gettinfitover40

Diets fail because the dieter doesn’t change their lifestyle. It’s really as simple as that. Yes, you will lose weight on any number of diets on the market today, but will you maintain it or will you return to your former eating habits? To affect real change stop dieting and start eating healthy.

The word “diet” has a negative connotation to it. To the female mind it can mean repression, guilt, avoidance. It means to give up. My challenge to you today is avoid the entire concept of dieting. When asked, I tell people I’m not dieting and I mean it. I count calories, I track my food (each and every bite), and I think before I eat.

It hasn’t been easy. I’ve blown it here and there. But interestingly enough I’m finding that it is easier to say no to foods I would have wolfed down before. Why? I’ve retrained my brain. It goes something like this:

I can have a donut if I want to, but I’ll have to pay for it later. By paying I refer to the extra time working out or the veggie dinner I’ll be enjoying while everyone else eats pasta. For me it’s about choosing to eat what I want, when I want.

Counting calories has changed the way I think about food. For instance, if my family wants to go out for dinner, I decide what I’ll eat before we leave. I no longer guess how many calories something might have. I eat dark chocolate, but I also eat tons of vegetables. I try to avoid fried foods, but enjoy a slice of pizza every now and then.

 I eat smaller portions of meat and carbs. I eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. I drink coffee and an occasional diet soda. Is there anything I won’t eat? Not really, but I’ve learned to cut servings in half and still enjoy a meal. Basically, I eat what I want and because I’m not feeling deprived (and I’m still losing weight) I can see myself sticking eating this way for the rest of my life.

“That’s fine for you”, I hear you say, “but I don’t like vegetables. What am I supposed to do?”

If you truly don’t like vegetables, then I have only one suggestion for you: portion control. A woman I know has digestion issues and simply cannot eat very many vegetables. In order to lose weight and control her diabetes she started cutting her portions in half.

She stopped using a regular size dinner plate and instead used a dessert plate. She carefully choose smaller portions at meal time and allowed herself snacks (for instance the 100 calorie snack packs that are so popular) throughout the day. She stopped drinking three or four sodas per day and instead opted for one 6 ounce soda per day. In two years this woman lost over 100 lbs by portion control alone.

Losing weight is hard work. It’s as much mental as it is physical. Learn to think about food as fuel and not as comfort. Eat to live, but don’t live to eat. Enjoy a treat every now and then.

The strength you’ll find in controlling how and what you eat will empower you to succeed. Take it one day at a time and remember you’re NOT on a diet you are getting healthy and taking control of your life!

Today I would like to address one of many fears that women who are struggling to lose weight face: the scale. It has become the beacon of triumph and the authority of defeat in nearly every woman’s battle against the bulge.

In order to lose weight, you’ve given up certain things. Perhaps it’s the fried foods you adore or processed sugary treats. You have made many sacrifices and just about the time you think you’ve made some real progress, you climb up on the scale and find that you haven’t lost any weight, or worse, you’ve gained. This revelation steals your motivation. Its voice snickers in your mind, “You can’t do it. You’re a failure. You might just as well eat whatever you want, because you will never lose the weight!”

Our motivation to lose weight cannot be based on the scale. It cannot! I myself went for weeks losing a pound then gaining two. It was hard (oh so hard!) to press on and to keep eating right and exercising, but I knew that I would lose. I had to. A person cannot change the way they eat and exercise without some benefit.

To date I have lost a total of 13 pounds since April 21. I realize it’s not a landslide amount. It’s not as much as my exercise buddy has lost, but each of those pounds represents hard work and dedication. I try not to allow the scale to set my mood for the day and if I begin to hear that snickering, evil voice whispering in my head, I take a walk, it hates that.

Seriously, I don’t hear a voice in my head, but I think you know what I’m driving at. We cannot allow the scale (or a person for that matter) to steal our motivation to get fit. If we dig deep within ourselves and pull on our teflon skin, the numbers on the scale cannot stick. Nothing can steal your motivation if you continue to focus on being healthy, not skinny.

Tips for Avoiding Scale Fear:

Weigh-in only once per week – This is important for a few reasons. Weight can fluctuate greatly from day to day. It’s important to choose a day for weigh in and step on the scale at the same time of day, which should always be after you’ve woken up, walked around a bit and before you’ve had anything to eat or drink.

Hide your scale – If you are really struggling with those numbers, than don’t weigh in. Seriously. If you are eating well and exercising, you WILL lose weight. Buy yourself a tape measure and keep a weekly record of your measurements. The wonderful truth is that as you begin to reshape your body, your clothes will begin to fit differently. It’s very motivational to realize that the size 20 you wore three weeks ago is actually a bit loose.

Be honest with yourself– Your reflection doesn’t lie. Tell yourself the truth about where you are at but more importantly, where you are going! I’ve made a point of saying my weight out loud. It keeps me real. It helps me to stay focused and it reminds me of where I’ve been, how far I’ve come, and where I’m going.

Find a friend – Perhaps the best tool against scale fear is a friend or spouse who will support you and help you to stay motivated. For me, my exercise buddy did more cheering during my weeks of none weightloss than at any other point. She helped me to stay focused on exercise and eating well and less on what the scale said. She has been one of the key players in my race to fitness.

The scale can be a great tool to help you see success just don’t let it rule how you get there.

Everything has a beginning. The same applies to the day you decide to finally get fit. It’s the beginning of a new life, a new body, and new you.

Yet, beginnings can be scary and often times we are held captive by our fear of change. There are many ways that we will sabotage the beginning of a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps you’ve heard or even thought these same excuses:

“I’m too busy to exercise.”

“The gym is full of super models. There is no way I’m going to workout there! Not with this body!”

“I’m just so tired.”

“I don’t have the right shoes or workout clothes.”

“I can’t afford it.”

Are any of these familiar? In my lifetime I know I have uttered all of these. I’ve felt the strong pull of the Doritos’s bag and my comfy faux-suede sofa. I know how hard it is to lace up your walking shoes and walk in the rain and the heat.

I also know how great it feels to finally get off that sofa and throw the bag of chips away. It’s empowering!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Why don’t you join me and let’s get fit, over 40 and  beyond, together.