Lifestyle Changes for Obesity and Weight Loss

Obesity is a chronic health problem which now affects many Australians. Some say the rates are so high that we have reached an obesity epidemic. Overweight and obesity are dangerous conditions as they can contribute to a number of different health problems (eg, heart disease and diabetes). It is therefore extremely important that obesity is treated aggressively. Lifestyle changes remain the mainstay of treatment and are important for the long term maintenance of weight loss.

The increased rates of overweight and obesity in Australia is part of a worldwide trend. Today, over 50% of women, up to 75% of males and approximately 25% of children and adolescents are classified as overweight or obese. The reasons for this increase are complex, but environment and changing lifestyles certainly play significant roles. High energy foods have become readily available, and it is no longer essential to engage in physical activity. As a result, obesity and its health problems have become all too common in Australian individuals.

Unfortunately obesity is a chronic condition and there is no 'quick fix' solution or treatment that is effective for all overweight or obese individuals. Furthermore, after following weight loss programs, relapses of weight gain are extremely common. This emphasises the importance of a lifetime commitment to healthy eating and exercise practices. A range of different treatment options are available for obesity. Lifestyle modification (with a reduction of energy intake and an increase in physical activity) is essential in all treatment strategies. There are currently no long-term treatment programs that do not require at least some lifestyle changes. Positive changes in your eating and exercise behaviour are essential for sustained reductions in weight. However, if you are extremely overweight it may be recommended that you also take weight loss medications or undergo bariatric surgery.

As you may be aware, obesity is associated with a range of health consequences including metabolic diseases (like diabetes), heart disease, some cancers and arthritis. Lifestyle modifications aim to reduce the burden of obesity and reduce the associated conditions. In general, the greater the degree of weight loss achieved, the greater the health benefits. However, even a small amount of weight loss (5-10% of body weight) can lead to significant benefits. Some people consider this small amount of weight loss unsatisfactory, but the health benefits are much more important than physical appearance. You should discuss with your doctor what weight loss aims are suitable for you.

The overall success of a weight loss program really depends on whether the weight loss is sustained in the long term. For this to be achieved you must be well educated about obesity and be extremely dedicated to your lifestyle changes. It may be useful to elicit the help of your friends and family to keep you motivated. Lifestyle changes for the whole family are extremely important to achieve healthy weight in children.

Lifestyle treatments for weight loss focus on reducing energy intake and increasing physical activity through diet, exercise and behavioural measures. You should try to alter your bad eating and activity habits. (Please refer to eating habits of women and eating habits of men for more information). In general, a combination of treatments is the most effective way to achieve weight loss.

A program is now available online that helps you to determine which of your lifestyle behaviours are unhealthy. This is called the Diet, Activity and Behaviour Questionnaire (DAB-Q). It consists of a series of simple questions about your eating and activity behaviours and helps you grade how easy it would be for you to make appropriate changes. At the end of the questionnaire you will be given a graded score of the most important factors contributing to your excess weight, which you can hopefully address in the future.

You can complete this program at home and bring it to your next doctor's appointment. This will provide your doctor with extremely valuable information which can be used to devise weight loss targets specifically for you. This is very important as it is often difficult for your doctor to get a good understanding of the lifestyle factors contributing to your weight. You can access this program for free by visiting http://www.professortrim.com/DAB-Q/. All questionnaire answers remain confidential.

Lifestyle treatments for obesity and weight loss can be challenging and time consuming. To re-emphasise, much of the success of your treatment will rely on your own dedication and effort.

Dietary control has probably been the main treatment used for weight loss in the past. Diets are based on the principles of metabolism and work by reducing the intake of calories (energy) to create a negative energy balance (i.e. more energy is used than is consumed). There are countless commercial diets available and you should try to choose one that is suitable for you. The crash or fad diets published in magazines should generally be avoided, as they can be dangerous to your health and tend not to produce good long term results. You should try to choose diets that are medically proven or diets developed by dedicated weight loss services such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. Your doctor can help you choose a diet which is safe, effective and suited to your needs. Below are some of the different mechanisms used in diets for weight loss:

Reducing fat, carbohydrate (especially those with a high glycaemic index), protein or alcohol intake. Reducing alcohol intake is a very good way to lose weight, as each gram of alcohol contains a large amount of energy on top of your normal daily intake. Smaller portion sizes. You can try using a smaller plate size at each meal. Food restrictions at various times of the day. It can be helpful to have a big breakfast and reduce the intake of energy rich foods later in the day. This can help your metabolism and ensure that most of the energy that you consume is burnt throughout the day. Combining different foods to reduce total energy intake. Some diets have set food regimes for weight loss. Diets centered on a single low-energy food.

Most diets produce some weight loss and are successful in the short-term. However, less than 10% of patients will maintain the weight loss in the long term. Once again it must be emphasised that permanent changes to eating habits are required. You must be careful whilst dieting to ensure that you still receive all the essential proteins, vitamins and trace elements. The best way to achieve this is by eating a well balanced diet with a wide variety of nutritious foods. A successful weight loss program may include cutting fats and sugars from your diet while ensuring you eat lots of healthy foods such as wholegrain, fruits and vegetables. Some diet programs may also require you to take vitamin or mineral supplements.

Be careful when shopping for low fat foods or brands labeled as 'diet' in the supermarket. Many low fat foods can be high in sugar and still contribute a lot to your daily energy or caloric intake. You should learn how to read food labels carefully and aim to consume foods that are low in saturated fat, sugars and, if appropriate, glycaemic index.

Diets that teach you how to select and prepare healthy foods may be more successful in the long term than restrictive diets with strict daily eating regimes or pre-prepared meals.

Reduced energy diets encourage you to choose healthy meal options, aiming to reduce your energy intake by a small amount every day. They teach you healthy eating behaviours which you can maintain in the long term.

Low energy diets are more restrictive and limit your energy intake to a greater degree. Set meal programs need to be followed. This type of diet can lead to a weight loss between 7-13 kilograms and may be used if you have significant health problems related to obesity.

Very low energy diets cut daily energy intake significantly and tend to be reserved for people who have failed other treatments or who have significant co-morbidities. These types of diets are generally followed for 8-16 weeks and often consist of liquid meal replacements (discussed below) from pharmacies. Unfortunately much of the weight lost is regained after the diet is stopped, but behavioural or drug therapies following treatment can help maintain some of the weight loss.

Meal Replacement Programs

Recently weight loss programs have been developed that replace normal meals with prepared meal plans or meal supplements (such as vitamin-rich shakes, soups and bars). These supplements act as complete meals, as they contain all the required vitamins and minerals. Meal Replacement Programs operate on the principles of a low calorie diet and induce a mild state of ketosis. The diets limit your intake of carbohydrates so that the body starts to break down fat stores for energy. The meal replacement programs are specially formulated so that they contain adequate energy and do not cause malnutrition. 

In addition to reducing your energy intake, increased physical activity is essential for the maintenance of weight loss and should form part of any weight loss program. However, to achieve significant weight loss from exercise alone, a very high level of activity is required, which can be challenging.

You should gradually build up your exercise as your personal fitness allows. You can start with simple measures such as walking to nearby places rather than driving, or climbing the stairs rather than using an elevator or escalator. Thirty minutes of walking 3-5 times per week is a good starting point.

If you are very overweight, some exercises (especially those that require weight bearing) can be physically difficult. In this case you could try activities such as swimming, walking in water or cycling. Once your fitness levels improve you could change to other exercises in the long term.

You should try to choose activities that you enjoy, as you will be more likely to continue them in the long term. Participating in team sports or exercising with a friend or family member can help you to remain motivated. It may be useful to see a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist to help you develop an appropriate exercise program. Try to focus on overall lifestyle measures as they tend to produce greater long term adherence.

Exercise has benefits beyond modest reductions in weight. Increasing your physical activity can improve your cardio-respiratory fitness, metabolic health, quality of life and general wellbeing. However, strenuous exercise can be risky in some patients such as those with cardiovascular problems. You should consult your doctor to discuss what level of physical activity will be safe for you.

Behavioural techniques may be useful in conjunction with diet and exercise programs to improve long-term weight loss. Behavioural treatment is usually performed by a psychologist who analyses your eating, physical activity and thinking habits. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a classic example which encourages you to change these behaviours and take responsibility for your lifestyle changes. Other strategies may include stress management, relapse prevention, counselling, and techniques such as hypnosis and psychotherapy. However, some of these behavioural techniques can be very time consuming and expensive.

Some basic steps may include:

Self monitoring: Identifying and recording any adverse patterns of behaviour. Stimulus control: This involves removing factors that encourage you to eat badly. For example, you should shop carefully and remove trouble foods (such as chocolates and chips) from the house so you cannot be tempted. Problem solving: Identifying and addressing problems associated with eating and physical activity. You should consider which factors have led to your excess weight and address them appropriately. Reward systems: You could reward yourself for positive behaviours such as exercise by treating yourself to new clothes. Social support: Strong social support from your friends and family can improve weight loss. It may be beneficial for you to enrol in a commercial program which offers a social support network.

Beyond the specific measures highlighted above, it is also important that you maintain an overall balanced and healthy lifestyle. You should avoid stress, depression, boredom and frustration as these can be triggers to unhealthy eating behaviours. Keeping yourself occupied with enjoyable activities such as sports or socializing with friends and family can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. If you eat excessively due to stress you could consider enrolling in relaxation programs.

For more information on obesity, health and social issues, and methods of weight loss, as well as some useful tools, see Obesity and Weight Loss. 
Kumar P, Clark M (eds). Clinical Medicine (5th edition). Edinburgh: WB Saunders Company; 2002. [Book] Clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults [online]. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing; 18 September 2003 [cited 9 August 2007]. Available from: URL link Proietto J, Baur L. Management of obesity. Med J Aust. 2004;180(9):474-80. [Abstract | Full text] Summary report - Acting on Australia's weight: a strategic plan for the prevention of overweight and obesity [online]. Canberra, ACT: Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC); 2007 [cited 9 August 2007].  Available from: URL link 

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Constipation

Constipation is a very common gastrointesinal disorder experienced by most people at some time during their lives. Constipation basically refers to a reduction in the frequency of bowel motions or increased difficulty passing stools. Numerous conditions can lead to constipation by disrupting the normal process of absorption, stool formation and propelling of feces within the large intestine. Fortunately most causes will not be anything serious and may be just due to a poor diet with insufficient fibre, poor fluid intake or a side effect of certain medications. However, some cases of constipation may be due to a serious problem such as colon cancer. Therefore if you experience severe or recurrent constipation it is important to see your doctor. They can advise you of appropriate lifestyle measures to reduce constipation and offer you medications (called laxatives) to help improve your bowel function if you require them.

Constipation is a symptom rather than a disease. There is no strict definition of constipation as normal bowel function varies so widely between different people. In general however it is defined as passage of stools less than 3 times per week or difficulty and pain during the passage of stools. However, it can be completely normal for breastfeeding babies to go a week without passing a bowel motion. A change in bowel function from what you perceive to be normal is therefore perhaps more important to highlight the diagnosis. During constipation it is common for stools to become small in size, hard, dry and difficult to pass out the body. Constipation is a really common symptom and can affect up to one in five people. Around 2% of the population suffers recurrent and constant constipation however most people will experience a mild form at some time during their life. Elderly people have high rates of constipation due to changes in diet, medications and decreased mobility and motility. If constipation goes unnoticed some severe side effects can occur such as haemorrhoids and damage or tearing of the anus.

Constipation occurs when the large intestine absorbs too much water from the stool to make it dry and hard or the bowel walls cannot contract adequately to pass the stool and waste products along fast enough. There are numerous causes of constipation some of which are listed below:

Poor diet- Insufficient fibre and inadequate fluid intake are some of the most common causes of constipation. Immobility Life changes- Pregnancy, aging, stress and travel can all predispose to constipation.. Irritable bowel syndrome. Metabolic disorders- Hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, hypercalcaemia and porphyrias can disrupt the function of the bowel. Drugs- Pain medications, blood pressure medications, anti-depressants and iron supplements have been associated with constipation. You may also experience constipation following surgery. Ignoring the urge to defecate. Gastrointestinal disorders- Obstruction of the bowel and other disease of the intestine or anus can interfere with the movement of stools. Damge to the nerve supply of the bowel secondary to spinal or pelvic injury or stroke Children often experience constipation as they hold back bowel movements or forget to go to the toilet.

The potential causes of constipation are thus extensive. In most cases constipation will be caused by factors that slow down the bowel such as inadequate fluid intake, low-fibre diet, lack of physical activity, inattention to bowel habits or medications. Rarely however it may reflect a serious underlying condition such as colorectal cancer. Therefore it is important that recurrent or severe cases of constipation are assessed by a doctor.

Passage of hard stools infrequently. Abdominal pain or bloating. Straining during passage of bowel motions. Nausea, headacheand malaise (general feeling of discomfort) may be associated with constipation.

Your doctor will ask you lots of questions about the timing of your constipation and specific features of the stool to help them decide on the likely cause. They will also get you to describe you diet and any other general medical problems. The doctor will also want to check what medications you are taking as they may be the cause of your constipation. Next they will conduct a physical exam mainly focusing on the abdomen, pelvis and rectum. A rectal examination involves the doctor gently putting a gloved finger into the back passage to feel any masses or abnormalities and identify the presence of blood. You may require further investigations such as blood tests, stool samples, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or barium enema to identify the cause of your constipation. These investigations are particularly important if your over 50, have lost weight, have blood in your stools or have a family history of colon cancer as you may be at risk of more sinister conditions.

Treatment of constipation largely focuses on treating the underlying cause. You can take several measures to help treat your problem including:

Eating plenty of fibre (20-35 grams daily) which is found in cereals and fruit especially. You can talk to a dietician about the best way to increase your fibre intake. Some patients can benefit from fibre supplements such as Metamucil but these can have significant side effects such as cramping and gas.. Drinking plenty of fluid. Exercising regularly. Responding to your body when it tells you it needs to defecate. Holding on excessively damages and weakens the bowel

If you employ these lifestyle measures you may be able to prevent constipation developing in the first place! If you have severe constipation and the above measures do not help, your doctor may prescribe you some laxative medications to help get the bowel moving. Several different types are available such as bulking agents, stool softeners, osmotic agents (that drag fluid into the stool), motility stimulants and lubricants. Your doctor will decide the type suitable for you based on the likely underlying cause. Laxatives should only be used for short periods because they can cause severe damage and lead to 'lazy bowel syndrome' where your bowel becomes reliant on them to function properly.

Basson M. Constipation [online]. Omaha, NE: WebMD eMedicine; 2006 [cited 27 July 2006]. Available from: URL link Kumar P, Clark M (eds). Clinical Medicine (5th edition). Edinburgh: WB Saunders Company; 2002. [Book]Longmore M, Wilkinson I, Rajagopalan S. Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine (6th edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2004. [Book]Constipation [online]. Scottsdale, AZ: Mayo Clinic; 2006 [cited 27 July 2006]. Available from: URL link Constipation [online]. Bethesda, MD: Medline Plus; 2005 [cited 27 July 2006]. Available from: URL link Constipation [online]. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2006 [cited 27 July 2006]. Available from: URL linkWald A. Constipation [online]. Waltham, MA; UpToDate; 2006 [cited 27 July 2006]. Available from: URL link

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Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy used to treat many different problems, especially psychiatric problems such as depression and anxiety. CBT has its roots in the late 1950s and was officially formed in the late seventies. Since then it has been shown to be a very effective way to help people overcome a variety of problems. CBT is an umbrella term that encompasses many different types of therapy that are all based on the same ideas. The principle is that first there is a thought, this triggers a feeling and this changes a person's actions. The problem is that in many people these thoughts are based on 'incorrect beliefs'. The aim of CBT is to correct these beliefs and this will lead to a change in thoughts leading to a change in feelings and finally a change in behaviour.

CBT is a relatively short-term form of psychotherapy (a type of counselling) that can be used for the treatment of a wide range of psychological disorders including depression, anxiety, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, substance abuse and personality disorders amongst others. It can also be used to help people change their lifestyles. It focuses on working on the 'incorrect beliefs' that people have. These 'incorrect beliefs' are usually unintentional but they seriously affect how people react to situations.

CBT is based on the theory a thought or idea must precede a mood, meaning there must be something that a person thinks that leads them to feel a certain way. This, in turn, will lead to the way in which people act. It also says that the way in which people act is heavily influenced by the way that they see themselves and the way that they think others see them.

Below is a simple example.
There are three people (Tom, Dick and Harry) and they all stub their toe on an uneven piece of paving. Tom thinks 'I am such a fool, everyone must think I'm clumsy and stupid'. Tom feels embarrassed and humiliated and quickly returns home.
Dick thinks 'I could have hurt myself, why doesn't the council fix such a hazard'. Dick feels stressed and angry and this reflects on his dealings with everyone he meets that day.
Harry thinks 'Ouch, I hit my toe, but I'm OK' Harry doesn't give it a second thought and it doesn't affect his day. This is a simple example but it illustrates the point.
Tom and Dick both have 'incorrect beliefs' and these beliefs result in thoughts, then feelings (embarrassed and angry) and then actions (Tom goes home while Dick is angry). Only Harry had the right response. He acknowledged that he hurt himself but realised that he was OK and went about his day as normal.

The idea behind CBT is that unwanted behaviours and moods such as depression are often caused by a certain type of thought. These thoughts have usually been held by people for a long time, remaining under the surface. Certain events 'reactivate' these types of thoughts and can cause negative moods and behaviours. These thoughts, when pulled apart and examined, are often based on the illogical ideas and 'false' beliefs that CBT aims to correct. If CBT can correct these false thoughts then in that situation in the future, the person will react differently and see things from a point of view that will not lead to a negative mood.

CBT is usually a relatively short-term treatment, with therapy lasting for up to 6 months. During individual therapy you will meet with your therapist on a regular basis and during these sessions:

At first you will set short, medium and long term goals. The therapist will also spend time on your past life and background.With the therapist, you break each problem down into its separate parts. Your therapist may ask you to keep a diary to help identify your individual thoughts and emotions.Together you will look at your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to work out if they are unrealistic, or unhelpful and how they affect you.The therapist will then help you to work out how to change unhelpful thoughts, feelings and behaviours.It's easy to talk but much harder to actually change. So, after you have identified what you can change, your therapist will recommend 'homework' where you will practise these changes in your everyday life.Then at each meeting you discuss how you've managed since the last session.

In CBT people are asked about some situations and their views about the world. They are asked what situations they feel the most negative in and then asked to try and find out exactly why these situations make them feel that way. People are asked to look really hard at these situations and think whether or not the thoughts that lead them to feeling that way are logical or not. Over time it is hoped that people will be able to think in a way that leads to a more positive outlook and behaviour.

There is also a 'behavioural' aspect to CBT that is especially important early in the treatment. People are often asked to schedule positive experiences and things that they enjoy so that there is always something to look forward to. They are also encouraged to reward positive thinking with enjoyable experiences. There is now a new form of CBT that is computer based. This Computerized Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been shown to be effective for anxiety and depression and more work is underway to see where else it could be useful. The advantage of computerized behavioural therapy is that it requires fewer resources and therefore has the potential to become more widely available.

CBT is an effective method of treating various types of problems. It is relatively short-term and gives people many skills that can be applied to every situation, even after treatment has finished. CBT is especially effective when combined with pharmacological (drug) treatments because they both work together to improve the symptoms. It has even been shown that CBT can change the way the brain works in much the same way as medications. Even in the absence of drug therapy, or if someone is hesitant to begin drug therapy, CBT alone often provides a good treatment. The people who get the most out of CBT seem to be those that are thoughtful and have the ability to self-reflect on situations and are open to change.

While CBT is actually one of the shorter types of treatment for some people it may still seem too long. Also, it is not a 'cure' for any illness and while it does provide a lot of help, it does not completely remove the symptoms, especially if the person is continually in a stressful environment. There are also some conditions that CBT alone does not work very well for and these may require both drug treatment as well as other types of psychotherapy -of which there are many.

CBT has been shown to be effective in the following conditions. However this list is continually growing as more research is done into the use of CBT.

Below are two examples of how CBT can work in certain situations. Although both are greatly simplified they illustrate the principle of CBT.

You've had a bad day, feel fed up, and so go out shopping. As you walk down the road, your friend, who seems deep in thought, walks by and, apparently, ignores you.
You think: He ignored me, he must not like me, I will ignore him.
You feel: Low, sad, rejected
You Do: Go home, you start ignoring the person, the friendship is over.
This shows several points. Firstly there is the false belief that because your friend didn't see you they don't like you. Then it becomes a 'self fulfilling prophecy' because if you ignore your friend they will become upset and eventually stop being your friend.

CBT will work on changing your assumptions. For example, your friend seemed deep in thought, maybe something has just happened to them? It would be good to get in touch with them to find out if everything is OK. Another example. "Overfilling the swimming pool is the last straw in my relationship with my parents. The whole garden will have to be re-landscaped. The footings may need to be replaced." Here the problem is magnification. The trigger was overfilling the swimming pool, this combined with magnification leads to the thought that the garden is ruined, leading to feelings of anger, leading to an argument with the parents. CBT will try to change this view, if the pool is overfilled it does not mean that the whole garden is ruined, there is no need to feel angry and there is really no reason to argue with the parents.

The American Institute of Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [Online]. [Cited 22/09/2007]. Available at URL: http://www.cognitivetherapynyc.com/default.asp?sid=768Sadock BJ, Sadock VA. Pocket Handbook of Clinical Psychiatry. Philadelphia, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2005.Scott J. Cognitive Therapy of Affective Disorders: a Review. Journal of Affective Disorders. 1996; 37; I - I I.Stuart RJ, Blecke D, Renfrow M. Cognitive Therapy for Depression. American Family Physician. 2006;73:83-6, 93.Parker G, Roy K, Eyers K. Cognitive behavior therapy for depression? Choose horses for courses. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 2003; 160, 5; 825.Timms P (Ed.). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Royal College of Psychiatrists 2007.Cavanagh K, Shapiro DA, Berg SV, Swain S etal. The effectiveness of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy in routine care. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006; 45: 499-514.Zaretsky AE, Rizvi S, Parikh SV. How Well Do Psychosocial Interventions Work in Bipolar Disorder?. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 52(1): 14-22.Roth A, Fonagy P. What works for whom: A critical review of psychotherapy research (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press 2004.James A, Soler A,Weatherall R. Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4.Jones C, Cormac I, Silveira da Mota Neto JI, Campbell C. Cognitive behaviour therapy for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 4. McGurk SR, Mueser KT. Schizophrenia. Lancet. 2004; 363: 2063-72.Shaw K, O'Rourke P, Del Mar C, Kenardy J. Psychological interventions for overweight or obesity. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2Feeney GF. Connor JP, Young R, Tucker J, McPherson A. Improvement in measures of psychological distress amongst amphetamine misusers treated with brief cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Addictive Behaviors 2006; 31: 1833-43.McWelschen L, Oppen P, Dekker JM, Bouter LM, etal. The effectiveness of adding cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at changing lifestyle to managed diabetes care for patients with type 2 diabetes: design of a randomised controlled trial. BMC Public Health 2007; 7: 74-84.

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Happy marriage adds pounds

Findings challenge the notion that quality relationships always benefit health, indicating that satisfied spouses gain weight over time because they may be less motivated to attract an alternative mate.

On average, young newlyweds who are satisfied with their marriage gain weight in the early years after they exchange vows, putting them at increased risk for various health problems related to being overweight.

That is the finding of a new study on marital satisfaction and weight gain, according to psychologist Andrea L. Meltzer, lead researcher and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“On average, spouses who were more satisfied with their marriage were less likely to consider leaving their marriage, and they gained more weight over time,” Meltzer said. “In contrast, couples who were less satisfied in their relationship tended to gain less weight over time.”

The study’s researchers said the findings challenge the long-held notion that quality relationships are always beneficial to one’s health. Instead, they said, the findings suggest that spouses who are satisfied in the marriage are less motivated to attract an alternative mate. As a result, satisfied spouses relax efforts to maintain their weight.

The article is published online in the scientific journal Health Psychology.

The study was based on data from 169 first-married newlywed couples whose marital satisfaction and weight were tracked over the course of four years.

Previous psychological research has established that marriage is associated with weight gain and that divorce is associated with weight loss. But the role of marital satisfaction in those changes in weight is less clear, Meltzer said.

Previous research also has demonstrated that marital satisfaction is associated with health maintenance behaviours, she said.

“For example, studies have found that satisfied couples are more likely to take medications on time and schedule annual physicals,” Meltzer said. “Yet the role of marital satisfaction and actual health is less clear.”

Meltzer set out to examine the association between marital satisfaction and changes in weight over time.

For four years, the newlyweds reported twice a year on their marital satisfaction and steps toward divorce. They also reported their height and weight, which was used to calculate their body mass indices.

Spouses who were less happy in their marriage were more likely to consider leaving their partner, Meltzer said, and on average gained less weight over time.

“So these findings suggest that people perhaps are thinking about their weight in terms of appearance rather than health,” she said.

The study suggests young couples should be educated and encouraged to think about their weight as a factor of maintaining their health.

“We know that weight gain can be associated with a variety of negative health consequences, for example diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Meltzer said. “By focusing more on weight in terms of health implications as opposed to appearance implications, satisfied couples may be able to avoid potentially unhealthy weight gain over time in their marriages.”

(Source: SMU: Health Psychology)

Article Date: 17/4/2013

View the original article here

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5 Biggest Weight Loss Workout Mistakes

Sometimes, exercisers with the best intentions lose the least amount of weight. What's worse is that they often see their friends slim down just weeks after starting a new workout program. It can be frustrating and confusing.

So what makes one weight loss workout plan effective and another one fail? There could be a number of factors involved. But in many cases, the cause can be traced to one of these blunders. If you've been struggling to shed a few pounds and your exercise plan isn't yielding any results, see if you are making one of these common workout mistakes.

Doing the same workout day after day. It's not a bad thing to exercise every day, and it's not necessarily a bad to do the same workout everyday to maintain heart health. But if you want to lose weight, repeating the same workout mode, intensity, or duration day after day won't work. Why? Your body adjusts to the daily workload and you hit a dreaded plateau.

Fix this blunder: Develop a workout schedule that involves different activities, different intensity levels and different session lengths. For example, if you normally do 40 minutes of walking, keep that activity on your workout schedule two or three days per week. But as an added challenge, walk for 60-75 minutes one day during the week. On the remaining days, mix in a cycling workout and a day of walk/run intervals. If you are healthy enough for vigorous activity, add HIIT workouts, which have been shown to be effective at burning fat.

Compensating by eating more. When you add exercise to your daily routine, you are likely to become more hungry than usual and want to eat more. Dealing with that hunger can be an uphill battle, because there is often a little voice inside your head that says, "I can eat whatever I want because I exercised today."

That rationale makes sense. But if you are trying to lose weight with exercise, you need to achieve a calorie deficit at the end of the day. If you satisfy your post-exercise hunger with high calorie foods or with too much food, you'll end up replacing all of the calories you burned. Then, your calorie deficit and your potential weight loss disappears.

Fix this blunder: Before you start or change your workout program, monitor your calorie intake or get your total daily expenditure evaluated by a professional such as a personal trainer or registered dietitian. When you begin your exercise program make sure that you only increase your food intake so that you still maintain a calorie deficit at the end of the day. A deficit of 500 calories per day or 3500 calories per week should result in a one pound weight loss each week.

Lopsided training. A good fitness schedule includes cardiovascular (aerobic) training, strength training and flexibility work (stretching). This balanced workout program ensures that your body stays healthy and fit. But each of these three components also has weight loss benefits . If you skimp on one or two of them, you'll end up with a lopsided workout program and you won't reap the full weight loss rewards of your exercise sessions.

Fix this blunder: Most weight loss workout programs include aerobic activity so it's unlikely that you'll have to add cardio. But you should also make sure that you do 2-3 days of strength training, as well. If time is an issue, do a circuit workout and complete short intervals of strength exercises between 5-10 minute bursts of cardio. Then, finish every workout with 10-15 minutes of stretching so that you maintain healthy joints and an injury-free body.

Decreasing non-exercise physical activity. It's great if you go to the gym every day and complete a killer workout - unless the payoff is that you spend the rest of the day on the couch. If you compensate for your workout by decreasing the amount of non-exercise physical activity that you do during the day, your total daily caloric expenditure may end up being the same as if you hadn't gone to the gym at all.

Fix this blunder: Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) should account for a significant percentage of the calories that you burn each day. When your NEAT decreases, your metabolism slows, you don't burn as many calories each day and you don't lose weight.

If your workouts drain you to the point of exhaustion, it may be time to re-evaluate your program. Make sure that your high intensity workouts are relatively short and that you include some easy recovery days during the week to give your body a chance to recuperate and rebuild.

Also, keep in mind that it's not always the workout that is causing the lack of NEAT. Sometimes the choice to lay on the couch or sit in a chair all day is made out of habit rather than genuine fatigue. Try to skip the afternoon nap and go for an energizing walk instead. Stuck at work? See if you can use a standing workstation or take short breaks to get out of your chair and move around.

Using supplements/sports drinks. Do you refuel during your workout with sports drinks or bars? Do you grab a high calorie, high sugar supplement drink or bar after the workout is complete? If so, you're probably erasing the calorie deficit that you just earned. In some cases, athletes need sports drinks, but for most exercisers water is the best choice for hydration. And your post workout diet supplement is probably not helping either. There are hundreds of products on the market and, sadly, most of them do nothing but make empty promises and drain your wallet.

Fix this blunder: Instead of investing in bars, drinks, or supplements, invest in a visit with an accredited sports nutritionist or registered dietitian. They will help you to make sure you are getting enough of the right kind of calories to recover adequately from your workout. They can also help you to decode and perhaps debunk the claims of the supplement that you want to use.

Regardless of your size, exercise should always be a part of your daily routine. You'll experience countless health benefits if you participate in physical activity every day. But if you are engaging in a workout program specifically to lose weight you need to be especially careful to optimize your plan to meet that goal. Make just a few small adjustments, avoid these common mistakes, and you're more likely to see the results on the scale.

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Emotions and Weight Loss - Get Past Your Barriers

Having trouble losing weight? The solution might not be in the kitchen or the gym, but in your head and in your heart. Emotions and weight loss go hand in hand.

If you simply can't shed the pounds, and you know that there are no medical causes or environmental barriers that are standing in the way, take some time to think about how your feelings might affect your eating habits. Getting past emotional barriers might be the key to your weight loss success.

Stress. There is a good reason that comfort food got its name. For most people, eating feels good. And in times of stress, some people use food as the best way to calm their emotions. While emotional eating doesn't result in weight gain for everyone, it can be a cause of obesity in some.

In a study about the eating and exercise habits of obese mothers, researchers found that stressful experiences triggered overeating and prevented the women from practicing healthier habits. Of course, isolated cases of overeating won't cause long-term weight gain, but researchers in other studies have found that for some people, overeating can become a chronic coping mechanism for managing life's stressors.

Avoiding stress is not always possible. But relaxation techniques can be a healthy alternative for managing emotions during stressful times. In a published study about using relaxation training with obese women, study participants received relaxation techniques under the guidance of a licensed mental health professional. A specific type of relaxation technique, guided imagery, helped them reach weight loss success.

Even if you are not working with a therapist, it's possible to learn guided imagery on your own. It takes some time to master, but guided imagery may be the most effective technique for weight loss if your emotions are causing you to eat during stressful times.

Depression. The link between depression and weight loss is a hazy one, and researchers are not sure of their exact relationship. For example, some studies have found that depression can be a cause of obesity, while others have not.

In a review of obesity literature, one group of researchers identified several ways in which depression may cause obesity. Some commonly prescribed antidepressants can cause weight gain. The researchers also noted that lack of sleep, a common symptom of depression, is also a risk factor for obesity. Inactivity, another common symptom, can spark increased weight.

If you find yourself battling obesity or if you simply can't lose weight, getting screened for depression may be a reasonable step to take. Consider speaking to your primary care physician about getting a referral to a mental health professional. He or she will be able to investigate further and determine whether you have depression and give you reasonable strategies for moving forward.

Personal or Childhood Trauma. Some researchers have found that people who were exposed to physical abuse, sexual abuse or peer bullying are at higher risk for obesity.

According to one published report, researchers speculated that weight gain can be used as an emotionally protective "solution" for survivors of abuse. The study was conducted by a group of California physicians affiliated with the Positive Choice Weight Loss Program in San Diego. The researchers noted that the sexual, physical and social protective benefits of being obese were hard for many non-obese individuals to accept or understand.

If you have experienced emotional trauma, it could be affecting your eating habits and your weight. It might be worth your time to find a behavioral health specialist who is skilled at treating the underlying emotional causes of overeating and weight gain. Your primary-care provider may be able to provide a referral. If not, there are other ways to find a therapist. The American Psychological Association provides resources to help consumers get the help they need, including a locator service to find practitioners in your area.

If you are struggling unsuccessfully to lose weight, there may be more than one factor that is contributing to your battle. Try to consider all of the underlying causes to find out which barriers stand in the way of reaching a healthy weight.

Sources:

António L Palmeira, David A Markland, Marlene N Silva, Teresa L Branco, Sandra C Martins, Cláudia S Minderico, Paulo N Vieira, José T Barata, Sidónio O Serpa, Luis B Sardinha and Pedro J Teixeira. "Reciprocal effects among changes in weight, body image, and other psychological factors during behavioral obesity treatment: a mediation analysis." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009, 6:9 .

Chang MW, Nitzke S, Guilford E, Adair CH, Hazard DL. " Motivators and Barriers to Healthful Eating and Physical Activity among Low-Income Overweight and Obese Mothers." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2008 Jun;108(6):1023-8..

Floriana S. Luppino, MD; Leonore M. de Wit, MS; Paul F. Bouvy, MD, PhD; Theo Stijnen, PhD; Pim Cuijpers, PhD; Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, PhD; Frans G. Zitman, MD, PhD. "Overweight, Obesity, and Depression, A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Longitudinal Studies" Archives of General Psychiatry 2010;67(3):220-229.

Gian Mauro Manzoni, Francesco Pagnini, Alessandra Gorini, Alessandra Preziosa, Gianluca Castelnuovo, Enrico Molinari, Giuseppe Riva. " Can Relaxation Training Reduce Emotional Eating in Women with Obesity? An Exploratory Study with 3 Months of Follow-Up." Journal of the American Dietetic Association August 2009.

Gregory E. Simon, Evette J. Ludman, Jennifer A. Linde, Belinda H. Operskalski, Laura Ichikawa, Paul Rohde, Emily A. Finch, Robert W. Jeffery. " Association between obesity and depression in middle-aged women." General Hospital PsychiatryJanuary 2008.

Kinzl JF. " Change in body image and psychological well-being during behavioral obesity treatment: Associations with weight loss and maintenance." Eating and Weight Disorders 2010 Dec;15(4):e275-80.

M. S. Faith, M. Butryn, T. A. Wadden, A. Fabricatore, A. M. Nguyen, S. B. Heymsfield. " Evidence for prospective associations among depression and obesity in population-based studies." Obesity ReviewsMay 2011.

Sanjay R. Patel and Frank B. Hu. "Short Sleep Duration and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review." Obesity January 2008.

Vincent J Felitti, MD, FACP, Kathy Jakstis, Victoria Pepper, MS, and Albert Ray, MD. " Obesity: Problem, Solution, or Both?" The Permanente Journal 2010 Spring; 14(1): 24-3.

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Lose Weight by Counting Calories

Calories -- knowing how to find them, how to count them and how to cut them, are key to lose weight on your own. Calorie counting is easy and effective. This article will help you understand what you need to know about calories.

The first step to losing weight by counting calories is to understand what a calorie is and how it applies to your weight. A calorie is a unit of measurement that measures the amount of energy contained in a food or beverage.

Your body uses caloric energy to perform everything from basic biological functions to typing on your keyboard or jogging around the block. We all have a certain caloric requirement needed to maintain our current weight; if you eat fewer -- or burn more -- calories than that, you will eventually lose weight. This is called a caloric deficit. A good rule of thumb is that a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories leads to a weight loss of approximately one pound.

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Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Your Diet with...

Omega-3 fatty acids are always in the news, but do you really know what to eat to get them in your diet? Well, things are about to get fishy ... because if you want to get a dose of the healthy fat in your diet, it's time to serve up some seafood. Seafood itself is naturally low in fat, and almost all seafood is low in cholesterol (shrimp is higher in cholesterol but still lower than many other meats in saturated fat). Fish is an excellent source of high-quality protein and vitamins and minerals. A 3-ounce serving of fish provides about 120 calories, on average.

While there are some types of fish pregnant and nursing women (including those who are looking to be pregnant) and small children should not eat due to high mercury levels, fish can be a healthful part of almost any diet. The American Heart Association recommends that we eat at least two servings each week.

Tip: Types of fish that are low in mercury include canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all types of seafood, but levels vary among different types of fish. Salmon, tuna and mackerel are among the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Trout, herring and sardines are also good choices.

Here are some common seafood choices and their omega-3 levels per 3-ounce serving: light canned tuna: .17 to .24 gramsshrimp: .29 gramspollock: .45 gramsmahi mahi: .13 gramsorange roughy: .028 gramsoysters: .37 - 1.14 gramssalmon: 1.1 - 1.9 gramsflounder: .48 gramssole: .48 gramshalibut: .60 to 1.12 gramsherring: 1.9 to 2.0 grams

Tip: Freezing fish minimally affects its omega-3 levels, so if you freeze it to stock up, you'll reap nearly the same benefits from it as when it was fresh.

As with healthy eating in general, preparation method is key. Baked, broiled or grilled fish is always a good choice, but fried fish is not a good choice. Not only is fried fish higher in fat and calories, but deep frying could actually destroy some omega-3 levels due to high cooking temperature. Other healthful cooking methods for fish include steaming, stir-frying and sautéing, with little or no added fat. When preparing fish at home, cook it until it is flaky yet tender and shows no signs of translucency.

Tip: At restaurants, watch out for too much butter, and be sure to get sauces on the side (and use them in moderation).

If you're a vegetarian, or you just don't like (or are allergic to types of) seafood, omega-3 is also found in other types of foods, such as leafy, green vegetables (spinach) and walnuts.

It is also possible to consume omega-3 as a supplement in capsule or liquid form. About.com's Nutrition guide has provided a good resource on this, Top Picks for Omega-3 Supplements.

Check out Calorie Count Plus to search the nutritional content of many types of fish and seafood.

Sources:

American Heart Association. Fish, Levels of Mercury and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Retrieved 23 June 2008.

American Heart Association. Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Retrieved 23 June 2008.

Food and Drug Administration. FDA/EPA What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish. March 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2008.

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10 Tips for Eating Out on a Diet

Focus on your friends, not the food, and you'll enjoy eating out on a diet even more.

© [2009] Jupiterimages Corporation Eating out on a diet doesn't have to be cause for panic. Sure, you hear about oversize restaurant portions and the plethora of fattening menu choices available all the time, but that doesn't mean dining out will doom your dieting efforts! Just use these 10 simple tips for eating out on a diet: Cram for tonight's dinner. Many eateries post their entire menu online so you can print it out for reference. If you often eat at "mom and pop" type restaurants that aren't online, call and ask for the menu to be faxed to you, or pick up a takeout menu on your next visit. Highlight the healthiest options for each menu and store them all in a central location. Then, when you are planning your next night out, take the time to decide on your dishes at home before you've been tempted by the sight of other choices. Order your main dish from the appetizer menu. Not only are appetizers more reasonably-portioned, they will save you some money as well. (This is a great way to save enough calories and cash to split dessert with someone!) Too peckish to be satisfied with just a starter? Order a side salad, too -- the fiber-rich veggies will round out your meal. Soup is super-filling, so it's an awesome appetizer add-on, too (just steer clear of cream-based ones).Beware these high-fat menu buzz words: Cream sauce, butter, oil, au gratin, breaded, Alfredo, battered or batter-dipped, "with gravy," or smothered. Unless you've spared yourself treats for several days and snacked on salad greens all day, these little "extras" aren't worth the extra calories.Modify the menu. In my neck of the woods, anything and everything can be batter-dipped and fried, so I make special requests all the time. Many restaurants will take your dietary needs into account so you'll be a happy customer and return. Don't hesitate to request anything on the menu to be prepared in a more diet-friendly and for sauces or dressings to be served on the side. It's not likely that you will be denied.The meat is on. As tempting as that bucket of fried chicken looked on the commercial before you left home, order poultry steamed, poached, roasted, broiled, boiled, grilled or baked. Ask for skinless chicken whenever possible or remove it yourself. If you do treat yourself to fried chicken, choose white meat as it has fewer calories than dark. Of course, chicken, chicken and more chicken gets old after a while, so if you're asking, "Where's the beef?" allow yourself red meat a few times a week -- just be sure to choose leaner cuts of meat like loin or flank.Keep tabs on that tubini. Endless pasta at your favorite Italian restaurant may be carb-lovers' heaven (Darn near nirvana for yours truly!), but it's a waist-widening trap for those of us who tend to overeat (How are you supposed to know when to say "when" if they keep bringing more?). As tempting as the great "value" for your money that infinitely-refilling pasta bowl seems, it's certainly not a bargain for your calorie budget. Order a portion-controlled main dish instead. "Ixnay" on the endless breadsticks, too! "Wrap it up, I'll take it!" You know you're at a nice restaurant when the server takes your plate away and wraps up your leftover food for you at the end of the meal. (And if you're in a really nice restaurant, you'll get the eating out equivalent of a balloon animal -- the tin foil swan!) To ensure you don't leave sans swan, keep temptation at bay and ask the server to wrap up half of your as soon as it is served.Take control of takeout. You don't have to swear off takeout when you're dieting -- there are many healthy options at ethnic restaurants. Portion control is key, though: Take out half of your takeout before dishing up your dinner, put the food in microwave containers and tuck it away in the fridge before you even start eating. (Instant will power and instant next-day lunch!)Banish buffets. Portion control can become a foreign concept for even the most determined dieter at an all-you-can-eat buffet. (Who can practice moderation when there are new, clean plates just beckoning to be filled?) The sheer variety of foods available at buffets is also daunting -- studies have shown that when we're given more choices, we tend to eat more without realizing it. Simply avoid buffet restaurants and you won't have to face this temptation.Mini meals are a must. It's smart to eat smaller meals during the day when you're planning to dine out. Just don't eat too sparingly, though -- you don't want to be so famished by the evening that you overeat. (It was a dark day when I ate too-mini mini meals and -- clearly ignoring my own tip number 9! -- visited a buffet in a ravenous state with a fellow waist-watcher ... the look of sheer horror on her face as I went for round number four is not something I will soon forget!) If mini meals don't tide you over, have a small, healthful snack in the afternoon to curb your appetite and you'll be much more in control come dinner time.

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Evolution Vs Revolution

Weight loss doesn't happen overnight, but the decision to change happens in an instant. It's really no different than any other decision to change. It's more than thinking about it, although that's where it often starts. It's more a decision to commit. Sometimes the decision to change starts off as nothing more than a passing thought in the back of your mind. Some thoughts disappear as quickly as they came and others grow into nagging desires.

Once the light bulb comes on and you decide, I mean really commit, to making a change about something in your life, that is a revolution. It can even feel like an epiphany. It's the a-ha moment. Maybe you're fed up with your current situation or just want something else entirely different for yourself. Whichever it is, having a revolution means wanting the change badly enough to commit to completing the steps it will take to make that change a reality.

The revolution is the kick-off to the evolution.

Again, change doesn't happen overnight. Now the hard work kicks in. To really change something, especially your weight, you need to commit to a lifestyle change. Temporary solutions offer temporary results. Why bother? We're talking about permanent, healthy change. And that is definitely an evolution. You know your body will not magically transform overnight. Don't expect your habits and thoughts to, either. And both of those components are necessary to create lasting change.

Let's look at your habits first. So many people set New Year's Resolutions to lose weight. It's become very cliche. Now that spring is here... how are you doing on that resolution? It's very difficult to wake up one morning and do everything differently than you did in the previous months and years. A healthy lifestyle includes eating the right foods in the right amounts and exercise, all on a regular basis. It takes a great deal of time and energy to make these changes. Some people are successful at it on a short-term basis. They can do enough of the right things for a week or two and maybe even see some results. However, much of the time these efforts slip and old habits return whether it be out of comfort, habit, social pressure or whatever.

By changing your habits slowly, you give yourself the opportunity to build a healthy lifestyle in a sustainable manner.

Small changes done one or a few at a time allow you to incorporate them into your daily routine and get used to them before taking on additional changes. It's not as disruptive or time consuming to learn a few things at a time versus having to work to learn all new recipes, habits, etc. at once.

Now let's look at your thoughts. Your thoughts play a large role in weight loss. What kind of mind set are you in regarding the changes you're making? Consider what you are giving yourself versus what you are taking away from yourself. Try to frame your thoughts in a positive perspective versus a negative perspective.

For example, what would you say to yourself and others if one of your changes was to not eat sweets like doughnuts for breakfast anymore? If someone brings a fresh, hot box of doughnuts into the office to help everyone beat the "Monday blues," and you know you need to politely decline, how do you word it? Do you say "No thanks, I've already eaten this morning." Or do you say "I wish I could but I'm on this stupid diet and I'm not allowed." One of these responses indicates that you gave yourself a nutritious breakfast at home or on the way to work that morning. The other indicates that you feel like you are depriving yourself of something you want.

Whatever you think about will drive your actions.

If you think about being healthy and eating the right foods, you will seek those things. If you allow yourself to be consumed by thoughts of foods that are detrimental to your health, you will crave them and eventually consume them.

If you are overweight and want to become slimmer and healthier, then you must make changes in your lifestyle. The same actions that got you where you are today will not get you where you want to go. Creating a healthier lifestyle is a journey. Change doesn't happen overnight but the decision to can. If you've made that decision and are committed to it, congratulations. You've had a revolution. Awesome! Now you're ready to start your evolution. Ask yourself "What small changes am I willing to commit to this week? Month? Year?" Make a promise to yourself and keep it.

Stacie Dickerson is the CEO of the Healthy Lifestyle Institute for Women. Access their free article archive, become a member absolutely free and get your health & fitness tools at  http://hliwconnect.com/.

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How to Leverage a Weight Loss Program, 5 Ways to Turn Yourself Into a Ferocious Health Monster

"Give me a lever long enough and I could move the world." - from Archimedes.

Me: "I would like to do that at some point".

Response: "When?"

Me: "Ummm... soon?".

The conversation at hand was of the topic 'vipasinna'. Where one basically sits in silence for 10 days to quieten the mind. Clearly the words came easily, giving myself the comfort of the idea that I would do it 'one day'. And for that moment, the idea of 'one day' sat well with me. It gave me the sense of gratification that I was going to take action on something at some stage. I felt committed without the commitment. I had happily tricked myself and it was like buying organic chocolate instead of a Mars Bar.

This conversation started to magnify what I was hearing in the gym too.

If only I could find the right weight loss program. I want to lose weight. I want to eat healthier. I want to stop drinking for a month. I want to exercise more. I should do this or I should do that. It's seems as human beings we easily should all over ourselves. A common theme I was beginning to hear more and more (including my own head).

With many great intentions for a healthier existence or improvement, it is certainly a human trait for a constant tug of war. But as long as we point ourselves in the right direction, even it's 3 steps forward and two back, we are still moving forward right? Which is better than standing on the spot.

SO ASK YOURSELF HONESTLY

Do you really want to lose weight? Those few extra kilos. Run a charity race? Improve your diet? Get lean this summer? Have that beach look? Run faster? Lift more? Live a healthier lifestyle? Create new habits? A life with more purpose? Be more grateful?

If you had the ultimate weight loss program, would you implement it correctly and follow it through? From my experience, it's not the weight loss program that's the problem, it is the person applying it.

All these wants can lead you to a healthier more vibrant self. If you answered yes to all of the above but are struggling to get there, then maybe it's time for a different approach and get some leverage - emotional leverage, which is working for me every time.

Be careful though, as I have seen this happen quite often - A person stops questioning things too much, they stop thinking, quieten the brain and just start doing the five things I have listed in this post, and before they know it, they've turned themselves into a ferocious health monster!

1. CREATE PAIN

Think about this for a moment. As human beings, we tend to move away from pain with more intention, than we do moving towards a more pleasurable experience that we want. We tend to tread water and stay in our comfort zone no mater how murky the water is, as apposed to swimming towards new waters that bring change, but along with change comes a sense of uncertainty. Usually we only start swimming when the pain becomes unbearable, or we do things without real purpose and intention behind it.

i.e. If I asked you to run 100m as fast as you can, the chances are you would do it, but not to your greatest ability. But if I pinned two dozen prime rare steak pieces all over you and let loose a ravenous pit-bull terrier that hadn't eaten for a week, do you think you would run faster? Of course!

But the pain we have is never short and sharp like the dog chasing, it's usually slow and gradual. A far off distant drum beat that's so faint you can hardly hear it. But the pain slowly builds like a pressure cooker and finally one day it explodes. That distant drum beat becomes so loud it feels like someone is beating it on your head and this jolts you into action!

I believe in each and every one of us, there is a tipping point that moves us to greater health (or anything for that matter). That tipping point usually comes from a painful experience. A 'that would be nice to have' turns into a 'must have' from one decision. The decision only takes a moment to make, but for some, a life time to get there.

Here is the most important point I am going to make - Why wait for the pain to arrive? Create the pain now.

Time and time again I see people who leave their health until it's a major threshold and that drum is beating so loud they finally want to create change. But by hitting the fast forward button and bringing the circumstances to the forefront, it's usually just a slap across the face as a posed to a sledge hammer.

So how do we create the pain?

First thing you must do is be brutally honest with yourself and not camouflage the truth. This is probably one of the toughest things you will have to do, but worth it. As humans we have a tendency to justify our actions daily. But ask yourself this: Would you rather be right or happy?

When I was sitting on the fence regarding the detox I underwent, I finally had some tests done to see where I was at. I knew they wouldn't be great, but as usual, the longer we leave it, the worse it gets. I also knew if I didn't like the results, it would be the kick-start I needed to get the detox under way, as it was quite a commitment.

So let's say it is weight loss you want to achieve and you know deep down there is a fair bit to shift. We all know the complications and connotations that being overweight can have on the body over time, and when that time comes how painful could that be?

So time for honesty. Take a full length photograph of yourself in your swimmers or underwear (only has to be for your eyes only), front, side and back. Remember, brutally honest right?

By doing this, it will give you a different perspective of yourself. There's no hiding now. I know by this point you may rather stick needles in your eyes, but what are the true consequences if you don't? Smaller pain now or bigger pain later? Which one do you want. The ostrich head burying approach will only work for so long before someone comes along and kicks you up the ass!

Parting with hard earned money is another great motivator. Not a member of a gym? You could pay for a membership for 3 months. If you are a member but you are not utilising the facilities well or just stuck in a rut, hire a personal trainer for 3 months. This money well spent will magnify the pain if you don't begin to follow through to an outcome deep down you truly want.

2. SET GOALS AND VISUALISE

Goal setting sounds as exciting as reading the NY Times financial review, but when implemented correctly, it has a very powerful effect on one's self. There are dozen of books written on this topic, so one I'm not going to go into to much detail with.

In the meantime, is there something you can commit to? A weight loss challenge? A fun run? Something with a timeframe. When I did my detox my Naturopath told me I needed to commit for 6 weeks. This instantly gave me a timeframe.

If you need to lose 10kg, how about 1kg a week for 10 weeks? That's realistic and achievable if you are committed.

Still not convinced? If you want to know what commitment is, you should know the story of my friend Kelli who was diagnosed with a brain tumour and not given much hope. So the next time you catch yourself complaining about it all being to hard, you should put yourself in her shoes. You will soon find that your goal will probably feel very achievable and the excuses you make are futile.

So once you have made pain your friend, you must set an achievable goal with a timeframe.

But not only do you have to set a goal, you have to visualise yourself already achieving it. As you can imagine, there are going to be many hurdles and you will be tested every step of the way to achieving what you want. So when faced with these hurdles we can either look for obstacles or opportunities.

By continually visualising yourself already achieving what you want, you will be training the most powerful resource you have - your subconsciousness. This will then enable you to see opportunities arise when previously all you could see were obstacles.

To help this process, place your goals or images/pics somewhere you will see them constantly. Bedroom mirror, fridge, toilet door. I have even known someone to laminate their goals and hang it up in the shower! Just do whatever works for you, as long it keeps you on track and moving forward. But make sure you follow this process through!

Just remember, if you are sailing to Tasmania in a head on wind, you don't turn around and go back, you adjust your sails accordingly.

3. REFERENCE POINT

Once you know what you want to achieve, you have to create reference points along the way of your committed timeframe and record as much information as possible. If you don't do this, how do you know if you are making progress?

By now you should know what you want, but you also have to know where you have come from and also be able to track your progress along the way.

You could have a diary dedicated to your weight loss plan. You have probably jumped on the scales to see what your weight is. But this only tells a small part of the story. Break that weight down. Measure your body fat %. Calculate your muscle mass kg. Measure body girth circumferences. (If you not sure how to do all this, pop into your local gym for them to do it).

See how many push ups or sit ups you can do in a minute. Test yourself once a month.

You have taken a picture of yourself, why not take one once a month to compare any body changes. Nothing will give you more motivation than seeing your body shape changing in front of your very own eyes.

Keep a food diary. Write everything down that goes into your mouth. You could even keep a photo diary. Take pictures of the foods and drinks you have for a couple of weeks and track your progress. If you are not hitting your targets, you can look back at what you have been eating to see if you are sticking to the plan.

You have to make your goals measurable. The more data you collect the better and the more it will help you along the way.

4. PROXIMITY

By this point, if you have followed through with the first three principles wholeheartedly, right now you should be chomping at the bit with all the momentum you are gathering. But for this momentum to last and if you are to go the distance with any weight loss program, ignore this word at your peril: Proximity.

This one can be a slightly delicate topic, and for me, one that took a while in life before the penny really dropped. But once it did, it had a MASSIVE implication on my direction in certain aspects of my life and the environment I put myself in on a daily basis.

Simply put, the people and the environment you surround yourself with will have a major impact on whether you follow through until the end or not.

A fantastic form of leverage is to spend time with someone who has achieved what you want. Someone who will make you raise your standards. We generally shy away from people like this, but it's a must if you want to achieve a different result.

When I migrated to Australia five years ago, I was fearful of the ocean. Here I was living 500 meters from the beach and not even able to swim a lap of a pool, let alone get amongst the waves! But this was something I wanted to overcome.

I started meeting a mate of mine for swimming, but he was not a very strong swimmer either. Before we knew it, we were talking each other out of it and coming up with great excuses. It all came down to FEAR.

As great as my mate is, he was unable to push me because he was suffering the same problem. Eventually I got so desperate and determined, I walked into the local surf lifesaving club and asked what it took to be one, at this point, this was WAY beyond my wildest thoughts, and the bottom line was, if I was willing to commit, they were willing to commit too. So I went for it.

The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by people who had been involved with beaches and surf rescue for most of their lives. Every time I wanted to back off or didn't have the belief I could get through my bronze medallion, there was someone there to tell me otherwise. Because of this I passed and it challenged me every step of the way, but it is still one of my greatest personal achievements to this day.

There's a saying in South America: "burn the ships", because that's what the settlers did when they arrived and there was no turning back. And to get what we want, I feel sometimes that's what we have to do in life to get there. So ask yourself... have you burnt the ships?

Be careful of who you surround yourself with and make no doubt about it.. Proximity is power.

5. THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

The final piece of the puzzle is to go public. By this I don't mean walking down the high-street with a megaphone or telling your mates how you are to undergo a healthy lifestyle change at a party over some extravagant dessert your eating, but actually putting it out there to the world by any means possible that connects us in today's society.

Do you have a Facebook profile? You could tell your friends and family what your about to do and then update it every day. If you are shy, not to worry as most people won't actually give a shit, and the ones who do will support you and give encouragement. I think we can spend so much time thinking what others think, it holds us back. But if everyone is thinking what others think of them, then nobody is really thinking about you are they? Are we really that important to be consumed by other peoples thoughts?? Probably not. If they do judge you, it's only fleeting at best. So don't sweat it and just put it out there, because the world will keep turning whether you do or don't.

You could blog your progress. You can set up a simple blog within 15 minutes these days. When I was about to do my detox, I decided to blog it. This made it VERY REAL. It was the final tipping point and it helped get me through. Not only did it get me through, I had a lot of fun doing it! People got very curious and what surprised me most, there was a lot of support and talk around the topic as others began to look at what they were doing daily too.

The bottom line is, if you are going to do something about it. TELL EVERYONE!

Final Thoughts

If you read this post to the end:

a. You've got to much time on your hands

or

b. You actually can relate to the points I have made and know that not only can they be applied to a weight loss program, but any parts of your life for that matter.

If you are struggling with your weight or health. My view is that it's 80% attitude and 20% applied knowledge. If you find yourself saying mmmmm that's an interesting post, but do nothing, you have simply learned and not applied that knowledge.

So when in doubt, just do SOMETHING. If you do this, the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place in ways you could have never imagined, and before you know it. You've turned yourself into ferocious health monster.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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Obesity - Breaking the Habit of Over Eating

Most of us know what obesity is but just to reiterate, it's a condition where excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that is likely to become detrimental to health. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of overweight and obesity and is calculated as follows:

Measure your height in Metres (eg 183cm = 1.83m)Measure your weight in KgSquare your height (multiply height x height) = xDivide your weight by xA BMI of less than 18 = under weight.A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates you are thin for your height.A BMI between 18.6 and 24.9 indicates you are at a healthy weight.A BMI between 25 and 29.9 = overweight for your height.A BMI of 30 or greater = obesity.

If you are obese, consider consulting doctor but first you need to understand why you're overweight.

Obesity can be caused by a number of reasons, unfortunately some of these are medical and beyond the scope of this article, however the majority of cases are due to over-eating. The majority of literature on the subject talks about the changing our lifestyle, start exercising now, eat healthier foods and eat regularly, avoid food and drink that is high in sugar and or saturated fats and drink plenty or water. Eat plant-based products such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains. We all know these things. So why is it so hard to do?

Losing weight must start with the mind. We need to recognize that over-eating is simply a bad habit. Understanding this is the first step in the right direction. It's easy to admit that we have bad habits, how do we break the habit, now that's the hard part.

Habits are formed as part of a loop called "The Habit Loop"

1. A situation arises that causes a CRAVING (eg stress at work or at home with the kids)

2. We as humans then give in to the CRAVING (eg we go and eat something we love)

3. We get a reward that makes us feel good (our favorite food makes us feel good)

SITUATION - CRAVING - REWARD this is the habit loop

As this behavior carries on, it becomes "in-grained" so much so that it has now become a habit and now we can't break it. What we need to do is to avoid the situation that stimulates the craving.

However sometimes this isn't so easy and we need some help.

Another important step in breaking a habit is the setting of small achievable goals along the journey, like milestones.

If our objective is to lose weight the small consistent goals of a kilo or two per week will help motivate us and we'll keep going because we can see that success is being achieved and our reward has changed. We get excited and motivated and eventually within about 30 days, the habit is completely broken..

What if you could, all on your own, start achieving some of these small goals that would help to kick-start the habit breaking process. Would you be happy if you dropped 1-2 kg in the first week or so, would this motivate you to keep going... Of course it would and then you'd be able to cope with those situations that caused you to satisfy your craving in the past. Why... because the reward you received from eating food has now been replaced with the reward you get from losing your excess weight. The habit loop has changed.

http://www.wanttobetrimandslim.com

Greg Marshall is an expert in understanding the habit loop and how altering human habitual behavior can have positive effects on our lives.

The hardest part with getting started is changing the reward within the habit loop however I'm offering a product that will make it easy for you to create a new reward.

Click http://www.wanttobetrimandslim.com/ to see products that can help you lose the initial weight which will help you see your new reward which in turn will change your habit loop.

This really is up to you, however these products make it much easier to begin.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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