Biggest Loser Diet Secrets

Psychology Today has an article on

Secrets of the Big Losers
How to reprogram mental eating habits for physical success.

By: Jay DixitTOP PICKSMost EmailedPopular ArticlesPopular BlogsThe Creative Personality
The Man Who Shocked The World
Dare To Be Yourself
Typically Twisted
Advice: College Life with Asperger’s
The Creative Personality
Plight of the Little Emperors
The Man Who Shocked The World
Typically Twisted
Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature
The Greatest Ever? Not So Fast…
Afraid to Rage: The Origins of Passive-Aggressive Behavior
An evolutionary psychological view
Eliminate Depression?Naturally!
Does Listening to Eminem Make People Sexist?
 Email Article
 Printer Friendly 
 
Subscribe today and save over 40% the newsstand price! 

There’s no question that losing weight is hard and keeping it off even harder. But it’s not impossible. The National Weight Control Registry lists thousands of people who have lost more than 50 pounds and kept it off more than five years. Here’s how to do the same.

Make radical changes. People think moderate dietary changes are easier to stick with. But as with quitting drug addiction, drastic changes are actually easier. “We don’t tell heroin addicts if you stay clean all week, you can reward yourself by shooting up a small amount on the weekend,” says Deirdre Barrett, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of Waistland. “Sugar derails glucose metabolism in a similar way.” She advises cutting out sugars, refined foods, simple carbohydrates, and trans fats.
Reprogram your brain. Losing weight means developing new eating habits—like reaching for an orange instead of an oreo. The hardest part is the first 72 hours, when eating right is an act of will. After two or three weeks of sticking to it, your hunger and cravings subside, and control over eating choices becomes more automatic. Voila, your brain is rewired.
Eat breakfast. Without breakfast, your body plunges into starvation mode, slowing your metabolism and tempting you to binge later. Over 78 percent of the registry’s successful losers eat breakfast every day.
Exercise like you mean it. An evening walk every other day isn’t going to cut it. Ninety percent of registry participants exercised—for a full hour, on average, most days of the week.
Stretch your mind. Stop living on autopilot. A study shows that people who push their comfort zones and try new things—like reading a different magazine or listening to a new radio station—lose weight and keep it off. Breaking out of your routine may make you more aware of your choices in general, and less likely to engage in mindless eating.

Back on the weight loss track!

I’m responding to my highest weight with dedication to get back on track. I don’t want to be this heavy, it’s no way to live. I’ve been going to the gym with a friend and played tennis with my hubby. I can feel my muscles build. They are sore but want to stretch and move. I haven’t felt this way since a time when I went to the gym every other day for 3 months straight! I’m pretty dedicated but I know I think “this is it!” every time I begin again. Slow and steady wins the race so I won’t let slip ups defeat me.  I’m dedicated to calorie counting and portion control (which is made easy when you eat small snacks between meals - Duh!). I’m also going to sign up for a belly dancing class (I did it before, great for mid section ;).

I’m not an affiliate so I don’t get paid for recommending these books I just want to share the great books I’ve found. You know how hard it is to sort through the crap out there. Enjoy:

I’ve been listening to some helpful books on tapes that are inspirational. I like The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit by AJ Rochester. She lost 8 dress sizes and has a fun personality. She also wrote a memoir of her weight loss experience in Confessions of a Reform Dieter. She was sexually abused, adopted and destructive in her youth. I think she is easy to relate to and has a great sense of humor.

I thought I’d also try listening to The Self-Hypnosis Diet. A friend recommended it to me and said she has kept off 10 lbs. The reviewers for seem to have also kept about 15 lbs off. It sounds like this book is good for a 10 lbs. weight loss, so why not?

The top 2 books I’d personally recommend is The Beck Diet Solution (cognitive therapy, not a diet) and Skinny Bitch (crude language but good argument for healthy eating). Very helpful! 5 stars for them both!

I’ve decided to take notes on the key points I thought were helpful and post time in the near future. I’m also going to post the calorie counting .xls (excel) documment I use for everyone to use.

Happy Birthday to me!

I’ve been very blessed in my life. So many good things have happened and I truely feel like my life is on track. I’m not rich but I feel like I can afford to buy almost anything I want (an electric car would be nice). I ask myself every birthday, “what do I really want in my life that I don’t have”. This isn’t all about matterial things, it’s 99% of the time about emotional or spiritual needs getting met. I’ve come so far and now the final fontier is my weight. I’ve already tried working on that but now, on my birthday I lay here at my highest weight ever! Since I’ve tracked my weight (actually kept a record) I’ve noticed that I’m fattest in the summer. I dont’ move when it gets hot and I don’t think I’m alone. I really want to knock it off and JUST DO IT! yet I don’t feel the motivation is here. So, I’m posting and trying my best to get the brain where it needs to be. I think it’s really REALLY time to do this if there ever was. I don’t want to hit a number I’m 2lbs away from. So, happy birthday so me, now off I go!

iFat

iFat, I’m fat, fat , fat, FAT! And nothing reminds one of how FAT they are more than HEAT! We heat up fast, move less and wear less. Wearing less becomes a constant reminder of what I’m embarrassed about or how big my tummy roll REALLY IS. I think it’s easy for me to be in denial of how fat I really am because my clothes kinda hide it. I mean, I’m still xyz big but the yucky detains of it stay under the radar like how my thighs rub together or how much of my jelly roll I can grab. I know this is probably too detailed for some of you, I know I’m gettin’ sick.
So what now? Back on “the wagon”… *sigh*… it kinda seems pointless because I always try hard and do well and fail around week 3. I swear I’ve done that like 10x.  I know you’re probably thinking there are other issues at play. I thought that too so in the last few years I’ve tried hard to work through all my “issues” psychologically. I know I eat out of anxiety sometimes and I’ve reduced my anxiety almost completely. I’ve educated myself about nutrition and the importance of calorie counting. On top of all this I’m at an amazing point in my life where all my worries have gone away and all my dreams (well, the realistic ones) have come true! I am the happiest I’ve ever been (no, I’m not on anti-depressants, this is the real deal). The only thing left is weight loss. I feel like I’m the most “in shape” a person who loses weight can be but not physically. I’ve  even checked with doctors to make sure my body isn’t working against me. IF ANYTHING my blood sugar was a little high in 1/3 checks and I’m iron deficient.  I take iron pills and only feel “tired” when PMSing. So, what’s wrong? WHY???? I think I lose motivation cuz I get stressed. This time round my Sweety will go to the gym with me but a limited amount of times. This will be good on those days that I don’t feel like going. We shall see….

Meh

Meh I say! I’ve been off the wagon again. I have been tracking my calories even though they are horrible. I’m finding a pattern — I usually fall of a week before my period. I need extra help during this time. I guess I can have my husband crack the whip during this time. I saw Oprah and Bob Green today. They had a show about people who’ve lost a lot of weight. I felt instantly inspired. This is great! I should have a folder or something full of inspirational stuff that I can look at and get back on track. I want to say it will have slim girls in it but i think it’s more effective to alter a pic of myself with the weight off so I have a very realistic pic I can personally relate to. BTW if you are wanting professional help weight loss, Jenny Craig is the most successful (no I’m not paid to plug them.).