Most people when seeing that above statistic sigh with that “I know it, but I just don’t want to be on a diet” attitude. Trust me, no one wants to be on a weight loss program. We simply get down right frustrated in feeling that we are going to be restricted in any way. We crave the ability to CHOOSE and make our own choices in life. Or rather, we like to add to our lives, not take away. For example, with exercise, there are lots of flavors to chose from here, and most aren’t restrictive to “don’t do this exercise” with the exception of one’s susceptibility to injuries…but that’s an entire other article.
So now we reach the powerful psychology behind self-control.
Think of the last time someone told you that you couldn’t have something, and how somehow it had you wanting it even more. But if they were to change the psychology of that statement and said, let’s add something good thats going to make you feel better, how would you then feel? I imagine not so deprived.
So how do we do this with food?
Unfortunately the necessary evil behind weight loss is that it typically has you ADDING exercise and TAKING AWAY food.
Calories in, equals calories out right?
That’s what every high paid medical professional, who unnoticeably went to school for eight years and has lots of degrees on the wall, will tell you. This is no new science, I promise.
But we are catching on to this kind of thinking. Now, all healthy eating and weight loss programs out there are marketing with “create a lifestyle” and “this is not a diet.” Whatever you want to call it, you still have to change, and in most cases, deprive yourself of things that make you happy. Let’s face it, our minds want our bodies to be fat.
Small Changes = Lifetime Results
So now the question becomes, how do we change our minds? How do we develop a new way of thinking or establish a new habit and find the perfect weight loss program? Dr. Jonas recently gave the analogy of moving a ton of bricks across a room.
Most people would love to just hook a rope to the bottom of the crate and pull it all at once to their destination. You keep trying and trying and finally you give up and decide it’s not possible. It is almost like the ever so popular yo-yo dieting. Most of the time these patterns of thought lead to binge eating because of the frustration of not losing FAST and therefore, the outcome is more weight gain than what you started with in the beginning. So if its not possible to move the whole ton, (because of physical restrictions), what about moving one brick at a time across the room? It may have taken you longer to achieve, but things done in small increments over a long period of time are always more efficient and effective in the long run. Get the point?
ADD MORE NOURISHING FOODS, is a great place to start.
We know veggies are good for us right? So add them to your diet a little more at a time. I think what you will find is that your body will start craving them, and wanting more of them AND staying fuller longer. In the long run this will balance your blood sugars and provide you with the necessary phytonutrients and antioxidants that your body needs to be healthy. The side effect: you might drop some pounds.
Burning calories through low intensity steady state activity like those cardio/aerobic will only leave you craving more calories.
It is a myth that cardio will increase your metabolism. Your metabolism is dictated muscle added through weight and strength training. Cardio exercises are muscle depleting especially if they are done over time and exceeding 30 minutes. If you reach a certain heart rate, you could go into fat burning mode, however, if you just replace those calories later, and you have depleted your muscle mass to metabolize them… then it’s in fact working against you.
True Weight Loss = 20% Exercise & 80% Food
20% EXERCISE – Should be done with intention of adding muscle mass in order to increase your metabolism. Muscle tissue holds and controls your H2O, provides protein synthesis and needs nutrients and constant heating and cooling. This makes up work, which means using calories, hence increasing metabolism.
80% FOOD – Pay attention to what your body needs. Regardless of what weight loss program you choose these days, they all seem to agree on these things:
- Protein and Fats are Essential
- Grains and Sugars are not essential
Now depending on whether you want to go with The Paleo Solution, Primal Blueprint, South Beach Diet, 4 Hour Body (the list goes on and on), they will all point to the same information that we know through science about what our bodies need and want. Each of these are unique in their approach, methods, etc. For you, it just depends on which will best match your psyche. Do you want an intellectual approach, an all or nothing approach, a timed approach, a detailed one or a more relaxed one?
Personalize, personalize, personalize.
Approach weight loss according to you, and what you know about yourself with the above formula and that is a recipe for success. Small steps adding the right exercise and food in the appropriate amounts will leave a happier and healthier outcome.
