My client, who has already permanently removed a good 20 pounds of excess baggage, is nearing her goal weight: only 3.6 pounds to go.  She is hoping to reach her ‘magic’ number before her next birthday, which is a short seven weeks away.

At first glance losing 3.6 pounds in 7 weeks might seem like a piece of cake (pardon the pun), but when you do the math, if Sue is to reach her goal, then she needs to lose on average a half a pound a week.

Sue and I reviewed her treasure trove of tools and her strategies and put together a list of her top ten ‘points of light,’ the things she needs to remember to do, to focus on, to remain diligent about, if she is to shed those last pounds.

Weight Loss is NOT a one-size-fits-all happening.  Some of Sue’s Ten Commandments may speak to you; some not.  Read through and then create your own Ten Commandments of Personal Weight Removal.  Feel free to share below!

Sue’s TEN COMMANDMENTS of PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS.

1. STICK to the PLAN.  Sue is following the ‘point’ system.  During the past month or so, because she has been engaged in a major move from one part of town to the other, and other life-changing and stressful events, she’s been loosey-goosey around counting the points.   Sue realizes that in order for her to be clear on what she is ingesting, she needs to follow Our Lady of Weight Loss’s simple rule:  If you Bite It/ You MUST Write It!
2. FRUITS/VEGGIES.  Knowing that fruits and vegetables are the heart and soul of good health, healthy eating habits and weight loss, Sue has committed to eating at least 9 servings per day.  At least! And finding recipes that support this goal.
3. SWEETS.  When it comes to dealing with stress and life-in-general, my client’s default setting has been ‘sweets.’  Sue realizes now that this is not the ‘place’ she wants to go or even needs to go, so for these next seven weeks, she is eliminating cake, cookie, candy, and ice cream.  Eventually, after she reaches her goal, she may – on special occasions – enjoy a slice of this or that – but for now, but no matter what ‘sweets’ are no longer where she travels to relieve her stress.
4. MINDFUL EATING.  Once Sue realized that she was ‘using’ sweets as a tool to alleviate stress, once Sue realized that she’d lost track of her points, once Sue realized that she was not eating enough fruits and vegetables, she realized that she needed to be more mindful of what she was putting in her mouth and why she was eating.  Sue is committed to practicing mindful eating, which includes the above, as well as asking herself, should she find herself standing in the kitchen for no real reason, “what am I looking for?”
5. STOCKING HER HOUSE With the RIGHT STUFF.   It’s crucial that one’s house is stocked with foods that one can eat.  Sue is making a shopping list (and checking it twice), and stocking her house with the foods she needs to support her permanent healthy living program, lest she easily fall off the wagon.
6. PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN.  Planning equals freedom.  Once you have your day or week planned, you are free to think about other things!  Imagine that!
7. WALK IT OFF.  Walk daily, is at all humanly possible, but at a minimum of four days per week.  Walking not only clears her head, ‘feeds’ her creative juice, releases endorphins, but it also helps to burn, baby, burn calories.  Movement is key to moving forward!
8. KEEPING the NUMBER in PERSPECTIVE.   Some people believe that weighing oneself weekly is the best way to go; some believe in daily weigh-ins – some say that their clothing tells the tale of the scales of injustice.  Sue has noticed that weighing herself daily and noting the number keeps her honest.  For Sue, weighing-in daily is ‘right’ for her.  What’s right for you?
9. WATER.  Studies show that water aids weight loss.  It is a no calorie beverage.  It fills the stomach and makes people feel less hungry.
10. ACKNOWLEDGE the SACRIFICE/REALIZE the REWARD.  There’s no doubt about it.  Losing weight requires a great deal of change and sacrifice.  Change is difficult.  In order to change, the reward needs to be more compelling than the sacrifice.  What will losing weight give you that you would not otherwise have?  What’s the reward?  Is it “big” enough?  Strong enough?  Wise enough?
    Spread the word … NOT the icing!
    

    Janice

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