Can’t Fit Into Your Wedding Dress?

So you are preparing for your wedding day - the reluctant yet obvious question is: in front of hundreds (and maybe thousands) of guests which include loved ones, colleagues and camera crew – do you want to look breathtakingly beautiful on your wedding day? You have only that one day to make it all perfect. Obviously, your answer is, “Yes – on my wedding day – I want it to be perfect. I want everyone to be happy and stunning….including myself. But how?” During times of stress, desperate measures are often taken. Given that I have been in the ‘health/wellness/fitness’ industry for 15 years, I have witnessed many failed, unhealthy methodologies that are not sustainable from ‘self-starvation’ to wrapping one’s self in plastic wrap while exercising (in the hope of increasing fat burning). To be quite frank –nothing burns fat as much as: hard work, dedication and consistency. Recently a friend of mine was married. His wife chose to diet in preparation for the wedding. This diet was simply – cease eating! Certainly weight loss will occur if one starves him/herself – but this is unhealthy and not sustainable. Once a person reverts back to normal eating habits, the weight & more returns with ferocity and a life of yo-yo dieting ensues for the rest of one’s life. I am originally from Australia but have lived/worked in China for almost 7 years. Before starting WHS in China, I worked in the health and fitness industry for almost 15years. Even in Australia, there are people that still believe in magic pills and potions that will ‘shed fat fast.’ With that being said, more are learning that what truly works is a long term perspective towards health vs. a short-term fix. From what I have witnessed in China, there are beliefs that “a special massage” or rare Chinese herb concoction will shed everything away yet in reality – benefits are short-lived. So it goes back to the simple & sustainable solution of: Sensible diet and regular exercise against the backdrop of hard work, dedication and consistency. Actually – this mindset is applicable to all aspects of a fulfilling life – not just for health & wellness. To keep it simple – here are some effective & sustainable tips for weight loss: 1. Plan your diet at least 12 weeks in advance yet better 16-20 weeks in advance. This gives you time to drop weight at a reasonable rate. Less stress; Less distress! 2. Be realistic with your weight loss goals. Everyone has a different body-type. Some can easily attain ‘six-pack’ abs whereas others cannot. Genetics plays a role and this is what we cannot change. Instead, we adapt and are realistic. This actually reverts to Tip #1 – give yourself a reasonable amount of time to lose weight. 3. Nutrition & diet are most important. A simple ratio to abide by is · 70% lean protein sources · 20% complex carbohydrates · 10% from good fats Controlling your calories is also extremely important. An average female trying to lose fat should consume approximately 1,500 calories per day. An average male should consume approximately 1,800 per day. 4. Exercise. A consistent exercise program of at least 4-5 days a week will not only burn calories but also increase metabolism. And one final point - one that many forget given the flurry of activity – be positive. Your wedding day is one of the most important milestones of your life. This is a day to celebrate and the process should be fulfilling as well. If you give yourself enough time to lose the weight, you can transform your new habits into a sustainable life style. So have a ‘cheat day’ when you eat what you wish and not exercise. If you are consistent and dedicated to a healthy lifestyle – these occasional ‘cheat days’ will actually help add variety to your life. WHS organizes an annual 12 week health & fitness challenge (WHS 12WK Challenge) that invites participants to transform their physical and mental states into benchmarks of health and fitness. There are 2 titles that participants vie for: Mr. & Ms. Amazing (weight loss) and Mr. & Ms. Fit (muscle build). At present, we are currently half-way through WHS 12WK Challenge and many have already experienced some incredible results. Vica Tonkachova is just one Amazing result thus far with a stupendous 18 kilograms (40 pounds) loss in 12 weeks. Vica is a true inspiration of what can be done with: · Sensible nutrition & diet · Regular exercise · Hard work, dedication and consistency! Source:- http://www.nudirection-asia.com/en/news/55-cant-fit-into-your-wedding-dress.html

Dieting Not Working? Blame The Diet And Become A Survivor

Snack Girl is one of those people who simply hates diets. Her favorite quote is from Garfield, "Diet is DIE with a T."

My reason is that all that counting of calories, leads me to want to eat everything in sight. I feel the restriction and then I start to feel hungry all the time!

On the other hand, I have learned a ton from diet books and programs about healthy eating and the number of calories in some of my favorite foods. For example, 260 calories in a doughnut was a REAL wake up call not to inhale them at a moment's notice.

A reader told me about a book that had helped her with her diet failures - "The Diet Survivor's Handbook: 60 Lessons in Eating, Acceptance and Self-Care" by Judith Matz, LCSW and Ellen Frankel, LCSW (see below and Diet Survivors).

I found this book to be very inspiring and helped me to define why dieting does not work for me. Judith Matz, LCSW, director of The Chicago Center for Overcoming Overeating, and co-author of the book was kind enough to take the time for an interview:

Snack Girl: Why is dieting hazardous to your health?

Judith Matz: Unfortunately, about 95% of people who go on diets will gain back the weight – and about one-third to two-thirds of people will end up heavier than before the diet. So, diets often make you fatter!

It may surprise you to know that weight cycling – also known as yo-yo dieting – actually puts you at greater risk of health issues, including heart problems and type-2 diabetes. Since most people go on more than one diet, this is a real concern.

Dieting also leads to depression, lower self-esteem and shame. While it always feels great when you’re in the weight loss phase of the diet/binge cycle, when the weight returns, your emotional state plummets.

Snack Girl: What is "attuned eating" and how can we achieve it?

Judith Matz: Attuned eating simply means eating according to your body’s natural, physical cues for hunger and satiation. We’re born knowing how to eat this way! Attuned eating guides you in deciding when, what and how much to eat, and teaches you to trust your own body’s internal wisdom.

When to eat:

To reconnect with your internal signals you need to identify physical hunger – which should feel like an empty or gnawing sensation in your stomach.

Attuned eaters honor their hunger by waiting for the cue of physical hunger to tell them when to eat. They also make sure that they don’t ignore their hunger and become ravenous, which sets you up for overeating.

What to eat:

Next, ask yourself what you’re hungry for – what would not only taste good, but also feel just right in your body. If you’re used to following a lot of rules about what to eat, this can take some practice! If you’re having trouble, try asking yourself some questions: Do I want something hot or cold? Spicy or bland? Chewy or crunchy? Protein, carbohydrate of fat?

Let go of the notion that foods are “good” and “bad” because when you try to ignore your craving to eat some pizza, for example, and instead stick to a salad, there’s a good chance you’ll overeat later to make up for not getting what you really wanted (and what would really satisfy you.)

Instead, keep a wide variety of foods around - including foods that nourish you and meet your nutritional needs - and then pick the food that truly satisfies you.

How much to eat:

If there was a signal of physical hunger to tell you when to start eating, then there will be a signal of fullness to tell you that it’s time to stop. The key is to pay attention by being mindful of how your body feels.

You may find that getting rid of distractions while you’re eating helps you pay better attention to when you’re getting full. You may also want to think about how you’ll feel 15 or 20 minutes after you stop eating – and how you want to feel. It’s always easier to stop when the food(s) you’re eating truly satisfy you!

What to expect:

If you want to become an attuned eater, start by collecting these experiences whenever you can. Don’t let yourself turn attuned eating into another diet where the new rule is that you can only eat when you’re hungry – becoming an attuned eater is a journey that takes time and practice!

Snack Girl: I think many of us equate thin with healthy. What is your theory regarding "healthy at any weight"?

Judith Matz: The simple truth is that there are people who are thin and healthy and people who are thin and unhealthy, just as there are people who are fat and unhealthy and people who are fat and healthy!

There’s no doubt that thinness is usually equated with health – despite the existence of over 40 research studies that show people in the overweight category for BMI (body mass index) actually live the longest - and this is unfortunate because people spend so much time, energy and money on weight loss plans and programs that don’t really work long-term.

In the meantime, they may not learn or implement other practices that lead to better health, such as fitness, attuned eating, good sleep habits, and meditation. While weight loss may be a side effect of cultivating these practices, you’ll become healthier regardless of whether you lose weight!

Snack Girl: When you struggled with weight issues, did you have an "aha!" moment that you could share with us?

Judith Matz: After many years of trying to lose weight by restricting “fattening” foods, I spent a summer in Boston where I was worked as a waitress at a well-known (and delicious!) seafood restaurant - I also tasted Steve’s oreo-cookie ice cream for the first time.

I didn’t have a scale or mirror and was so tired of dieting that I decided to take the summer off from my obsessive worries about eating.

When I moved back to Chicago at the end of the summer, I discovered that I had returned to what was a natural weight for me. My “aha” moment was the realization that the deprivation caused by dieting actually triggered me to overeat!

At that moment I made myself a promise: if I ever wanted to eat something and thought I shouldn’t because it was “bad,” I would go ahead and have it to remind myself that no foods are off limit.

It’s been about 30 years since that moment, and I have had a relaxed, peaceful and satisfying relationship with food (and my body) ever since.

Snack Girl: What is your favorite snack?

Judith Matz: As an attuned eater, my “favorite” snack depends on what would be the best match for my hunger at a particular moment! Favorites include: a banana, Dove chocolates with a glass of milk, hummus with carrots, a mini-meal from last night’s leftovers, such as an enchilada or piece of lasagna, and a bowl of soup.

Thanks, Judith! Love those snacks and the advice on our relationship to food.

Source:- http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/diet-failure-advice/

Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

...and lose weight for good

As any veteran of the dieting wars can tell you, losing weight isn't nearly as difficult as keeping it off over the long term.

"Whenever I take a diet history, I get a litany of weight-loss plans and programs from experienced dieters," says Molly Gee, M.Ed., R.D., a weight-loss counselor and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Yet most dieters' successes with these plans are short-lived and, annoyingly, the pounds quickly return. Gee calls it the "then some" problem: "A lot of women lose ten pounds, then regain it and then some. A few years later, they'll lose fifteen pounds, but regain it and then some." Many clients, she says, have entire wardrobes in several different sizes in their closets.

But it's more than just a clothing issue, unfortunately. The consequences of weight cycling include an increase in disease risk, and the habit can also lead to an undesirable alteration in body composition that ups fat and decreases muscle. This bleak picture explains why nutrition experts advise you to shelve your yo-yo habits and break the cycle with long-term strategies.

"Nearly all of the successful losers in the National Weight Control Registry have been yo-yo dieters," notes registry director James O. Hill, Ph.D., an obesity researcher at the University of Colorado at Denver. "What people need to learn is that if what you've done before isn't working, you need to try something else."

Know Your Habits

The first step to breaking the yo-yo pattern and creating a healthier approach to losing weight is to try a little self-investigation. "It's important to look at your eating behavior and identify your vulnerabilities," says Robert Kushner, M.D., medical director of the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

He urges clients to graph their weight changes and consider the life events that coincided with weight gains or losses, such as pregnancy, a job or residence change, a new marital status or a death in the family. It helps to understand the events or circumstances in the past that prompted you to initiate a weight-loss program or to abandon one that was helping you slim down.

"When you examine your own weight-loss patterns, you can then identify potential methods and tools that will work for you long term," says Dr. Kushner, author of Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet.

Look Beyond the Numbers

Dr. Kushner urges clients to concentrate on their behavior, not on the scale. In fact, he doesn't weigh people in his program until the end of their first visit. Gee urges her clients to focus on goals for their regular eating habits. For example, she encourages strategies such as eating 250 fewer calories each day by passing on bread and butter or cutting a couple of cans of soda from your diet, rather than fixating on a goal of losing 40 pounds. And when you do look at your numbers, keep in mind that experts agree that even a small weight loss should be regarded as a success. Remember that maintaining a weight loss is a huge accomplishment, even if you don't continue to lose additional pounds.

Forget About Fads

If you're a sucker for the diet-of-the-moment, think seriously about resisting the urge. Instead of hopping on the newest weight-loss bandwagon, fine-tune what you do regularly to keep in shape. "Don't try to fit the latest exercise craze into your lifestyle just because it's popular," says Gee. "If you've been making an effort to take a daily walk, don't abandon your plan because it doesn't seem new." Even if something is advertised as an effortless 40-pound-weight-loss wonder, fight the temptation to follow a fad.

Delight in the Day-to-Day

Small daily strategies can make a big difference, says Dr. Hill. Walking 2,000 steps more or shaving just two cookies' worth of calories from a snack can add up over time. Focusing on small lifestyle changes that you can do consistently will bring more satisfaction than strict diets. "Add one or two healthy behaviors to your regular routine, and you're done for the day," says Dr. Hill.

source:- http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/weight-management/weight-loss-strategies/stop-yo-yo-dieting.aspx