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| End Game
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| You’ve lost all those excess pounds for your body’s sake and you feel great. But is your body grateful? Oh no, in fact, it’s already working overtime to reclaim lost territory. So what do you do? Well, for starters, remember you’re the brains of this operation. Armed with some sound nutritional information you can come out on top.
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Hands on trim hips, head held high you stand triumphant, shining and lean, your dominance over the scales complete. After weeks or months of effort you’ve shed all that excess baggage but is it the end or the beginning or the beginning of the end? Is your hard-won victory destined to be short-lived?
If you conform to the unhappy statistics about weight loss then chances are good the scale will get its revenge in short order as you helplessly watch all those lost pounds find their way back home as soon as you resume your normal eating habits.
“Lifestyle change is difficult and most people don’t realize the skills required to make it work. You can’t just approach it (maintenance) as a diet, it’s way more complex than that. Most people fail to appreciate that so much of our behavior is automatic and mindless. Real change requires a lot of effort, sustained effort, at changing
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thinking as well as behavior. Everyone wants to get to Heaven but few people are prepared to die to get there. …As Candace Pert says, the body is the outward manifestation in space of the mind. Or as I say, your body is your subconscious. Also, weight loss advice is almost entirely informational (which may be helpful but on its own won’t change behavior) or counseling, which some people may need but is also not sufficient. The huge missing part is training. People need a whole host of skills they haven't even thought about, let alone train to acquire,” says Dr. Howard Rankin, a US-based clinical psychologist, speaker and author of The TOPS Way to Weight Loss: Beyond Calories and Exercise, (available at www.Amazon.com).
Dr. Rankin advises practicing periods of maintenance during the weight-loss phase.
“Most people have two speeds – weight loss and weight gain. Unless you know maintenance and can do it, there’s no point losing the weight in the first place. So, maintenance needs to be practiced regularly so that by the time you reach your goals, the notion of a maintenance level of calories is not an alien idea or practice.”
While behavioral modification is critical to long-term or permanent success, research points to specific dietary strategies that may help tip the odds in favor of maintaining your newly svelte status.
According to Dr. Rankin high-glycemic carbs represent a dangerous pitfall.
“I believe that many people are literally addicted to them and this drives up their calorie intake to unacceptable levels. In that sense, Atkins was right: High-glycemic carbs can be as damaging as fat. I think South Beach Diet phase two, moderate-glycemic carbs, some protein, is a good general diet, But remember, there’s no single diet that will work for everyone—that’s a dangerous myth.”
Some supporting data suggests that emphasis on low-glycemic-load eating—legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts—causes the slower release of sugar into the blood stream, subverting the body’s defensive response to lost calories by systematically slowing the metabolism.
The National Weight Control Registry in the US, which tracks the status of people who have lost a minimum of 30 pounds and kept it off for at least one year, reports that participants have increased fat intake over the last decade while decreasing carbohydrate consumption.
A low-calorie diet, moderate fat consumption, minimal reliance on fast food and regular physical activity when combined seem to contribute to success of a weight-maintenance program.
Other studies suggest that boosting your healthy daily protein intake may promote satiety, bolster your metabolism and reduce your chance of re-gaining lost weight.
Recent research concerning the benefits of high-fiber whole grains indicate that increased consumption of whole grains seems to positively affect weight gain, leading some researchers to speculate that whole grains contain special properties that may somehow alter metabolic function.
Do or Diet:
- Eat breakfast—A clear majority of people who successfully maintain weight loss start the day with a good balanced breakfast.
- Increase your reliance on plant-based foods—eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables daily.
- Avoid processed foods.
- Combine protein and carbohydrates.
- Substitute water for other drinks whenever possible—it helps diminish hunger pangs and reduces your dependency on sugary beverages.
- Enjoy the occasional treat—no one’s weight lived or died by virtue of a weekly treat, so relax, have fun and forget about it.
- Aim for balance, portion control, variety and moderation and don’t demonize any food group.
Holding Pattern:
Dr. Rankin also makes the following suggestions to help you keep those lost pounds at bay:
- Be mindful of your intake. Meticulously measure your calories one week a month to ensure you don’t get the otherwise inevitable slide back to excessive portions.
- Enlist support. Support is the most important variable because real change cannot be done on one’s own.
- Develop and sustain a good exercise program which would entail a commitment of at least one hour a day for a minimum of six days a week to cover cardio, strength and endurance.
- Recognize that certain skills are crucial: Motivational skills, mindfulness skills, self-control skills, etc.
- For more information visit: www.drhowardrankin.com
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