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“I have always struggled with emotional eating, but since starting the Best Life program I have the best handle on it that I ever have. Two things that have really helped me are paying attention to my hunger scale and finding something else to do rather than eat. For example, if I’m at work and something has got me stressed and my gut reaction (no pun intended!) is to eat, I look at the clock: Is it time for my morning/afternoon snack? I also pay attention to the hunger part of my gut: Am I truly hungry? If it's not snack time and I’m not hungry but just want that something to make me feel better, I'll leave my desk, maybe go outside and walk around the building ... anything to help get the stress out. This is what I did early in the program, and over time, I stopped eating emotionally. I have a new stress in my life now, though. My husband was recently diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer. My first reaction was, 'What can I eat?!' I stopped myself. I know I need to be my very best for him now, too. Take it a day at a time. Think about how you will win and conquer and meet your goals today. Think about tomorrow when it gets here.”
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By Liz Plosser
We’re into the second month of 2009 and you’re undoubtedly surrounded by folks—at work, the gym, even at home—who put losing weight and getting healthy at the top of their resolution lists (maybe you did, too). And perhaps you’re experiencing some tinges of jealousy as the scale seems to creep slowly for you while a spouse, sibling or friend cruises toward her goal weight. "We all have different genes, different metabolisms and different body types, so we'll have variation with the ease or difficulty we experience losing weight," says Aldo Pucci, M.D., a psychiatrist at Rational Living Therapy in Weirton, West Virginia, and President of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. Still, it's hard not to turn green with envy when your best friend tells you how many pounds she's lost—a lot, naturally—since the last time you spoke. Try these tips to keep your jealousy in check.
Be happy for your friend. Pretending you don't care won't erase your resentment. Start by acknowledging how you're feeling—a little envious. Then try to let it go or move past it by drumming up something positive to say to your friend, even a simple, "that's great!"
Change the subject. The next time your pal launches into the euphoric details of her latest weigh-in, simply congratulate her on her success and then bring up another topic. Have a few at the ready, such as some new office gossip or the latest crazy plot twist on your favorite TV show.
Use her as an example. While genetics (body mass, resting metabolism, etc.) and body chemistry (hormone levels) play a big role in the number on the scale, behavior is also important. Look at your friend's diet and exercise plan and see if there's anything you can learn from her. Does she have a proven strategy for ignoring the siren song of the vending machine every afternoon? Has she found an awesome new gym class that makes her more motivated to work out?
Forget about fairness. "How easy it is for someone else is irrelevant," Pucci explains. In fact, dwelling on their success can thwart your own. "When you focus on other people, you may find your resolve weakening because you feel it's unfair that you have to work so hard while weight loss seems to come so easily to others," he says. Remove the three words, "It's not fair" from your vocabulary, Pucci advises.
Remember your goals. The absolute most important thing to remember is why you want to lose weight. "Do you want to fit into clothes you haven't been able to wear in years, attract a partner, or make it up a flight of stairs without breathing heavily?" Pucci asks. "Remind yourself exactly why you want to lose weight and don't forget that it's simply the means to a greater goal—not a number on the scale."
Don't Let Weekends Derail Your Diet, and other weight-loss and fitness tips from Bob Greene, Oprah's trainer.
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For more fitness advice, join Bob Greene's TheBestLife.com. You’ll get access to nutrition and fitness articles, fitness videos, personalized meal plans, and a whole lot of delicious, nutritious recipes.
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Many of us are in the depths of winter, finding it hard to motivate outside for some exercise. But outdoor workouts don't have to be so painful. Check out these fun, frosty ways to explore winter and get fit.
Cross country skiing This low-impact sport works every major muscle group and will help you torch up to 690 calories per hour.
Downhill skiing You use your thighs, hips and buttocks to maintain a partial squat on fast runs and nearly every other muscle in your body to attack the turns and bumps. And you can carve out 460 calories per hour to boot.
Hiking While you're enjoying nature, you'll burn about 460 calories per hour. Just be sure to wear stable, insulated waterproof hiking boots or winter trail runners.
Ice skating You'll get a great cardio workout and also improve your balance skills and lower body strength. An hour of skating can burn 540 calories.
Sledding Want to be rewarded for hiking to the top of a steep hill? Try sledding back down. You'll barely notice how hard you're working or that you've burned up to 540 calories per hour.
Snowshoeing If you can walk, you can snowshoe. And the shoes fit over your regular hiking boots. One hour of stepping burns around 620 calories.
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