Redouble
e ig h t is tricky. It
lik es to go up
m u c h m o re so
th a n d o w n . So
e v e n if yo u d ilig e n tly w a tc h w h a t you
e a t a n d e x e rc ise reg u larly , y o u m ay
find y o u r w e ig h t lev e lin g off, o r ev en
c lim b in g a little.
“ I t ’s fru s tra tin g c o n tin u in g to
m ak e th e e ffo rt a n d n o t se e in g a n y
a d d itio n a l payoff,” says E d w a rd
A b ra m so n , Ph.D ., a p sy c h o lo g ist
sp e c ia liz in g in w e ig h t lo ss a n d
a u th o r o f
Emotional Eating: What
You Need to Know Before Starting
Another Diet.
“F ro m th a t fru stra tio n ,
y o u m ig h t fig u re th a t y o u m ig h t as
w e ll h av e th a t h o t fu d g e su n d a e .”
B u t d o n ’t d ip in to th a t ice c re a m
b u c k e t. L e t u s o ffe r y o u a sc o o p o f
m o tiv a tio n in ste a d .
stand firm
Thanks to certain TV shows and
magazines, so many people have been conditioned to think
that weight loss is supposed to be rapid and dramatic. But it’s
not—sustainable weight loss is a lifelong pursuit. Temporary'
slips are inevitable. Expect them, accept them, deal with them.
IN Y O U R H EA D
W h a t’s in y o u r m in d m ay b e sh o w in g
u p o n th e scale. T h e m e n ta l h u rd le s
to re -ig n itin g y o u r fa t b u rn in g c a n b e
to u g h to o v erco m e.
Say nice things.
S ta n d in g in fro n t
o f th e m irro r sig h in g d o e s n ’t h elp .
“ P u ttin g y o u rs e lf d o w n o r h a tin g
y o u r b o d y d ra in s y o u r p sy ch o lo g ical
re so u rc e s, m a k in g it h a rd e r to m ak e
c h a n g e s,” A b ra m so n says. R e m e m b e r
th e p ro g re ss in ste a d o f d w e llin g on
a n y re c e n t w e ig h t g ain s.
Re-com m it in w riting.
M ay b e yo u
u se d to h a v e a fo o d jo u rn a l b u t
h a v e n ’t k e p t u p . Ic’s a g re a t w ay to
re c o g n iz e tre n d s tim e led co w e ig h t
g ain an d to h e lp y o u se e w h e re
all shapes, all sizes
If you’ve lost weight successfully and are frustrated that
you haven’t lost more, remember this: Weight loss of
just 10 percent of your body m ass gives you all kinds of
increased health benefits. It m ay be that you’ve already
reached a healthy weight for you. Ask your doctor.
b e t t e r HEALTH
2 0 6
AUGUST 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
