip flops to work and take the stairs instead of the elevator.”
Long-Term Strategy
Prepare in the P.M. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep and have your workout gear ready to go when you wake up. “Get your tennis shoes and workout clothes out the night before so you can just sleepwalk into them,” says Lyons. “When your alarm goes off, think to yourself that it’s just as hard to wake up 30 minutes early as it is to wake up 30 minutes late. Experts say it takes 21 days to form a habit—you won’t love waking up early for 21 days, but after that it’s easier.”
Friends or Family Sabotage Your Efforts
One unhealthy meal won’t ruin your weight loss, but friends do play a role in each other’s weight gain. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows a person’s chances of becoming obese increase by 57 percent when a friend becomes obese.
The Good News
Of course, friends and family can be positive influences, too. The study also showed that friends can help each other with weight loss. Plus, people are 50 percent more likely to start exercising if a spouse does the same, according to researchers at Duke University’s Center for Health Policy, Law and Management and Yale University School of Medicine.
Quick Fix
Start a trend. Help those closest to you adopt healthy goals so you can support each other. “Share recipes,” suggests Lyons. “Host a movie night or some other social gathering where everyone makes a favorite healthy dish. Or plan walks together or exercise together.”
Long-Term Strategy
Be positive. “People are more comfortable eating unhealthy foods--if they see you trying to change they might resist at first,” says Lyons. “Vocalize your commitment to weight loss and make it sound exciting. No one likes being around a ‘dieting blah.’ People’s responses will depend on how you reflect the change.” Another great way to get support: Find a walking buddy.
You have a bad workout, or skip it altogether
“From a fitness perspective, one missed workout makes very little difference," says Scholtz. "From a calorie-burning perspective it does make a difference, but it’s minimal. If you are burning 500 calories per session, even if you skip three workouts, that’s not even half a pound of calories, so you aren’t destroying your program.”
The Good News
Your body may need a rest. “Rest allows your body to make repairs, recover from intense exercise sessions, and get ready for another full week of activity,” says Lyons. “Taking days off will help prevent injuries, especially those due to overuse.”
Quick Fix
Rev up your routine. Research shows it’s easier to adhere to a workout routine that involves a variety of exercises. “Try something new, like yoga, to help you get your focus back,” suggests Lyons. “Even if you just stretch for half an hour instead of working out--don’t beat yourself up--kudos to you for making it to the gym at all.”
Long-term Strategy
Listen to your body. “Ask yourself, ‘Am I being lazy or do I need a break?’ says Lyons. “You should take at least two full days off from working out every week. This means no lifting weights, no heavy cardio, no spinning classes. Rest days are as important as exercise days, especially if you're working out four or five days a week.” With these weight loss tips, you can't go wrong.
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Thanks I needed to read this post today.
:flowerforyou: Kathy0 -
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Thanks for sharing this.:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:0 -
:flowerforyou: thank you for posting this0
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