| Current levels of overweight and obesity, | | | | Rather Than Too Little |
| together with weight-related disease, have made | | | | We all have days when we feel extra hungry, |
| weight control a major health priority throughout | | | | even when we are dieting. This is no problem - |
| America. Yet statistics indicate that average | | | | simply eat more! It is always better to eat a little |
| weight reduction on conventional diets adds up to | | | | too much than not enough. Might this delay your |
| a mere 5-8 pounds per year. So why do we find | | | | weight loss? Yes. But so what? Taking a few |
| dieting so difficult? According to a new survey(1), | | | | extra days to achieve your goal is not a problem. |
| the answer seems to be: because we make 3 | | | | The real danger is not eating enough and ending |
| crucial mistakes. We don't have a good enough | | | | up hungry and depressed. This is a recipe for a |
| incentive; we allow ourselves to go hungry; and | | | | binge.Bad Days and The Problem of Perfection |
| we can't cope with "bad days". The weight loss | | | | No dieter is perfect. The truth is, all dieters |
| survey conducted by asked dieters to select the | | | | experience "bad days" or fall into occasional |
| three biggest problems they faced when dieting. | | | | temptation. Sadly, most dieters insist on "being |
| The most common problems reported were: | | | | perfect". They cannot tolerate these lapses. So if |
| "Inadequate incentive to lose weight" (76%); | | | | (say) they visit a friend and end up eating 2 |
| "Hunger" (72%); and "Bad days" (70%). Although | | | | containers of ice cream and a box of cookies, |
| these results will come as no surprise to most | | | | they go to pieces. "I'm useless!" they cry. "I'm a |
| dieters, they highlight the importance of | | | | failure!" Overwhelmed by guilt at not being |
| motivation in the dieting process. We examine | | | | perfect, they then quit their diet in disgust.It's the |
| how these problems occur, and what steps can | | | | Guilt That Does the Damage |
| be taken to overcome them.Why Do We Need | | | | In this situation, the actual binge is typically fairly |
| an Incentive? | | | | harmless. I mean, we need to eat a huge quantity |
| We gain weight because we take in more | | | | of food (3500+ calories) to gain even one pound |
| energy than we use. Either because we eat too | | | | of weight. The real damage is caused by the |
| many calories, or burn too few, or both. So if we | | | | ensuing guilt. And this is what we need to |
| want to reduce weight, we need to improve our | | | | address.Guilt Comes From Trying to Be Perfect |
| eating and exercise habits. And this is not easy, | | | | All dieters make mistakes and this is perfectly |
| because let's face it - old habits are not easily | | | | normal. Having an occasional binge is no cause for |
| discarded, especially if they involve cutting out our | | | | alarm, far less guilt. Even my most successful |
| favorite treats. We need a powerful incentive to | | | | clients - those who have lost 100+ pounds - had |
| help us change. Specifically, we need an answer to | | | | regular lapses. The difference is, they didn't see |
| the question: "How exactly will I benefit from | | | | themselves as "perfect" individuals. So they felt |
| losing weight?" | | | | "entitled" to make occasional mistakes, and so |
| When faced with this question, many dieters | | | | should you. Once you accept this, you will find |
| have no answer. Those who do, typically reply: "I'll | | | | dieting a whole lot easier.We Need Support to |
| feel better" or "my health will improve". Others | | | | Make These Changes |
| explain they are trying to lose weight to please | | | | In order to overcome the 3 problems described |
| their doctor, or their partner, or simply because | | | | above, an essential first step is to find proper |
| they are "overweight". Unfortunately, none of | | | | support. This is just as important as choosing the |
| these reasons are strong enough to help us | | | | right diet plan, because no matter how good the |
| succeed. So when temptation strikes, we are | | | | diet, it can't motivate you to stay on track - only |
| unable to resist.What Type of Incentive is Best? | | | | people can do this. Dieting is ten times easier |
| Our motivation to lose weight must be based on | | | | when you receive encouragement from others. |
| a selfish, specific benefit. A good example might | | | | So when choosing an online weight loss program, |
| be an upcoming beach holiday, or a family | | | | choose one with an active forum. Because at the |
| occasion, or the achievement of a specific mobility | | | | end of the day, it's all about people. When we are |
| or fitness goal. It must be as specific as possible | | | | alone and isolated, the smallest obstacle can seem |
| (general benefits are useless) and ideally related to | | | | like a mountain. But when we have people behind |
| a fixed date. In addition, it must be selfish. Losing | | | | us, anything is possible.Notes: |
| weight to please others rarely works. The advice | | | | 1. Weight Loss Survey (Oct 2005) by A total of |
| I give to my clients is very simple. Do not bother | | | | 17,403 subjects replied to the survey. They were |
| dieting unless you have a good incentive. Because | | | | asked to choose 3 from a list of 10 diet-problems. |
| no matter how good the diet, no matter how | | | | The results were as follows: |
| valuable the exercise plan, unless you have a | | | | (1) Inadequate Incentive (76%). |
| powerful reason to change your habits you won't | | | | (2) Hunger (72%). |
| succeed.Hunger Kills Diets | | | | (3) Bad Days (70%). |
| Most dieters are still convinced that calories are | | | | (4) Boredom (69%). |
| their enemy. So the less they eat, the faster | | | | (5) Stress (60%). |
| they are likely to lose weight. This is not true. In | | | | (6) Interference From Others (51%). |
| reality, the less we eat, the more hungry we get | | | | (7) Too Much Eating Out (32%). |
| and the easier it is to fall into temptation. The | | | | (8) Eating on The Run (28%). |
| human body is trained to eat when hungry and no | | | | (9) Ill-health (5%). |
| amount of willpower will neutralize this basic urge. | | | | (10) Lack of Sleep (1%).Copyright Anne Collins |
| This is why binge eating is such a common | | | | 2005. Anne Collins, 54, is a qualified nutritionist and |
| response to low calorie diets.How to Avoid Hunger | | | | full time weight management consultant with over |
| No rocket science here. Avoiding hunger simply | | | | 23 years experience. Her clients range from top |
| means eating regularly throughout the day, and | | | | celebrities to ordinary people of every age and |
| keeping your calorie intake above 1000-1200 per | | | | shape. Her website attracts 9 million unique |
| day. This prevents hunger, thus reducing the urge | | | | visitors per annum, and her weight loss forum is |
| to overeat, and in addition helps to maintain a | | | | one of the most active support centers on the |
| regular high level of calorie-burning.Eat Too Much | | | | Internet. |