A Few of My Tips for Healthy Weight Management

"I think it's called a scale, but Mom calls it a @#$&% liar!"

There is a lot of hype and big business in the "Weight Loss" industry.  A magic pill or a shake that's going to melt all those unwanted pounds away... some without even having to lift a finger for exercise!  Companies even pay big celebrities to endorse their products to suggest that if he or she uses it, it must be good enough for you too.  Companies spend millions of dollars in television and print advertising to sell you what they want you to buy in a way that is relative to you, the consumer.  What they don't want you to know is that you have the power to manage your weight without depending on any of their products.  I'll show you how.

CHECK YOUR VOCABULARY:  If you noticed, I didn't call this blog "A Few Tips for Weight Loss"... I did that on purpose.  When people lose something, they usually search and search until they find it again or replace it with something else - in our case, more weight than when they started.  That's part of why most "diet and weight loss" programs don't work - even when we've worked so hard to "lose the weight" and reached our weight loss goal, we somehow find it again.  There is a principle of the Law of Attraction that says "That which you resist, persists."  You might win the battle, but you'll lose the war.  If you want to be a certain weight, stop using terms like "fighting fat," "shedding weight," "dieting," and "losing unwanted pounds"... get those words out of your vocabulary!   Instead, start using words like "encouraging a healthy weight by living a sustainable healthy lifestyle" which promotes what it is you are trying to achieve instead of fighting what you don't want.  Even if the desired result is all the same to you, the attitude and the terminology you use to get there is still important.  You would be surprised how much positive reinforcement will help you reach your goals! 

ALWAYS HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY:  There are many ways people hold themselves and others accountable for their lifestyle.  Have at least 1 or 2 people you can talk to about your goals and check in with them on a weekly basis.  Sometimes just knowing that you are scheduled to report your behaviors with someone is enough to get people going.  If you need extra help, I would recommend getting a Wellness Coach (notice I didn't call it a Weight Loss Coach) who will check in with you.  My personal recommendation is Kerry McCarville with Amazingly Well! because she helped me get on the right track with my weight management and health goals!  Another idea is to keep a written food journal so you don't lose track of how much food you've eaten over any given period of time.  You would be surprised how many details about our daily lives we forget! 

GET OUT AND MOVE... AND LOVE IT!:  It's no secret that exercise helps us manage our weight, but I would never advise anyone with one end-all-be-all exercise or activity to help them manage their weight.  Not everyone enjoys doing the same types of exercises.  Whatever activity you choose to do, you should love doing it... whether it's walking, running, swimming, biking, yoga, aerobics classes, Zumba, or dancing in a night club.  If you want to manage your weight for a long period of time, find an activity that is sustainable and at least makes you break a sweat.  You don't have to be particularly good at it, just be sure you are having fun because you will more than likely do it again and again and again!

These are just a few tips I have to share from my weight management experiences.  When you are ready to learn more specific tips relative to something you may already be doing, you know where to find me!