Eating Well blog just posted a series of entries about Dieting Challenge tips. Not so sure I agreed with all of them. But since Dieting Season (which comes right after Holiday Season) will kick off for many next week, I thought it was timely.
1. Take a Quiz to find out if you are ready to lose weight. I'll give this one a free pass because it was clearly a gimmick to introduce the other tips. You don't need a quiz, you KNOW when if you are ready.
2. Set a Date. At first I thought they meant 'set a date when you will start' but they actually meant 'set a date for a goal you want to reach'. I disagree with both ideas. First off, if you want to start losing weight, don't gear up to do it, just do it. Saying you will start eating right on Monday, or after New Years, or after you've gone grocery shopping, is the equivalent of saying, "...because right now I am going to go on a Last Hurrah Bacchanalia Journey of My Favorite Junk Food, pass me the Ho-Ho's please." It becomes a diet, not a Foodstyle, if you plan on a start date. It's like quitting smoking; just go cold turkey and start eating right at the very next meal you have. (Which I also did, about eight years ago. Pack-a-day habit for twenty years, GONE.)
Secondly, unless I have a small amount of weight to lose (which has never happened), setting goal deadlines has been a recipe for failure for me. You know how much I have to lose? All of it. I don't know how long that will take. As long as it takes, I guess.
3. Calculate your Daily Calorie Intake. If you never done any other weight loss plan before, or if you aren't sure how much you should be eating, this is pretty good advice. But, ugh, math and counting. I like math a lot, but I don't like to eat like that. I much prefer to think of it in terms of whole foods and whole servings, like the Food Pyramid/My Plate/Weight Watchers Core and their original food plan all those years ago. But for an experiment, if I used their formula of [my weight x 12] - 500, my daily allowed calorie intake is 2284. I can't even translate into food; it seems like a lot. Does that mean I can a piece of chocolate cake every day? I think so! (Hmm, that's already backfiring.)
4. Count Calories. I think I have expressed my opinion on this above. That said, I do agree that keeping a food log is critical to success. It forces you to be honest and accountable for what you are putting in your mouth. How you break down that food log, into Points or Calories, or little boxes checkmarked Protein, Veggies, etc, is entirely up to you.
5. Weigh Yourself and Log Your Progress. I have no scale-phobia so I am all for regular weighing. But not all of us feel the same way; some people get obsessed with the habit, get too focused on a specific number or ritual, or they invest too much in the outcome and it can derail their other successes. My pal Helen has found her solution; she uses a Zero Scale which hides her actual weight and just shows her weekly and cumulative loss. My other pal Shelley doesn't use scales at all anymore; she's lost and kept off 100 pounds for several years now, and she goes by how her clothes are fitting. Whatever works for you, what keeps you motivated and inspired and excited, is what you should do. Me, I love my scale, and I love my spreadsheet. I'm sticking with it.
6. Go grocery shopping. YES. This is the best part of eating right (after losing weight, of course). Try new stores, or go to your regular store and wander a new path through it. Go to the cheese counter, and the veggies, and dairy, and really look at all the options. Is there a new meat cut you want to try? Suddenly interested in persimmons? Buy one and see what it's like. There are so many foods out there that we don't even see in our line of vision. Instead of making a beeline to stuff you know, spend some time and look at foods you don't know. They might become your new favorite thing!
7. Make a Meal Plan. I would put this before #6; use your meal plan as your shopping list. And they are absolutely right; do not forget the snacks. String cheese, fruit, yogurt, almonds, popcorn, whatever, just make sure you have it on hand -- especially in the office -- or you'll regret it.
What tips do you agree or disagree with? Got any of your own to add?
What works for me are daily weigh-ins, tracking food, and just staying positive with myself when I have slip-ups. I know the daily weighing thing is somewhat controversial, but it works for me.
ReplyDelete1. I agree with you - you know when it's time.
ReplyDelete2. I think setting small goals is very useful, especially if you have a large amount (over 20 lbs) to lose. You do need to make them specific and doable in order to keep motivated. "Lose 5 lbs in 1 month" is doable, specific, not too scary and not as daunting as "I will lose all my weight this year", which is vague, non-specific and freakin' intimidating.
3. I agree with you - the math around calorie-counting can be intimidating, and although, yes, it's calories in-calories out, it's more about the quality of what you eat vs. the actual calories. A 100 snack pack is not going be as healthy/satisfying as a 100 calorie banana. Focussing on whole foods is key!
4. I agree that this is better expressed as "track what you eat." The first time I did this, I was astounded at how much I was actually eating! Even just doing this alone can impel you towards being more mindful of what you put in your body.
5. Again, I agree that keeping some sort of track of your progress is needed; however, the first time I lost weight, I measured myself every week. One's weight can be a fearful thing to face. I have gotten to the point where I'm much more attuned to my body and its fluctuations. I know when I need to drop 5 lbs by how my clothes fit, and I'm also aware because *ding* I'm tracking what I eat and I know when I've overindulged.
6-7. I would also swap these around. I always plan what I'm going to need to prepare for a week in advance (I shop once a week, on Sunday), and then shop accordingly. I do stock up on sale goods (my cans of soup/boxes of stock are unrivalled!) and I use my freezer much more than I used to.
This was fun, Kristen, thanks! :) I hope you had an awesome Christmas, and a very Happy New Year to you as well! I know you can make the changes you need to get yourself healthy - I'm a big fan of you and your positive outlook.
Cheers,
Sheila
2 - The best way to lose weight is to change your lifestyle, not go onto a 'plan'. Therefore there is no end date.
ReplyDelete3 - Agree. There are many websites will that calculate it for you based on if you want to maintain or lose 1 or 2 lbs a week. The simple scientific fact of losing weight is to burn more than you consume over a period of time. I have eaten healthy for years but never lost weight because I did not limit my calories.
4 - I use livestrong.com. There are others but it does all but enter the item for me.
5 - I love weighing myself. When I see it drop, it motivates me. When it does not move, I work harder.
6 - What comes before this is research. You need to know what you are shopping for outside of the obvious like fruits and veggies.
What has worked for me is to keep my daily calories under 1,400 and to exercise.
8 - Plan, plan, plan.. eating out? research the restaurant, find the nutritional charts and pick what to eat before you get there. Most people have no idea that a standard meal at most restaurants can easily add up to 2,000 calories.
Going away for the weekend? Plan your meals in advance.. maybe take something in a cooler, find the nearest subway, go to applesbees (very health friendly restaurant) etc..
9 - Set mini goals and rewards. I also set a couple of big goals, ie, lose 50lbs by the end of the year.. but I have lots of mini goals to help along the way..
10 - be 100% honest in recording your food and be 100% honest with yourself.
11 - If you have a setback, don't let it lead to a full blown breakdown and blowing the whole diet. Get off your ass, dust yourself down and get right back into the fight..
:)
The things that work for me are everyday weigh-ins, following meals, and simply remaining positive along with me personally when I have got slip-ups. I be aware of every day considering point is controversial, nevertheless it works best for me personally. cabbagediet..
ReplyDeleteMy favorite weight loss tip is/was: get a Bodybugg, because then you aren't guessing how much you're burning every day, you are knowing, and you can adjust intake accordingly. My calorie burn is always surprisingly less than I think it will be, for what I do.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even with the Bodybugg, I've regained all the weight I lost 2 years ago. I think this article may have a lot of good, science-based insights into why, and it's giving me a lot to think about as I toy with the common New Year's Resolution of dieting (or "changing lifestyle") again.
I agree with what you've noted above. Especially #2 - having an "end date" in mind is just setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. Everyone works at their own pace, so just go with it.
ReplyDeleteFor #4, myfitnesspal is pretty quick and easy when it comes to tracking calories. Though anymore, I just log what I eat, then before I give my log to my trainer each week, I go through and circle anything that I should've avoided (she used to do this, but I should know better, so I save her the trouble).
I keep seeing the article that Cynthia linked to (even linked to it on my own blog today), and I really wish someone had written this years ago. I think the key is, as you said, to go for a foodstyle, rather than a diet. That's the only way it can be sustainable.
One tip I've had just hitting me over the head the past few years - your ability to lose and keep off weight when you're 20 is not the same as when you're 30, 40, etc.
Making a meal plan and going grocery shopping are so important! If you aren't prepared to eat right for the week it is way to easy to order up delivery, etc. Also, I love stepping on the scale every morning despite what it may say. It helps me mentally acknowledge that weight loss is a part of my life and a focus for me. Most importantly though don't view it as a "diet" - - if you want it to stick it has to become a lifestyle - a part of your every day.
ReplyDeleteTaking the quiz? Dumb. One knows and when they're ready, they just do it. (I also quit smoking cold turkey - there was no pussy footing around for me, it wouldn't have worked.) I do fine with calories but not so much with points. I do best with food groups and even with my recent switch to Paleo, food groups has worked for me. I don't understand those who weigh themselves everyday, but then again, I can't take the pressure of the number which is exactly why the Zero Scale works so well for me. Finally, no matter the plan I've been on, the key to my success has always involved grocery shopping and meal planning.
ReplyDeleteLots of good stuff here, especially in your comments! Happy New Year!
When I was actively losing, I tracked my food every day on myfitnesspal.com - I actually would log in what I planned on eating for the day in the morning, so I'd know if I was on track for my calorie goal, and could adjust if needed. And having the food IN THE HOUSE was crucial - if it's available, I'm much more likely to eat healthy, vs. scrounging for something because I'm hungry and the "good stuff" isn't there.
ReplyDeleteAs for the scale, it's been a relief to not deal with the random ups and downs - mentally, that was just beating me up. But then, I'm not a numbers/math person, so that could be part of it.
I'm a calorie-counter and a scale nut. It's what works for me. I tried one of those plans where you check off protein/carbs etc... and it drove me nuts. I was always eating more because I was short in some category.
ReplyDeleteI have a personal measure "chew-value." If I have to chew something up I feel like I've eaten. A pack of gum in my purse is a big help. If I think I need a snack, one of my more common thinky-thoughts, oftentimes gum holds me off.
"I actually would log in what I planned on eating for the day in the morning"
ReplyDeleteOh this too.. For work days, I have everything I plan to eat from breakfast all the way up to dinner time and I record it all in the morning. When it comes to dinner, I know how much I have left.
I have another item to add. Clear out the fridge, freeze and pantry of all the crap.
For me, I have been successful because I have created an environment for me to succeed. I have no crap in the house. I have two kids but they eat what I eat. There is no junk in the house to cater for others. No as easy if you have another adult in the house, but I don't.
I always get annoyed by the Set a Date rule, as far as a goal is concerned. I'm a very sloooow loser, so even following WW to tee it may take me 6 months or more to lose 20 pounds. If I tried to set a typical goal of 10 pounds a month I'd give up out of frustration by the 2nd month or so.
ReplyDeleteI know the thing that determines my success the most is plain old tracking and staying within a range.
Fabulous last outfits for 2011! And great tips for healthy eating. I usually stay around 1700-1800 calories when I'm dieting and exercising a lot. But I've been more around 2300 while pregnant in order to get the best nutrients to the little bean. Plus, I have found that you burn a LOT more calories doing the same exercise while pregnant. I wish that would be the case AFTER the baby when my belly is all flabby. :) Anyways, great tips, and I'm sure I'll be using them a few months after the little one makes his appearance!
ReplyDelete