The Easy Trick for Losing Weight
Posted by David Zinczenko on Fri, Jan 19, 2007, 8:41 am PST

You've said it before: This is going to be the year.

The year that you lose weight, the year that you get healthier, the year that you finally delete two or three Xs out of your clothes labels. But maybe you've failed in the past, even a few times, because you simply couldn't maintain the healthy life changes you inaugurated in the new year.

I'm here to provide a little more motivation. Step one: have somebody take a picture of you. Two-thirds of adult Americans are overweight, yet only 40 percent believe themselves to be too fat. "When people think of obesity, they think of the extremely obese, like 400 pounds," says Kimberly Truesdale, Ph.D., lead author of a University of North Carolina study that found that only 15 percent of obese adults recognize how heavy they are. Your reflection in a mirror won't always register in your brain, but a picture will. So take the whole series - front, side, behind - and see yourself as the world sees you. Let it sink in.

Now, once you've come to terms with your weight, set your New Year/New You goals. You'll reach them by making big changes (less TV, more exercise), and you'll do it by making small changes, too - everything from making sure you drink more water (to keep you full) to switching up your pizza crust and toppings (whole wheat underneath, more tomato, veggies, and lean protein, like grilled chicken, on top).

Here's another change that seems to have a pretty big psychological effect on dieters: Writing down what you eat every day. Now, if any diet plan is going to work, it can't be more labor-intensive than laying blacktop in July. It's got to be easy to incorporate into your life.

Luckily, University of Pittsburgh scientists found that dieters who simply write down what they ate and the size of their meal (small, medium, etc...) were just as successful at losing weight as those who tracked the specific foods, calories and fat they ate.

Their theory: feeling accountable for what you eat may be more important than the actual content. You just need a reminder of how much you're eating. Use a notebook, an online program, or your PDA. If you jot down what goes down your gullet, you'll decrease what winds up in your stomach.

Want proof? After interviewing thousands of people, a team of Dartmouth brain researchers led by Putnam Keller, Ph.D., determined that women use anxiety and fear to help them reach goals. So they're more willing to count calories, keep logs, and stick with gym schedules.

Men, on the other hand, rely more on hope, which makes it harder for them to stick with these strategies. "Hope seduces men into mentally enjoying a desired future in the here and now before attaining it," says Keller. This keeps us from sacrificing. So keep eating, start writing, and prepare to begin losing.

This was a very informative article, Dear Editor. As you know I am a strong proponent of writing down what I eat. Along with depending on the Lord for guidance, it has been one of the major behavioral changes that I made that is still contributing to successful maintenance for me. The article encourages us to write what we eat, but they state that it doesn’t have to be very detailed, just a general description of the quantity.

Also, for me writing things down, helps prevent “convenient amnesia”. You know the kind you get when you only remember eating 3 cookies instead of the 5 cookies you actually ate. (lol) :lol:

Journaling is important and you are a perfect example of success. I am glad you commented. :)