One of the most common questions people ask is how to lose weight with the hustle and bustle of our every day lives? With all the diets on the market, you’d think we could have solved the problem of obesity by now, but it seems to be getting worse. There are a lot of reasons for expanding waistlines and there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but changing the way we think about some things just might help us reach our weight loss goals. Here are three beliefs we need to rethink:
- You just need a little willpower – that might get you through a few hours or maybe a day, but willpower will never get you where you want to go. We need to let go of this idea that we can muster up enough will to say no to all the tempting food offers in order to really learn how to lose weight. Willpower will just keep you in an endless cycle of dieting and getting nowhere. Instead of using willpower, evaluate your habits and then tweak them. For example, if you stop off at a drive-thru for a 32 oz soda before or after work every day, bring a bottle of water with you instead and take a different route if you need to. You’ve still got something to drink but it’s not going to sabotage your goals. You just make a little tweak. Keep tweaking until you find what works.
- Finish your plate – this comes from the depression era when food was scarce and there probably wasn’t much on the plate to begin with, but it doesn’t serve us when food is abundant and serving sizes are astronomical. You do not have to eat the whole thing. No child is going to starve because you don’t finish your plate; that’s not how it works and how you can lose weight. If it really bothers you to leave food on your plate, then take less than you think you will eat. You can always go back for seconds if you need to.
- Eat it while it’s there because you don’t know when it will be available again – this is one of the problems with holiday eating. We make certain dishes once a year and pig out on them as if it’s our last chance to taste it. You aren’t on death row and this isn’t your last meal. You will be able to eat these foods again and, quite frankly, you can make them whenever you want if they mean that much to you. You will taste chocolate again, I promise, so you don’t need to eat the whole cake. A few bites will do until next time. If you want to feel like your having a treat but don’t want the guilt try these Paleo friendly chocolate coconut bars the next time you get the urge. https://familyhealthadvocacy.com/paleo-friendly-chocolate-coconut-bars/
When it comes to how to lose weight and achieve or maintain a healthy weight, it’s not always food that is the problem or a lack of exercise. It’s the things we tell ourselves. Tell yourself something different and you might just find the scale bending to your will.
Want to learn more about what the experts are saying they wish we knew about losing weight? Check out this article https://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/losing-weight-doctors-wish-you-knew/
Annette Presley RD, LD, is a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She enjoys helping people live their lives well so they can stay out of hospitals and spend more time with their families and doing the things they love.