Change is Inevitable – Improvement is Optional

As I was chatting with a patient about good nutrition and weight loss this week she mentioned that she has lost hundreds pounds in her life but she always gains them back. This is an experience that many of us have had as we attempt to improve ourselves and keep our body at a healthy weight.

Health experts as well as our moms have shared the advice needed to give us a healthy life. The following is just a short list of the ideas I have heard and read lately.

• Mini goals are easier to achieve and will help me reach my ultimate goal. By congratulating myself as I make even the smallest changes allows me to feel accomplished and gives me the energy needed to continue. So I look at the big picture, having the ultimate goal in mind, but breaking it down to achievable actions.


• Journal and Track. Connecting food to energy and mood. There is a corresponding positive result when I keep track of what I'm eating and how it makes me feel. Some nutritional counselors claim that a person who keeps track of what they eat and how it makes them feel can lose twice as much weight as a person who doesn't take the time to jot it down. For that result I'm certainly willing to write it down and I even found some neat iphone Apps to help me do this.


• Pay attention to my food while eating. This seems like a "no brainer" but this is one thing that gets many people into trouble. Eating while on the computer or while watching television contributes to me losing track of what and how much I am actually consuming.
  


• Flavor my foods with spices and herbs. Monitoring my calorie intake doesn't need to mean boring foods. I experiment with the flavors I enjoy while leaving out the "bad for me" calories. Recipes for low calorie dips and salad dressing can add a lot of flavor to meals.


• Lift it and Move it. The more muscle mass I have the more calories I will burn even while sleeping. Strength training even just a couple times a week can make a big difference in my metabolism's ability to burn calories. When I add some type of aerobic fun to my week I can certainly burn some calories and help my heart.


• Set time to rest and relax. Stress hormones have been tied to weight gain. Planning times to do things for myself like reading, gardening or taking a stroll to clear my head can help me keep my stress hormones at a proper level.


• Sleep. Getting enough sleep is vitally important to keeping my appetite controlling hormones in check. An imbalance in these hormones affects me in such a way that when I don't get enough sleep I am less likely to do any of the above suggestions.


• One day at time while I hang in there for the long haul. Being aware that changing my habits can take time and that getting results may be a delayed gratification I congratulate myself at the end of each day when I've had positive changes and I look forward to tomorrow if I need to improve on my today.