What Work and What Does Not

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This morning, I want to give you the meeting summary from my Weight Watchers meeting on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

In the meeting room this week we talked about all of the things that we have learned about weight loss by coming to the meetings and by our own experiences. We talked about what works and what doesn’t work. Just for fun this is an A-Z guide to success.  

A is for attitude. A can-do attitude will help you get over the inevitable hurdles of weight loss. Anticipate slip ups as they happen. Accountability is what I need.  

B is for breakfast. Believe in yourself. Balance your life.  

C is for counting your pointsplus+. They do count.  

Diets don't work. Eating crazy food combinations or eliminating food groups is not the way to keep weight off. Instead, choose a nutritionally balanced plan with enough POWER FOODS to keep you from feeling famished. Don’t take away your favorite food. Ah — there’s something you want to hear, right? Undoubtedly, you have some type of favorite food that ends up being “forbidden” when you go on a diet. Because it’s your favorite, you end up craving it and eventually go back to your old ways.  

Eating regular meals is essential. Experts agree that you should go no longer than four to five hours between meals. Otherwise, intense hunger can trigger a binge. Eat Better (NOT Less)

Fiber. Both forms of fiber swell in the stomach and help to create a feeling of being full. Most high-fiber foods are also high in water and low in calories. Focus on one day at a time, one step at a time.  

Gum chewing may be just what the dentist ordered. Chewing on a piece of sugarless gum can help cleanse the mouth of bacteria, satisfy a sweet tooth, and reduce the urge to eat.

Heart-healthy foods should fill your cupboards, fridge, and freezer.  

Invest in a pedometer and track your steps each day. The goal is to walk at least 10,000 steps or the equivalent of five miles daily to thwart weight gain and promote weight loss. Challenge yourself to increase the number of steps each day, even if you can't get up to 10,000. Every step counts; remember that your goal is simply to improve your fitness level.  

Just do it! Get into a routine that includes regular physical activity. Not only does exercise energize you, it burns calories, improves balance and coordination, and relieves stress.  

Key to an effective exercise plan is variety. Try something new, maybe Pilates, yoga, or water aerobics. Having fun and trying new things will keep you interested and enhance your commitment to exercise. Another key is starting your day with activity as is one of the best ways to make sure it does not get squeezed out of your schedule.  

Load up on power foods. (Maybe even try out the simply filling technique for more info turn to pg. 54 of your Meet PointsPlus 2012 book)  

Mindful eating means taking time to savor every bite. Turn off the distractions, and concentrate on the aroma, texture, and flavor of food.

Nighttime snacking, for most of us, is a habit that can undermine weight loss success. Brushing your teeth after supper will help you make dinner the last meal of the day. If you need a little something at night, try to satisfy the urge with few calories like having a piece of chewing gum, fruit, or a cup of tea.  

One more scoop, one more cookie, one more glass of wine -- "just one more" can add lots of extra calories. Controlling portions is fundamental to weight loss success. You don't need to give up your favorite foods, but you do need to keep track of your portions.  

Protein is an important key to weight control. Include a source of protein found in lean meats, low-fat dairy, beans, or nuts, in all meals and snacks to help keep you feeling full for hours. Practice mindful eating  

Quit those old habits that caused you to gain weight, and replace them with healthier ones. Simple changes like using low-fat milk instead of full-fat milk in your coffee, switching to light mayonnaise, and avoiding fried foods can help create healthier eating patterns that foster long-term weight loss.  

Rely on friends, family, and meetings to help you in your weight loss efforts. Your motivation is at an all-time high when you start a weight loss program, but after a few weeks, it often starts to wane. Let your supporter’s help you get through the tough times.

Supplement your healthy eating plan with a once-daily multivitamin. Despite your best efforts, it can be hard to get all the nutrients you need every day. Taking a multivitamin will help fill in the gaps.

Track your eating patterns and physical activity every day. Research shows that people who successfully lose weight often kept a journal. Recording what you eat and your physical activity is a powerful motivator to help keep you working toward your goals. Understand that weight loss takes time. One step at a time…  

Variety. Change up what you eat so that boredom doesn’t set in.  

Water is your body's preferred form of fluid. It is thirst-quenching and naturally delicious without one single calorie. You need some six to eight glasses of water or fluids each day.

eXcuses should be banished. Do you really want to lose weight and improve your health once and for all? Then stop making excuses and just do it! Of course, that's easier said than done. However, you need to stop finding reasons why you can't start living a healthier lifestyle, and start listing all the reasons why you should. Don't put it off until tomorrow. Start today, by doing something positive, even if it’s just one small thing, toward your health and weight loss.  

Yogurt is a great source of dairy. It's portable, convenient, full of nutrients like calcium and protein, and it makes an excellent snack or mini-meal.  

Zip in your step is what you'll get once you start eating more healthily and getting regular exercise. Losing as little as 5% to 10% of your body weight can help you feel better and improve your health. Lightening your load a few pounds at a time can be invigorating and energizing.