Steps to Long-Term Weight Loss Success
Steps to Long-Term Weight Loss Success
In the "Seven Keys to Permanent Weight Loss Success" series, which consists of four parts, this is the fourth.
Tip #6: Manage your incentives
I'm sure you've heard it all.
"Enjoy your day off. Indulge in cheat meals.
The idea is intriguing, isn't it? You dedicate a few days to practicing total self-control. Everything you consume is absolutely "clean" and you never, ever stray from your diet plan. Reason being, you're highly motivated by the prospect of a "no-holds barred" day or dinner when you can eat whatever you want!
If you find yourself feeling a pang of shame over indulging in the local buffet, just grab your favourite book and read it aloud to convince yourself that this meal is essential for a faster metabolism. No big deal. Go for broke. Indulge your hunger. Fill up on food. It won't matter because you earned it, will it?
Perhaps, but it's also possible that it won't.
You can call them what you want: cheat meals, free meals, reward meals, or whatever else you like; they all work. If I hadn't known I could binge once a week, I doubt I would have gone all out on my initial body makeover. And it was effective... for a time. Consistently following the regimen resulted in my weight loss.
On the other hand, some worrying tendencies became apparent to me as time went on.
I looked forward to Mondays since they were only another day till I could eat whatever I wanted. I couldn't get enough of it. I managed to eat healthily all week, but I was so worried that I might go insane that I hardly paid attention to anything else. On that particular day, I would meticulously plan my route through the city in order to visit every single fast food and doughnut shop. We loaded up on junk food at buffets and then went shopping for more to eat before midnight.
It dawned on me that this wasn't command. The payment was insufficient. Addiction was the word. Recalling the time when I gave up smoking came to mind. Where did the time go? Was it the case that I abstained from smoking for six days in a row, only to indulge in a smoke-fest on the seventh?
There were also cues from my body. After a day of freedom, I would frequently fall ill with a cold or sinus infection and experience bloating, nausea, and an unpleasant odour. It seemed like I had to spend most of the week catching my breath after the previous day of indulgence, and then I barely managed to get through to the following extravagance festival.
I then realised that something needed to change. I refused to let myself be enslaved by food. I thought this was going to be a long-term adjustment, but I can't see myself continuing on that path forever. As a result, I stood firm.
In the beginning, I would only let myself have one or two reward meals every week. I referred to them as incentive lunches because my actions were not dishonest... I got what I deserved, and I planned them. I used to crave those meals like crazy, but after a few weeks of this, I started looking forward to my nutritious meals and didn't "waste" my reward meals on junk or fast food. A romantic dinner at a fine restaurant would be my idea of a perfect evening.
Next, I shifted my attention to controlling my portion sizes. For the remainder of the night, I would feel hungover from overindulging in that one meal. I promised myself that no matter how much I ate for a reward meal, I would always keep my portion sizes in check so that I could still eat again within a few hours. This included all of my meals that day.
I found myself unexpectedly behind the wheel at this point. I had taken charge, and the food had lost it. Pizza, ice cream, and a host of other sweets are still favourites of mine. But now I get to decide how much I earn. It is not necessary for me to exceed. This weekend, I won't have to let myself get into a binge eating rut because of just one meal. I am able to control my portion sizes by planning ahead of time what and when I will eat my reward, which allows me to fulfil my psychological cravings without going overboard. A day of wild excess, like lighting up a pack of cigarettes, gave way to more measured indulgence, like savouring a fine cigar.
Finally, here are a few things to think about...
Overeating increases the risk of a heart attack by a factor of 250.
When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, the majority of the people I know are very disciplined and never treat themselves to a cheat meal.
It takes more than one cheat day to get your metabolism going, therefore it's best to eat more calories consistently throughout the week, preferably from healthy sources.
Important #7: Regularly shift your concentration
Maybe the most crucial is this last key.
I stumbled into my initial objectives list when going through some old files. When I first started becoming serious about fitness, it was around 1999.
"If possible?" was a small remark I placed next to my primary objective of reaching 40.
Just think about it. I had no faith that I could trim four inches off my 44-inch waist!
I lost the 40-inch waist measurement after the first twelve weeks. I wore a size 38 waist. My target was overwhelmed. Because I was "big-boned," my new waist measurement of 36 inches became my objective. My waistline shrank from 36" to 32" and, with 6% body fat, I could fit into 30" jeans—more than 30 centimetres had been removed.
It is OK for goals to alter. You should always be shifting your attention. More may be possible for you than what you think or what you give yourself credit for right now. I never would have dreamed of completing a half marathon or launching my own business in 1999, but those were some of the objectives I set for myself after discovering the ability to transform.
Rededicating yourself to your ambitions requires self-discovery. You may have been surprised to see that you only shed 20 pounds of fat after aiming to lose 40 pounds in three months. Okay with me. Resolve to shed an additional twenty pounds throughout the following three months. Just last week, you benched 110 pounds, even though you said you'd never do that. Very well. Pursue the new objective of bench pressing 150 pounds. Do not be scared to aim higher when you discover your limitations (or more accurately, how to overcome them).
On the other hand, you should not make the error of becoming aimless. Like many others, I do this... "When I reach 150 pounds, I'm going into maintenance." This is just a pretext to give in and settle, which is the same as doing nothing and reverting to your previous habits. To stay in shape, you have to keep pushing yourself to new limits. Achieving fitness requires constant motion and effort, not rest and "settling."
You must understand that your goal is not to lose weight or run faster if you wish to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle. You are striving for greatness in the end.
In summary,
Permanent weight loss is more of a journey than a destination, as these points made by real people have shown. It has to do with the company you keep, the frame of mind you choose, and your fundamental beliefs (and your openness to changing them). Just reading about these things won't cut it. You need to absorb them and do something. You won't be able to embark on the path to greatness until then.
The year 2005 served as the copyright. Likness, Jeremy
Oh my goodness!
Part 4 of Seven Essential Steps to Long-Term Weight Loss Success
written by: Jeremy Likness
The given sentence is a citation for an article about health issues.
Article category: Health, date saved: 2007-07-25 12:30:11
In the "Seven Keys to Permanent Weight Loss Success" series, which consists of four parts, this is the fourth.
Tip #6: Manage your incentives
I'm sure you've heard it all.
"Enjoy your day off. Indulge in cheat meals.
The idea is intriguing, isn't it? You dedicate a few days to practicing total self-control. Everything you consume is absolutely "clean" and you never, ever stray from your diet plan. Reason being, you're highly motivated by the prospect of a "no-holds barred" day or dinner when you can eat whatever you want!
If you find yourself feeling a pang of shame over indulging in the local buffet, just grab your favourite book and read it aloud to convince yourself that this meal is essential for a faster metabolism. No big deal. Go for broke. Indulge your hunger. Fill up on food. It won't matter because you earned it, will it?
Perhaps, but it's also possible that it won't.
You can call them what you want: cheat meals, free meals, reward meals, or whatever else you like; they all work. If I hadn't known I could binge once a week, I doubt I would have gone all out on my initial body makeover. And it was effective... for a time. Consistently following the regimen resulted in my weight loss.
On the other hand, some worrying tendencies became apparent to me as time went on.
I looked forward to Mondays since they were only another day till I could eat whatever I wanted. I couldn't get enough of it. I managed to eat healthily all week, but I was so worried that I might go insane that I hardly paid attention to anything else. On that particular day, I would meticulously plan my route through the city in order to visit every single fast food and doughnut shop. We loaded up on junk food at buffets and then went shopping for more to eat before midnight.
It dawned on me that this wasn't command. The payment was insufficient. Addiction was the word. Recalling the time when I gave up smoking came to mind. Where did the time go? Was it the case that I abstained from smoking for six days in a row, only to indulge in a smoke-fest on the seventh?
There were also cues from my body. After a day of freedom, I would frequently fall ill with a cold or sinus infection and experience bloating, nausea, and an unpleasant odour. It seemed like I had to spend most of the week catching my breath after the previous day of indulgence, and then I barely managed to get through to the following extravagance festival.
I then realised that something needed to change. I refused to let myself be enslaved by food. I thought this was going to be a long-term adjustment, but I can't see myself continuing on that path forever. As a result, I stood firm.
In the beginning, I would only let myself have one or two reward meals every week. I referred to them as incentive lunches because my actions were not dishonest... I got what I deserved, and I planned them. I used to crave those meals like crazy, but after a few weeks of this, I started looking forward to my nutritious meals and didn't "waste" my reward meals on junk or fast food. A romantic dinner at a fine restaurant would be my idea of a perfect evening.
Next, I shifted my attention to controlling my portion sizes. For the remainder of the night, I would feel hungover from overindulging in that one meal. I promised myself that no matter how much I ate for a reward meal, I would always keep my portion sizes in check so that I could still eat again within a few hours. This included all of my meals that day.
I found myself unexpectedly behind the wheel at this point. I had taken charge, and the food had lost it. Pizza, ice cream, and a host of other sweets are still favourites of mine. But now I get to decide how much I earn. It is not necessary for me to exceed. This weekend, I won't have to let myself get into a binge eating rut because of just one meal. I am able to control my portion sizes by planning ahead of time what and when I will eat my reward, which allows me to fulfil my psychological cravings without going overboard. A day of wild excess, like lighting up a pack of cigarettes, gave way to more measured indulgence, like savouring a fine cigar.
Finally, here are a few things to think about...
Overeating increases the risk of a heart attack by a factor of 250.
When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, the majority of the people I know are very disciplined and never treat themselves to a cheat meal.
It takes more than one cheat day to get your metabolism going, therefore it's best to eat more calories consistently throughout the week, preferably from healthy sources.
Important #7: Regularly shift your concentration
Maybe the most crucial is this last key.
I stumbled into my initial objectives list when going through some old files. When I first started becoming serious about fitness, it was around 1999.
"If possible?" was a small remark I placed next to my primary objective of reaching 40.
Just think about it. I had no faith that I could trim four inches off my 44-inch waist!
I lost the 40-inch waist measurement after the first twelve weeks. I wore a size 38 waist. My target was overwhelmed. Because I was "big-boned," my new waist measurement of 36 inches became my objective. My waistline shrank from 36" to 32" and, with 6% body fat, I could fit into 30" jeans—more than 30 centimetres had been removed.
It is OK for goals to alter. You should always be shifting your attention. More may be possible for you than what you think or what you give yourself credit for right now. I never would have dreamed of completing a half marathon or launching my own business in 1999, but those were some of the objectives I set for myself after discovering the ability to transform.
Rededicating yourself to your ambitions requires self-discovery. You may have been surprised to see that you only shed 20 pounds of fat after aiming to lose 40 pounds in three months. Okay with me. Resolve to shed an additional twenty pounds throughout the following three months. Just last week, you benched 110 pounds, even though you said you'd never do that. Very well. Pursue the new objective of bench pressing 150 pounds. Do not be scared to aim higher when you discover your limitations (or more accurately, how to overcome them).
On the other hand, you should not make the error of becoming aimless. Like many others, I do this... "When I reach 150 pounds, I'm going into maintenance." This is just a pretext to give in and settle, which is the same as doing nothing and reverting to your previous habits. To stay in shape, you have to keep pushing yourself to new limits. Achieving fitness requires constant motion and effort, not rest and "settling."
You must understand that your goal is not to lose weight or run faster if you wish to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle. You are striving for greatness in the end.
In summary,
Permanent weight loss is more of a journey than a destination, as these points made by real people have shown. It has to do with the company you keep, the frame of mind you choose, and your fundamental beliefs (and your openness to changing them). Just reading about these things won't cut it. You need to absorb them and do something. You won't be able to embark on the path to greatness until then.
The year 2005 served as the copyright. Hey there, Jeremy Likness!
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