Newsletter

March, 2010

10 Most Common Dieting Mistakes

Message from Dr. Clark:

Let’s face it – no one is perfect.  We all make mistakes.  This is especially true when we are learning something new…like how to lose weight and keep it off for good!  The focus of our newsletter this month is “Dieting Mistakes”.  Now for those of you who know us well, we like to focus on the positive (i.e. what you can have while losing weight and identifying what new habit you will enjoy to replace the poor habit you need/want to change).  This newsletter is no different.  We will identify the most common dieting mistakes we see every day and useful ways to overcome them.  I firmly believe that mistakes are actually opportunities for positive change.  Read on and transform your “mistakes” into “opportunities for success”.

I will start with three of the most common mistakes I see on a regular basis.  First, people often decide to just “kind of” try to lose weight.  They are anxious for a quick fix (human nature nowadays) rather than truly learning the skills that will help them not only lose weight but keep it off long term.  The skills I am talking about are actually new habits (that replace the old) and are practiced over and over until they become second nature.  This is what ends yo-yo dieting.  However, these can’t be learned or applied without commitment and consistency.  People need to make a commitment and focus on keeping their goals in mind throughout the journey.  If you have a hard day, don’t beat yourself up, but get back on track right away rather than using it as an excuse for days/weeks/months of poor choices. If you are unsure or are having difficulty, please ask for help…that is what we are here for at CMH.

Second, people make losing weight far more complicated than it has to be.  Yes, it is hard work (especially at first), but the concepts to learning how to lose weight and keep it off don’t have to be confusing or difficult.  It all boils down to your dietary intake (your recommended combination of carbohydrates, protein & calories), behavior modification (simply identifying your barriers to successful weight loss and learning how to overcome them) and fitness/activity (moving more).  All of these areas are an integral part of our programs and Weight Management University.  Couple this education with our classes and individualized counseling and you have a simple recipe for success!

Third, people don’t exercise. It doesn’t have to be a dreaded thing but it must be integrated into your plan for preserving and ultimately building your lean body mass during and after your weight loss phase.  Your lean body mass is what supports your metabolism (which helps get you where you want to be and keeps you there).  During your individualized counseling sessions, explore how you can implement a plan to move more and build muscle through resistance training.  This can be easier than you think!  

Expert Advice from CMH – Common Dieting Mistakes

Claire Behrens, LWMC, Program Manager

Avoiding the scale:

Most of you will probably remember that at your first visit to CMH you are asked to fill out a blue questionnaire.  One of the questions asks how often you weigh yourself.  How you feel about what the scale has to say – matters!  Often, avoiding the scale is just another form of denial.  If you know that the reading is going to be bad, chances are you are going to avoid stepping on the scale. Avoiding what you may feel will be a “bad reading” can quickly turn a 5 pound gain into 10.  60% of the National Weight Control Registry participants kept their weight off by weighing daily.  It is not always necessary to weigh daily but by regularly weighing yourself you are able to keep yourself in check and possibly prevent some weight gain.

Changing your attitude towards the scale is important.  Think of the scale as your personal coach and not as a reflection of what kind of person you are. Don’t get obsessed with the numbers as there are so many water fluctuations in your body – you may have eaten something saltier than usual or food with more carbohydrates.  For women, water weight gain is especially evident around their menstrual cycle.

Believing that your genes are responsible for your weight issues:

It is true that if you have a family history of obesity your chances of becoming obese are about 25 to 30 percent and genes do influence how your body balances calories and energy.  Genetics don’t compel you to be obese even though they may make you more susceptible to weight gain.  Metabolic rates and body shapes are genetic and do affect your ability to gain or lose weight but don’t let this be an excuse to “throw in the towel” because there are many things that can be done to improve your ability to lose weight and keep it off.   Keep in mind that most people gain weight because they eat too many calories for their activity level.

Penny Burns, RN, BSN

Giving in to saboteurs

Over the holidays you may have had to dodge some minefields, otherwise known as saboteurs.  These may be friends, family members, co workers or just acquaintances.  Whoever they are, they may try and slip you off track by ‘insisting’ you try something that may not be on your menu plan.

Comments may include; “Oh, go ahead, just a little won’t hurt”, “It’s the holidays, enjoy!” or   “Worry about losing weight later, not today.”  You would be surprised at how many “not today’s” add up during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year.

Some saboteurs may even try and compliment you into eating.  “You look like you’ve lost enough, now try some of this.” “How much weight are you going to lose?” “Don’t lose any more or you’re going to look sick.”  “You’re no fun anymore.”

If some of these statements sound familiar it is because I asked you to be aware of the saboteurs at parties and family gatherings over the holidays and prepare yourself with responses to help you thwart off these comments.  All of you did a great job.

Just remember:

ü      Know that there will be saboteurs (not just during the holidays)

ü      Be prepared to say “no thank you” in many different ways

ü      Deflect these comments by changing the subject to something other than food

Inconsistency

Too often I see patients inconsistent with their diet plan.  They are aware that they should keep their carbohydrate levels below a particular level for their bodies to work effectively at weight loss, yet take weekends off or neglect the plan altogether while on vacation.  Being consistent with your weight loss plan will allow you to achieve your goals that much sooner.  A method to help you stay consistent may include planning your day or week ahead of time.  Journal the foods you plan on eating the next day the night before or early that same day. Plan your exercise for that day and have a back up if it is weather dependent.  If you have moments of inconsistency, write all the reasons you want to lose this weight on a 4x4.  Place a copy in your wallet or purse, another at your desk and maybe one on the refrigerator/cupboard door.  Reread it as often as you need.  This may help remind you why consistency is so important.

Sybille Baumeler, LWMC

At times, weight loss can feel like a tricky game. Without even knowing it, you might be doing yourself harm than good. Here are a few mistakes that I see happen more often than people realize:

Not eating...enough!

The common thought is that the less you eat, the more you lose. While weight loss generally does boil down to "calories in versus calories out", this does stop at a point. If your body is not getting enough food, it will start to realize what is going on and rebel. Your body will start to lower your metabolism and burn less calories during your daily activities. You will notice this as your energy level starts to dip. When you do eat, your body will hoard those calories and be less willing to give them up, making weight loss harder. To make sure this doesn't happen, be sure to eat your requirement of calories every day.

Skipping Meals

Probably the number one issue I encounter is having people tell me that they never eat breakfast. It is especially painful to hear because this happens to be my favorite meal! When your body is on a weight loss plan and you are only allotted a certain amount of calories, it is really important that you are getting those calories in at regular intervals. Say, for example, you eat dinner at 7 pm. If you don't eat again afterwards, go to sleep, wake up and then eat for the first time around noon- that means you have gone 17 hours without eating! This is way too long. As I mentioned previously, if you skip meals, your metabolism will start to slow down. Think of your body as a fat-burning machine and food as the fuel. Any machine that is continuously running will run out of fuel long before those 17 hours are up, and it will begin to stop working as well. To keep your body working efficiently, make sure to eat your three meals (especially breakfast) and two snacks everyday.

All or Nothing Thinking

At CMH, we really like to focus on the positive lifestyle changes that you will be making. We don't want your weight loss to be temporary, and we don't expect you to get a quick fix. We really want to teach you healthy habits that you will use every day for the rest of your life. With that in mind, you need to realize that this is a learning process. Your weight loss journey moves along everyday. You're human and no one expects you to be perfect on your diet every single day. If you happen to have a piece of cake for lunch, don't let that ruin the rest of your day. It's easy to feel so guilty after that one piece of cake and decide that your diet has been ruined for the rest of the day. While you might have used up your carbohydrate limit for the rest of the day, it doesn't mean you have to go crazy and eat cookies, bagels, and mashed potatoes while you're at it. Stop the madness right away. The people who are the most successful at weight loss are the ones who are able to accept the mistake and move on right away. Make sure you eat really well at your next meal and get in your exercise for the day. You didn't gain your weight with one meal, so that one slice of cake won't make you gain it all back.

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