Healthy Alternatives To Any Unwise Eating |
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Identify and start any healthy
alternatives you need. By now
you will understand that this could be the most important step in your
weight loss program. Many overweight people have known that their
eating was unwise and have known how they should change it, for better
health and in order to lose weight. Many have tried hard to make those
changes, only to see their efforts gradually peter out. The problem for
over-simple approaches to weight loss, including most of the commercial
programs, is that they do little or nothing about the reasons
for your unwise eating. They may point out that your eating is unwise, which
you already knew, or they may make you feel guilty about it, which does
little for your self-efficacy. They won't tell you, because typically
they don't know, how to get lasting improvement in your eating by doing
something constructive about the triggers and desired consequences of
your unwise eating. As far as weight loss is concerned, unwise eating includes eating too much, choosing energy-rich foods or methods of cooking, eating snacks that you don't need, skipping meals, overdoing the evening meal or any eating habit that will promote fat gain or prevent its loss. If your self-monitoring records show that a big part of your excess energy intake is in the form of alcoholic drinks, ask yourself whether or not you are going to have trouble drinking sensibly. If you think you will, you may need to expand this step of your weight loss program. We realize this makes your personal program even bigger but that's what it probably needs to be successful. If your records show unwise eating is contributing to your overweight problem, take a careful look at the situations, thoughts and feelings associated with the unwise eating. Using the healthy alternatives will help you to develop now so that you can cope with past triggers for unwise eating or gain the desired consequences of unwise eating in healthier ways? Do not skip over this step lightly. Our experience is overwhelmingly that people with serious and stubborn overweight problems are overeating for powerful reasons, not simply because they are 'greedy' or `lacking in willpower' or any other glib explanation. If this is true for you, then you should take as long as you need now to develop your healthy alternatives. Then you can realistically expect to stick to sensible eating and drinking as a part of your lifestyle. You do not need another experience of failure at changing eating habits and losing weight. Lay the foundations for your success first.
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