It’s never fun to break the news to people that watching your weight or living healthy eventually becomes so easy you don’t have to think about it. If only this were true. The reality of our situation is that we live in a culture where it is very, I repeat VERY, difficult to maintain a healthy weight. It’s time to accept the fact that high-calorie, unhealthy foods are available to us multiple times every day. Most food options at restaurants are really high in calories. Birthday cake will always abound at work! So what are you going to do about it?
My encouragement to the people I work with is: if weight loss feels like really hard work then you are doing the right thing! Isn’t that encouraging?! That’s why I think no one should lose weight alone. But anyways, healthy choices may not become easier (i.e. I will always and forever love cookies more than broccoli) but they do become more natural. Your goal is to find the tools that help healthy behaviors “stick” and happen more regularly. For instance, if food journaling works for you, guess what! It will work forever. So don’t stop. If exercise helped you lose weight (this is a must for everyone) then you need to do it forever. So find something you enjoy.
Here’s an interesting article I came across today about yo-yo dieting that inspired this post. It’s good to admit your weaknesses and then find strategies that work for you to change. This article gives several people’s strategies for long term success. Please don’t let it discourage you. Instead, let it motivate you to find what you need to do to be healthy every day of your life.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-05-26-yo-yo-diet_N.htm
Man this is so true Jenna. I agree losing weight is so much easier with help, but it still is extremely hard!! What do I do when I really dislike vegetables? I’ve been trying to do a high protein diet (with working out), but this involved eating lots of chicken and veggies. I’ve tried stuffing them down, but I truly don’t like the taste and I gag! HELP!