The Easy Road to Weight Loss
June 27, 2007 6:38 AM
By Susan Parsons MD
Do you have a friend that never needs to watch the scales, go on a diet, or feel the guilty turmoil of eating a jelly doughnut? Somehow, it’s so easy … or so it seems. What’s the secret? Is it great genes or a rip-roaring metabolism? More likely, that "lucky" individual has harnessed the power of habit.
Forming healthier habits can help anyone lose weight and keep if off. This notion seems simplistic, but it really isn’t. You see, a habit is a behavior that may occur without any effort or attention given to it. You simply do what comes naturally, like brushing your teeth.
We often speak of bad habits that must be broken, like biting fingernails or leaving the toilet seat in the wrong position. But habits can be good. They serve to make life easier. Good habits allow us to do the right thing, naturally. No effort or planning. No stress. No sweat.
A great secret to weight loss, then, is to form good habits that will allow you to lose weight and maintain your youthful figure for a lifetime. That way, you can avoid the middle aged weight gain and the loss of health and vitality that goes with it. If you are already “over the hill”, good habits may be able to turn back the clock or at least slow it down.
The Power of Focus
Okay, you’re convinced. You need to get some healthier habits … and fast. But how do you form these great habits that make weight loss so easy?
The secret is focus. You simply pick one habit that you want to develop. Concentrate fully and frequently on this habit. Practice it day and night. Visualize yourself doing this habit. With constant attention and repetition, the behavior will become automatic. Once this habit becomes second nature, you are ready to work on the next one on your list of candidates.
Of course, you could work on several habits at once, IF you think you can manage it easily. However, you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. If you do, the process may become too stressful. Then, you might give up all together. That’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid.
So, take it nice and easy. One step at a time.
My next installment will share some of my suggestions for great health habits that can lead to automatic weight loss. But, you might as well get started now.
Number one on my list of Great Health Habits for Automatic Weight Loss? Exercise. Do I even need to try to convince you on the value of exercise?
I recommend that you plan to exercise at least 5 days per week. Initially, focus on simply doing some type of exercise daily to get in the habit. It may only be a 10 minute walk. The secret is to make it routine. Later, after it becomes an ingrained habit you cannot ignore, you can work on the quality and intensity of the exercise. For now, just do it.
But instead of thinking of exercise as a time-sucking chore, make it a gift to yourself. Think of it as a great way to start out your day or a tactic to re-energize after work. Brainstorm ways to fit it into your schedule. Plan for your exercise. You’ll not only burn calories and boost your metabolism. You’ll have more energy as well.
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Hard to get to the gym? One excellent program that you can do at home is Turbulence Training. Designed by foremost personal trainer Chris Ballantyne (and contributor to many fitness magazines including Oxygen, Men’s Health, and Men’s Fitness), this program helps you burn fat without long, boring cardio or fancy equipment. Yes, it’s great for women, too!
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