Many of you have heard me say during your first visit is that long-term weight control is all about behavioral changes and not about “dieting”. As human beings we are subject to human nature and one of the aspects of human nature is falling into certain behavioral patterns that are usually:
- Comforting
- Feel good
- Relatively easy
- Readily repeatable
When you take a step back and think about it, the foods/drinks that tend to pack the pounds on fit all of the criteria listed above. Therefore the gaining of weight is quite easy compared to the long-term control of weight. The behaviors needed to shed the weight are NOT comforting, they NOT “feel-good” foods, they are NOT easy and NOT readily repeatable, i.e it is easy to fall off the wagon.
The first step in changing the behaviors leading to poor weight control is identifying those behaviors. Take the time to put pen to paper (not click to screen) and jot down those behavioral patterns of YOURS that are derailing YOUR weight control issues. Perhaps this list will include such behaviors as:
- Skipping meals
- Routine, nighttime alcohol ingestion
- Eating sugary snacks at night
- Not eating enough protein
- Eating too much cheese
- Not allowing for exercise time
I am certain you will be able to identify more behavioral patterns of yours that are thwarting your weight loss efforts.
Once you identify these behaviors, then develop a “solution” next to each behavior. Some of them may be easy simply by not allowing the derailing foods/drinks into your house or workplace.
If it was easy to control weight, 70% of our population would not be overweight/obese. Changing long-standing behavioral patterns is also not easy. However, the first step is identifying those behaviors. Please take that first step.
And turn the clock back to a fun group from the 1970s..The O’Jays sang a song called “Identify” but they are best known for another song, called “Backstabbers”…and this is dedicated to those people in your life that try to force food and booze on you when they know very well you are trying to lose weight.