Whether you have 12 weeks or six or more months before your wedding (or any special occasion), you can make a difference in the way you look and feel by taking part in the WeightWatchers.com Buff Brides Fitness Challenge. Of course, while the immediate goal is to be a fit and beautiful bride, the true challenge is maintaining a healthier way of life long beyond your wedding day. This fitness routine can help you jumpstart a lifestyle change that will serve you well long into your married life.
About the Buff Brides Workouts The strength training program consists of three workout days each week. If you can't do the workouts as they have been assigned to the calendar, work them in on other days, but try and give your muscles at least one day to recover between exercise sessions.
This is a total body workout, but I do emphasize certain muscle groups that just about every bride-to-be is concerned about, like arms and back. After all, you can wear a slimming shaper under the bodice of your dress to make your stomach look flatter, but a bride's arms and back will always be on display if the gown is sleeveless or strapless.
I have also outlined cardiovascular goals for each week. Remember, if one of your goals is dropping pounds, you must meet your cardio goal each week, since this type of exercise is a crucial element of weight loss. Cardio exercise can be worked into your schedule whenever it is most convenient for you, as long as each session meets that week's minium time requirement.
For a Successful Workout:
Always warm up by doing some light aerobic activity and then stretch (focusing on major muscle groups) for five minutes.
Beginners should do only one or two sets of 12 repetitions of each exercise during the first two weeks; incorporate an additional set or two as you feel comfortable.
Focus on good form to avoid strain and injury.
Take your time and don't forget to breathe.
Your Weekly Cardio Goal Your cardiovascular workouts can be done either during your off days, or they can be added to the end of your strength training routines. If you don't do the strength workouts first, do some light aerobic activity, like jumping rope or jogging in place, for a few minutes and then stretch your major muscle groups. Do stretches after the cardio workout, too.
Home Gym Equipment Many of the workout moves make use of inexpensive fitness equipment you can keep at home—there's no need to go to a gym for this challenge. Here's what you'll want to have on hand:
Fitness ball: Make sure you purchase the appropriate size for your height.
Free weights: Invest in two or three pairs. If you're a beginner, start with 3-pound, 5-pound and 8-pound weights. If you're more advanced, 5-pound, 8-pound and 10-pound weights should be fine to start.
Workout mat or carpeted floor.
Sturdy coffee table
Sturdy chair
Mirror: Use it to check your form.
Motivating music
Comfortable sneakers and workout clothes.
Water bottle: Stay hydrated by drinking 12 ounces of water after your workout.
Congratulations! You're beginning a very important journey for both your health and happiness as a newlywed.
Come around the corner, and there you see it—your favorite pizza joint, specializing in double cheese, thick-crust pies. Being able to resist temptation takes a clever sense of self-measure and balance. But here's another tool you can use in the fight against junk food: Create your own versions at home. It can be just as fun and tasty as fast food. Consider these do-it-yourself creations:
Pizza. To avert an impending pizza crisis, toast an oat bran English muffin to desired crunchiness. Add sauce or canned tomatoes, 1 tablespoon part-skim mozzarella or ricotta, plus some diced green peppers, onions and other veggies of your choice. Pop it back in the oven and broil until the cheese is slightly melted. Add more veggies for more vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Burgers. Make your own patties from ground white turkey breast or extra-lean ground beef sirloin. Mix in seasonings to please your palate. Try any of these: salt and pepper, garlic powder, mustard, reduced-sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce or chopped onions. Broil or grill (instead of frying) so the patty is not swimming in oil. Make sure the turkey is cooked all the way through — it should not be pink in the center. Once done, pile on any number of low-fat toppings such as veggies, salsa, or mustard.
Fried Chicken. Many weight-loss efforts have been thrown off-track by fried chicken. Don't be derailed: You can throw together a home version of faux fried chicken that's just as good as the original. Dip the skinless white-meat chicken in egg white and place meat in a plastic baggie of crushed cornflakes/breadcrumbs and spices, or use seasoned breadcrumbs. Shake, thoroughly covering the chicken. To add zing, consider mixing ranch dressing mix or taco seasoning mix in your breading. Or dip chicken in egg whites then honey mustard before you coat it with breading. Then bake at 350º F to crispy, crunchy perfection (about 30-45 minutes). Try this technique with fish too.
French Fries. Skip the traditional white potatoes and head straight for sweet potatoes, which are brimming with vitamin A. Wash and scrub the potatoes well. Keeping skin intact, slice just as you would regular fries. Brush with a small amount of olive or canola oil or coat with olive oil-flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt to encourage crispiness, plus all the herbs and spices that suit your fancy. Bake on a non-stick baking sheet at 400º F for 40-50 minutes, or until crispy.Enjoy!
Fast Food Pointer By Leslie Fink, MS, RD
Ever get the urge to sink your teeth into some greasy fast food? Few of us don't! So we compiled a list that highlights some of the friendliest options at popular restaurants, plus recommendations from some dieters on our message boards. Hey, if you're going to indulge, it might as well be worth it!
Simply make sure that you eat nutritiously the majority of the time, and the occasional planned-for splurge won't hinder your weight-loss efforts. After all, enjoying all foods in moderation is a healthy motto for a healthy life. And if you use your weekly POINTS® Allowance and earn some Activity POINTS, you'll be a step ahead of the game.
Just remember that the first bite tastes the same as the last, so there's no need to "super-size" your fast food order. And kids' meals are always an easy strategy for controlling your portion sizes.
Sorry I've been MIA. 11 month old DS has croup, Wireless Router is broken (getting new one today), been swimming 30 minutes M and T, today I will run on ET, getting all my dairy!
More later after DS is napping and DD is having quiet time.
I love it! We joined the YMCA, and I have to say that I forgot how GOOD and REFRESHED one can feel after swimming. Kicked my butt today. I earned 1 AP for 5 minutes of running on ET before DH was ready to go to the pool. And I swam for 30 minutes!!!! I feel so great. I will be taking Motrin tonight before going to bed to help aide in lowering my soreness. So. . . I thought I'd share this awesome article with y'all!
Swimming 101 By Gina Leros
Looking for a sport that can tone your body from head to toe while sparing your joints in the process? Try swimming! "Once you hit your 30s and 40s, you've got to be careful about activities that involve pounding," explains Greg Hodge, head swimming coach for a sports institute, who recommends swimming as "a completely non-weight-bearing exercise." Running can take its toll on joints, but swimming can improve metabolism and cardiovascular fitness, plus –- you're floating the whole time. "If you do it long enough at the right heart rate," adds Hodge, "it's also a great calorie-burning activity."
Where to Swim The beach is great if you're not daunted by waves, currents or rip tides. If you're more comfortable in a controlled environment, opt for an indoor or outdoor pool. "The disadvantage of the surf is that often, after rain, storm water overflows into the ocean, increasing toxin levels and making you susceptible to ear infections," says Hodge.
If you're a confident swimmer, dive into a 50-meter, Olympic-sized swimming pool, where you can establish a rhythm without having to turn around as much.
When to Swim "An invigorating, early-morning swim followed by breakfast is healthy and refreshing," says Hodge, "And it sets you up for the rest of the day." An after-work swim is a great way to release pent-up energy after eight hours behind a desk. If you're hitting the beach, be careful about choppy waves or the high-noon sun, unless you're slathered in waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
How Long and Hard to Swim Start with 20 minutes, says personal trainer Christina Cestaro, and see how many laps you can do in that time. "If you can do 10, next time see if you can build it up to 11." Use the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to set your pace. You'll know you're burning calories when you would describe yourself as working "somewhat hard" and you can talk but not sing. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend in the pool.
Who Is It Good For? If your goal is overall fitness, lap swimming burns calories and develops muscle tone. It's also great for those wanting to strengthen specific muscle groups. Some teachers advise wearing flippers, goggles and a snorkel so you're not twisting your spine by lifting your head, or putting pressure on your lower back through incorrect breathing.
Beginners who join a class aren't as self-conscious because they can measure their progress against others at their level. Swimming is ideal for the overweight, adds Cestaro, because you're not putting impact on joints, and you're raising your heart rate in a cool environment. It beats sweaty pounding on concrete!
What to Wear "Wear something comfortable and snug," advises Cestaro. "Bikinis are out, but one-piece Lycra suits are perfect." Swimmers with long hair should don a cap; goggles are great if your eyes are easily irritated by chlorine. When it comes to men's apparel, nothing beats the brief. Cestaro gives the thumbs down to board shorts. "They give too much resistance in the water. Wearing loose clothing means you're dragging, expending a lot more energy."
Technique Tips
Swimmers with a weak kick should wear flippers to increase their propulsion in the water.
Kick from the hips, not the knees; it propels you further.
Don't take in gulps of air. You only need enough for three strokes, or two or three seconds. Over-breathing can cause you to hyperventilate or become dizzy.
Don't exhale and inhale in the same movement when you come up for air. It ruins your rhythm. Let it out in one big blow or gradually ("trickle-breathing") while your face is underwater.
Minimize your splash. A good stroke should "slice" into the water
An apple a day isn't the only food that keeps the doctor away. Broccoli and Brussels sprouts also give you nutrients and substances that can benefit your health. So do peanuts, berries, tea and a number of other foods — some of which may surprise you.
"If you're concentrating on eating foods that have a lot of nutrients and phytochemicals [naturally occurring plant substances that fight disease], you're hedging your bet for at least a healthier life, if not a longer one," says Barbara Gollman, MS, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Here's her list of eight "super foods" to stock up on:
Nuts. Peanuts, almonds, pecans … eat a small amount of these or other nuts on a regular basis and you might reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. Plus, they're chock full of the antioxidant vitamin E, artery-unclogging monounsaturated fats and lots of other phytochemicals.
Chile peppers. Capsaicin, the substance that gives chiles their heat, acts as a disease-preventing phytochemical, says Gollman.
Tomatoes and tomato products. The antioxidant lycopene in tomato-rich foods may help prevent prostate cancer, and might also help prevent breast cancer. "Cooked tomatoes are more effective than raw ones," says Gollman. So load up on tomato paste and tomato sauces.
Berries. All berries are good for you, but blueberries and raspberries seem to hold top spots on the berry nutrition chart. Their anthocyanins and ellagic acid (the substances that give them their rich colors) possess potential cancer- and heart disease-preventing antioxidant properties. Plus, they're high in fiber and vitamin C.
Leafy greens. Folate, a much-talked-about B vitamin, does triple duty. It's believed to prevent neural tube defects in unborn babies. So go for anything that's leafy and green. Some of Gollman's tasty suggestions: Mix steamed chard with minced garlic and fresh lemon juice, or make pesto sauce with basil and kale.
Quinoa. Pronounced KEEN-wah, this nutty-tasting food is unlike any other grain (although not a true grain, it is often called one). "It's the only grain considered to be a complete protein," comments Gollman. The sterols it contains may also lower cholesterol, decreasing your risk for heart disease.
Yogurt. Sure, it's good for your bones, but that's not all. Most yogurts contain bacteria that help maintain proper digestive health and may help boost your immune system. Look for the words "live and active cultures" — such as L. acidophilus and Bifidus — on ingredient labels.
Tea. Whether served iced, hot or decaffeinated, black or green tea — as well as some other non herbal teas — may help prevent cancer and heart disease due to the antioxidant effects of the flavonoids and polyphenols they contain. Up your tea intake with some of Gollman's ideas: Make a tea slush with iced tea and puréed fruit, or try jazzing up regular iced tea with frozen mango cubes or slices.
Now that you're well informed, try some of our favorite recipes rich in disease-fighting foods. Your body will thank you
Striving for your wedding-day weight or some other magic number on the scale can be daunting. It's much easier to reach for an incremental goal that promises sizable health benefits: Losing just 10 percent of your current body weight ~ that is your starting weight on this weight loss journey.
"So many projects in life are better managed by breaking them down into small chunks," observes Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD, chief scientist at Weight Watchers International. "Weight loss is no different."
But the body you've always wanted isn't all you'll get out of accomplishing that one starter goal. Here's what else you'll gain by losing 10 percent:
A Healthier Heart. By losing just 10 percent of your body weight, you can lower your cholesterol and reduce your blood pressure, says G. Ken Goodrick, PhD, psychologist and associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. High cholesterol and elevated blood pressure are two major risk factors for heart disease.
Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. If you're overweight, you're at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, which means your body can't make enough, or properly use, insulin, a hormone that helps convert food to usable energy. By losing just 10 percent of your body weight, you'll improve your body's ability to use the insulin it makes, possibly preventing the onset of the disease, Miller-Kovach says. If you already have type 2 diabetes, shedding that 10 percent may improve your symptoms and possibly prevent complications, she adds.
More Pep. "Just a 10 percent weight loss increases feelings of vigor and vitality," says Miller-Kovach. "You'll feel better and have more energy."
A Mental Edge. Losing 10 percent can give you the self-confidence and motivation you need to keep going. "Success builds on success," says Miller-Kovach. But be sure you recognize it. The 10% key chain your Weight Watchers leader gives you is part of that recognition. "Losing 10 percent is a milestone in the journey," says Miller-Kovach. "Once you get there, take the time to congratulate yourself on your efforts."
Reality Check. After losing 10 percent, you gain a sense of what it will take to lose the rest and reach your final goal weight. "It gives you a context in terms of saying, 'Am I willing to put in that much more effort to lose even more weight?'" Miller-Kovach says. If the answer is no, that's okay. "Some people only lose 10 percent and that's it," says Goodrick. If that's you, pat yourself on the back. "Health-wise, a 10 percent weight loss is a great achievement," Goodrick says
It's noon on Friday and already your friends have secured the happy hour hangout. If you leave work on time today, you'll make it to the bar for drink and appetizer specials.
Just because you've adopted a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean you need to ditch Friday night tradiion. Follow a few guidelines and you can have fun on plan without being sorry tomorrow.
Never drink on an empty stomach. There are two reasons why you hear this rule. First, without any food in your stomach to help your body absorb the alcohol, you will feel the effects very quickly. As your judgment slips a little, it's easy to overdo the chicken wings or empty out the bowl of peanuts.
Second, drinking lowers your blood sugar, which makes your body crave food to replenish it. "If you have the luxury of knowing ahead of time that you're going out for happy hour, plan to have some food right before you leave," said Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, Director of Nutrition at the American Council on Science and Health. "That makes it a little less likely that that you'll get tipsy and go for broke once a platter of food you really like gets passed around."
Try low-fat cheese and crackers, 94% fat-free microwave popcorn, vegetables or unsalted pretzels.
Use low-calorie mixers. Usually, the calorie culprit is not the alcohol itself, but what you mix with your booze. "Liquor only has about 100 calories per serving, depending on proof, but if you mix that with something like ginger ale, [the ginger ale] will bring calories of its own," Kava says. A creamy drink is even worse; it adds fat to the equation.
A piña colada, for example, is made with pineapple juice and coconut milk, and an 8-ounce glass can have as many as 450 calories and 18 grams of fat.
A rum and Coke has about 260 calories, and a gin and tonic has about 200, though at least those are fat-free. Mixing the liquor with soda water instead of tonic, saves 100 calories (soda water has zero calories). Having a rum and Diet Coke (instead of Coke), saves you 160. There's even diet cranberry and diet tonic water on the market, though you might not be at a bar that stocks it.
"If you do order a drink with a high-calorie mixer added, I'd suggest having it put in a tall glass with plenty of ice, and sipping it slowly," says Kava.
Know the numbers. If you'd rather opt for an unadulterated drink, here's how some popular choices break down:
12 ounces of regular beer: 150 calories
12 ounces of light beer: 100 calories
5 ounces of wine: 100 calories
1.5 ounces (a "shot") of 80 proof distilled spirits: 100 calories
Lose the booze. Of course the easiest strategy of all is to hit the pub and skip the alcohol. Order a diet soda or sparkling water with a straw and a lime wedge, and unless someone sips your drink, your teetotaling will go unnoticed. Your abstinence might also be an asset when it comes time for a ride home.
Okay, so I lost .4 this week. . .kinda lame, but after having gained the past two weeks and maintaining the week before, I'll take it.
Starting this week, I will be attempting to swim 30 minutes a day. I may only be able to do 15 at first, but my ultimate goal is to work up to 1 hour in the pool of swimming. I've done it before. Swimming really works for me, so I'm very excited. We joined the YMCA this week so now I'm committed. DH wants to swim with me, so hopefully we'll start losing together.
I've gotten my dairy in 3 times a day since Wednesday. It's really not hard at all. I'm shocked at how easy it's been. Of course, I've been making more trips to starbucks then I probably should, but hey, we have the $$ AND it helps me get my dairy. I learned today that the Sugar Free Syrup is now made with Splenda (WHOOPEE) so I can drink a Venti Nonfat Sugar Free Vanilla Latte, get in 16 oz of NONFAT MILK and be down with 2 milk servings for only 4 points! That is SO exciting to me.
Okay, so Karrie has inspired me. . . I'm recommitting to her challenge. . I'm changing things up a bit. . . but I'm recommitting, right now. I have 30 days left. . . I admit, I fell off the wagon, but I'm back on it. :)
And my first major change is I'm going to get 3 servings of dairy a day. . . there is proof out there that it helps with weight loss. . . and I want a slimmer waist. . so I'm going to do it.
Now. . . dairy IS not a bowl of ice cream, an ice cream bar, etc. The dairy I am aiming on getting is
8 oz of milk (today I had a NONFAT Iced Vanilla Latte, meaning I got 8 oz of MILK (ugh. . I hate milk) This was 5 points).
1.5 oz of cheese (I ate 2 Fat Free Singles as a snack. This was 1 point)
6-8 oz of yogurt (I had a WW Very Berry Yogurt Smoothie. This was 1 point).
So there you go. . . 7 of my 32 points were dedicated to dairy.
Need more, here's an article from WW.com:
Dairy foods are an important part of a healthy diet. There is conclusive evidence that dairy foods provide essential nutrients, play a key role in bone health, and do not contribute to weight gain when consumed in recommended amounts. There is also some evidence that dairy foods may reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
While there has not been enough rigorous research done to make conclusive statements about a role for dairy foods in promoting weight loss, this is an active area of investigation.
Calcium's Role in Weight Loss In studying the effects of dairy foods on weight loss, researchers first identified a key role for the mineral calcium. In general, the research in this area has used calcium-rich diets containing between 1,100 and 1,800 milligrams of daily calcium. When compared to diets that contained lower amounts of calcium, those with higher amounts produced an increase in the excretion of fat (fat lost via the gastrointestinal system) which contributed to weight loss.
Dairy Foods Versus Supplements The question is often asked whether taking calcium supplements instead of eating dairy foods could provide comparable results. Continued investigation into the relationship between dairy food consumption and weight loss has led researchers to explore whether it was the calcium alone or as part of a dairy food (as a whole) that was responsible for weight loss.
Diets high in calcium derived from supplements were compared to those high in calcium from dairy products. In terms of weight loss, the diets rich in dairy foods showed a greater effect on fat loss. Further research led to the observation that while calcium supplements did produce some weight-loss effect, the effect was greater with calcium-containing dairy foods.
Types of Dairy Foods Most of the research on dairy foods and weight loss has used fluid milk as the source for a low-fat or non-fat dairy product. Recently, a study published in April 2005 shows weight-loss benefits with the intake of yogurt.4 Again, substituting yogurt for other non-dairy foods in the diet resulted in greater weight loss, even when total calories remained the same. Thus, altering the diet to replace calories from less-nutritious foods with low-fat or non-fat dairy foods may have a positive effect.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage the inclusion of low-fat or non-fat dairy products as part of a healthful eating plan. While researchers continue to explore the exact mechanisms by which dairy products may impact weight management, their role in providing essential nutrients and preventing osteoporosis is assured.
Health Benefits of Dairy Foods
Dairy foods are broadly defined as products derived from cow's milk such as fluid milk, yogurt, and cheese. These foods are good sources of protein, calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients. Over the past few decades, there has been a great deal of research on dairy foods that looks beyond their contribution of essential nutrients to explore potential roles in promoting health and preventing disease.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) was a group of 13 experts who were charged with reviewing the strength of the science on a number of topics, including the role of dairy foods in overall health. The Committee published its report in September 2004. The DGAC report served as the basis for the development of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
DGAC Findings After reviewing the pool of science related to the role of dairy foods in health promotion and disease prevention, the DGAC found that there is conclusive evidence that a diet rich in dairy foods reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis. The DGAC also stated that there is "limited evidence" that dairy foods can help protect against the development of metabolic syndrome. Most evidence indicates that the calcium found in dairy foods is partially or mostly responsible for the effect on metabolic syndrome.
The DGAC also concluded that there are no studies linking dairy foods and weight gain. While dairy foods are not associated with weight gain, the DGAC did not feel that there was sufficient scientific evidence to support encouraging their use as part of a weight-loss effort. Instead, the group indicated that rigorous studies involving large groups of people need to be done to gather the information needed to reliably determine the role dairy foods and/or calcium intake may have on weight loss.
Finally, the DGAC stated that the role of unique components found in dairy foods, including specific milk proteins and conjugated linoleic acid, do not have enough scientific evidence to make any type of conclusion.
Recommended Intake The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend two daily servings of dairy foods for people eating fewer than 1,600 calories a day and three daily servings for those at higher calorie levels. The Guidelines focus on the benefits of the calcium and vitamin D found in fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent dairy foods in promoting bone health and preventing osteoporosis.
You probably don't think about ladders too often, but if you did you'd realize they're vital tools. Without them we couldn't put out fires, paint a wall, reach the top shelf–even save a kitten from a tree.
With each step, a ladder gets you closer to a goal that you couldn't otherwise attain. And in your push to achieve lasting weight loss, there are several figurative ladders that you must climb–rung by rung–to reach your goals.
You've probably heard your Leader or other meetings members discuss Winning Outcomes , a powerful resource from Weight Watchers Tools for Living. And no matter what your Winning Outcome may be, your frame of mind is your key to success. In other words, before you actually reach your goal, you'll have to believe that you can succeed. And before you're sure that you can succeed, you may have some times of doubt along the way. It's normal to pass through stages of believing in yourself. Yet rung by rung you can climb that ladder to your goal.
Here's what your ladder of achievement might look like:
100% I did! 90% I will! 80% I can. 70% I think I can. 60% I might. 50% I think I might. 40% What should I do? 30% I wish I could. 20% I don't know how. 10% I can't. 0% I won't.
Taking each step isn't always simple. Just take things one moment at a time. For example, say one of your Winning Outcomes is to get rid of all the junk food in your pantry. At first, you might be at the 30% level of your ladder, wishing that you had the nerve to throw out all that unhealthy food.
One step farther up the ladder and you'll begin to think about how to clean out your cupboards. Then you'll grab a trash bag and toss out the food items hindering your weight loss.
So you see, before you know it, you're at the top of the ladder with your junk food long and healthy substitutes in place.
Remember that at the beginning of many people's goals, there are doubts and fears. But just a few steps up your ladder of success, you'll find motivation to reach your goals, one rung at a time.
At your next meeting, ask those around you what one of their Winning Outcomes is and on which step of the achievement ladder they're standing. And read these articles for more on believing in yourself.
Think Positive: 7 Steps to Losing Weight
Take a Class in Confidence
Ways to Fuel Your Fire
People struggling to lose weight often talk about their lack of willpower, as if willpower is something that you are either born with, or not," says Palma Posillico, vice president of training and development for Weight Watchers International. "Losing weight is all about 'wantpower'—about recognizing that you already have all the resources you need to get what you want."
These resources include knowing what you want, knowing how to get it and knowing how to keep yourself motivated along the way. Here are some strategies to help you discover all three.
Plot out your goals. It helps to have an action plan to keep you on track. "Storyboarding" is a technique used by movie directors to sketch out a plotline, frame by frame, before they start filming. In a similar way, you can make a blueprint for success by breaking your goal down into parts. Say you've given yourself two months to lose 10 pounds. Make a chart of the timeline and build it up, week by week, with details of shopping strategies, exercise tips and so forth—anything that helps make your goal concrete and achievable.
Envision your success. Athletes mentally rehearse every step of their winning routine to make it feel attainable. In the same way, you can make your own goals as real as possible by visualizing yourself succeeding in particular scenarios, like making the right choices when dining out. Revisit these scenarios often, and think about how good you'll feel about achieving your goals.
Don't sabotage yourself. Many of us unconsciously sabotage ourselves with self-destructive thoughts such as "I'll never lose weight." Whenever you catch yourself thinking this way, try to substitute more constructive statements; for example, "I haven't lost as much weight as I would like, but I can change that. I'm going to start by setting aside time to exercise three times each week."
Be your own cheerleader. Some people believe it's modest to put themselves down. But you wouldn't call a friend "fatso" or "ugly," would you? You deserve the same respect, so try becoming your own best friend. Celebrate your progress and try not to obsess about setbacks.
One way to do this is to make a list of your accomplishments in every area of your life (personal, professional, and physical). List the talents and skills that enabled you to achieve them, and look at this list often. Adds Posillico, "Begin a daily journal of everything you did 'right' today." You'll be surprised how quickly it adds up!
Avoid being a perfectionist. Try not to think in all-or-nothing terms—that you've blown your diet, for example, simply because you've overdone it at one meal. "We need to be kinder to ourselves, and learn to regard setbacks as learning opportunities," says Posillico.
Follow through with your goals. Believing you can achieve your weight-loss goals is important, but you have to act too by changing your eating habits, increasing your physical activity and so on. You can't just think yourself slim, but you can think yourself into the right frame of mind to optimize your prospects.
Affirm your self-belief. Feel your confidence wavering? One way to reinforce your self-belief is with positive affirmations: simple, self-validating statements repeated as often as possible, preferably daily. Try coming up with one or two of your own, and remember to keep them positive. You can—and you will—succeed, as long as you believe you can do it!
Take a Class in Confidence
Before last October, Denise never would have believed she'd be able to lose weight. "I lacked the confidence I needed to lose even one pound," says the meetings member, "but I was this frumpy-looking middle-aged woman with nowhere to go but up!"
Then, after the tragedies of September 11, Denise started to reconsider. "My husband is a pilot, and we were affected deeply by the attacks," she says. "It made me very aware of the fragility of life. I had hit the bottom of the black hole, and I decided I was going to turn things around. Suddenly, I was so ready to lose weight that I never even thought about failing."
Mind Over Matter Once Denise had the confidence to get started, and knew there was nowhere to go but up, weight loss just ... happened. She went to Weight Watchers meetings, followed the plan, and it worked! "My Leader calls me her 'model student,'" she says. Confidence made all the difference.
"Confidence is crucial in striving to achieve any goal," says Dr. Marilyn Sorenson, a Portland, Oregon, clinical psychologist and author of Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem (Wolf, 1998). "With confidence, it's more likely that you'll be able to get over hurdles." And all weight-loss journeys — even the most successful ones — have hurdles.
"If you have confidence, there's an overall feeling that you're a successful person, even through the ups and downs of a challenge like weight loss," says Sorenson. "You remain confident through small defeats, and tackle problems as they come up. For people who lack confidence, every small defeat is devastating — they're more likely to give up."
Creating Class-Act Confidence What if you just plain feel like you can't do it? Then create confidence. There are steps you can take to create a confident environment. And that's what you need until you're bursting at the seams with confidence of your own.
"When I first started trying to lose weight I didn't know if I could do it, but the meetings and the ease of the Program helped that," says Sherri, another meetings member. "Seeing how well and how much I could eat, and then seeing the numbers drop on the scale, helped me believe in myself and my abilities."
In other words, don't be afraid to just get started. Then look to these four confidence-building strategies for help.
Take it step by step. When you're fed up with extra weight, it's easy to take an all-or-nothing approach: "I'm going to lose sixty pounds!" But slow down. "Often people set goals that are so huge, they can't see that they're making progress," says Sorenson. "One of the keys in developing any new skill is to break it down into very small chunks and then see mastery of each of those pieces as success." So instead of saying "I'll lose sixty pounds," try "I'll lose five pounds this month by watching my portion sizes."
Forgive yourself. Everybody makes mistakes. Especially when working at a hard task like weight loss. "Remember that it took Thomas Edison ten thousand experiments before he finally invented the light bulb," says Palma Posillico, general manager of training for Weight Watchers International. "But he viewed each experiment as a step toward his goal rather than as a failure."
Talk yourself up. "We're our own worst enemies," says Sorenson. And we sabotage our own progress a lot by saying discouraging things, like 'I'll never be able to get all this weight off.'"
"What you say to yourself will dictate your outcome," says Sorenson. "Successful people say 'I'm going to accomplish this goal.' Give yourself encouraging messages."
Do it together. Sorenson says: "Lots of encouragement is really important. If the people close to you aren't there for you, ask someone else." Go to meetings. Get the help you need.
"For me, meetings made a big difference," says meetings member Sherri. "Hearing from people who felt the same way I did or who went through similar things made me feel normal, like I could do this. Because everyone in the meetings was doing it too, and they were all like me!"
Ways to Fuel Your Fire
When you hit that mental plateau, backing down from your daily routine of eating right and exercising, finding reasons to get back on a program is hard. But there are ways to invigorate your passion for living well and staying fit, and it starts with understanding the reason you joined Weight Watchers in the first place.
Palma Posillico, General Manager of Service and Training for Weight Watchers, says that mental plateaus often become a problem when a person starts their weight-loss plan motivated by avoiding pain -- your clothes are too tight or one flight of stairs is too difficult to climb.
Long-term health and raising your self-esteem, on the other hand, are positive, life-long motivators. Once you achieve the goal of fitting into last year's jeans, the painful motivation is gone. What's going to keep you going now?
Get Going with Goals Since our ultimate goals tend to be long-term and more difficult to achieve -- whether they be to lose 60 pounds or 10 percent of your body weight -- you have to break down those goals and structure more immediate success along the journey, Posillico says.
Some Steps Toward Stepping It Up Staying fit and healthy forever requires a lifetime commitment. Here are some ways to help invigorate your mind and shake off a mental plateau.
Set goals -- long-term and short-term. Set mental goals, too. Reward yourself once you achieve them -- a new outfit, massage, or a night of pampering often do the trick.
Keep an exercise journal. One benefit of keeping a journal is being able to look back on a good week and see why that week worked. During slower times, reflecting back on the best weeks can often get you started again.
Remind yourself that the long-term benefits of weight loss and getting fit will be so much more rewarding that that triple-layer chocolate cake. Imagine your life once you've achieved that final goal. How good will you feel?
Remember, hitting a plateau doesn't mean you've failed. Take the time to look at what's happening around you and consider it feedback. ('There's no such thing as failure, only feedback!')
What can you learn from how things are going in your life? By learning to persevere through the rough spots, you'll find it even more rewarding when you feel the success of achieving your ultimate goal
