And 8 steps to take when you're really ready to lose weight, courtesy of a Biggest
Loserstar
There are decisions you make rationally, with your cool-and-collected
self running the show. Then there are weight-loss resolutions, usually
declared in a highly emotional state, triggered by a wrestling match
with a pair of pants that no longer fit. Oh, the tears and cursing.
When the thought occurs--Must lose weight!--rarely
do women take a moment to plan before leaping into action, says health
and fitness expert Michelle Bridges, the trainer famous all over
Australia for the miracles she works on that country's version of The Biggest Loser.
Instead, they begin immediately, cutting out entire food groups by
dinnertime and signing up for a marathon without so much as a warm-up
jog.
While
every woman's inner drill sergeant tells her that slimming down is
urgent and there's no time to wait, Bridges and other experts say it
pays to pause. The groundbreaking idea behind her 12-Week Body
Transformation is to prepare your mind, your body, your kitchen
cabinets, and even your family for the changes you want to make--so that
those changes happen, and stick. Bridges calls it "preseason weight
loss," and sets aside two to three weeks for the prep work. You'll still
get results, don't worry. "I've seen clients drop eight pounds during
the planning stages because they are becoming more conscious and they
are getting real," she says. Tackle these basic tasks before launching
into your next diet and exercise program, and postseason will look like
this: you, back in your favorite jeans, possibly crying tears of joy.
1. Make a "why" list
Grab
your iPad or a journal and write down all the reasons you want to lose
weight, says Bridges. Think of this as a bucket list for your future,
slimmed-down self. What would you do if you were to whittle away those
extra pounds? Go to your next college reunion? Hike Machu Picchu? Have
more sex with your husband? Lower your cholesterol and live a long,
healthy life? Bottom line: It's hard to stick to healthy habits over the
long haul if you don't know what real, bigger rewards you're working
toward every time you, say, pass up a cookie.
2. Do a "body scan"
This may be hard to believe
when you're staring in shock at the scale in the doctor's office or your
bathroom, but those three digits staring back at you aren't everything.
In fact, the reason we often give up on weight loss--sometimes weeks,
sometimes hours after the Yikes! moment--is our focus on the pounds.
Chris Powell, the trainer on ABC's Extreme Weight Loss, says
it's important to know a few other baseline numbers before starting your
slim-down plan; some weeks, the scale won't budge, but you can look
back at all these stats and gauge your progress:
1. The circumference of your chest, waist, hips, and thighs.
2. Your clothing size (stretchy pants don't count).
3. The time it takes to run/walk a mile.
4. The number of push-ups and sit-ups you can complete in one minute.
3. Find four "teammates"
You
probably won't get the all-in support you're expecting from friends and
family, cautions Susan Albers-Bowling, Psy.D., a psychologist at the
Women's Health Center at Cleveland Clinic. So make sure you have at
least four key people on your side as you approach weight loss:
One person to be your partner in crime: say, a workout buddy who will meet you for a post-dinner walk. Ideally, this is someone who's trying to lose weight herself.
One person to cheer you on: someone you can call to celebrate your every milestone.
One person to act as a role model:
a friend who has, for as long as you've known her, seemed to have a
health halo over her, knowing exactly which entrée is the smart choice
or which cereal to buy. Observe and copy her!
One person to be your mentor:
a pal who's lost weight in the past and has kept it off--and will let
you check in with her regularly to share your progress, help you stay
accountable, and get through moments of weakness. (She knows, because
she's been there.)
Choose your dream team wisely, Albers-Bowling
says. Be careful not to recruit that friend or relative who will
ultimately be the one to say, "Eh, you've worked hard all week. Surely
it's okay to finish off this box of Oreos with me."
4.Bust all your excuses
Now's the time to get it
out on the table--all the things you've told yourself that have kept you
from losing weight in the past: I don't have time to work out or cook
healthy food; I can't get up early; I can't exercise if my children need
me to drive them to soccer; I can't run… what if it rains? Write your
list down, says Bridges, then come up with a plan to eliminate each
excuse. For example, you might not be able to run in the rain, but you
can keep some DVDs on hand so you don't have to miss your workout when
it's pouring. If you still get stuck, reach out to your
teammates--that's what they signed up for.
5. Start training your mind
This
is the preseason weight-loss task no woman ever thinks of: training her
mind to support the changes she's going to make to her body. Every time
you catch yourself about to utter a self-defeating phrase--"I'm never
going to lose the weight!"--replace it with a positive one, like "I
deserve to have a healthy body" or "I am capable of slimming down." This
shift often separates the losers from the winners, says Thomas N.
Bradbury, Ph.D., coauthor of Love Me Slender and a professor of
psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. After all, how
will you ever make progress if you don't believe you can? It also helps
to use affirmations to alter your attitude about your new habits.
Instead of saying, "I can't have the burger," say, "I choose to have a
satisfying, healthy salad." According to Bradbury, "This way, you are
taking charge of your diet. It's a much more empowered approach to
weight loss."
6. Have a pantry party
The
only thing you need for this bash is a bunch of plastic bags, Powell
says, because you're about to toss the foods that led to pound creep.
Don't look so glum. "It's a joyous occasion," says Powell. "It's
symbolic of your taking control of your weight destiny." Not sure what
to put in your bag? Start with these: soda, ice cream, fruit juice,
fried food, candy, chips, and--sorry, people--alcohol. Then ask
yourself, Are there any foods that always lead me to want seconds or thirds?
If, once you start eating, you can't stop, that's probably a good
indicator that you should toss it. Getting rid of food can be tricky,
especially if you're not the only person who eats from the pantry. But
experts say that this preseason task works best when your family gets on
board--and they'll survive just fine without their Ho Hos for a while.
If they must buy goodies that call to you, stash them in a separate
drawer and remind yourself that, just like the clothes in their
dressers, they're not yours.
7. Check your exercise gear
Awful, stretched-out
yoga pants and a decade-old running bra will not motivate you to move
more. Replace and invest strategically. Also, scan your kitchen. Do you
need a healthy cookbook, or a food scale to help track portions? Your
preseason weight-loss mantra: Stock up now, lose more later.
8. Plan an exit strategy
It
may seem premature, but experts say you must think about what you're
going to do once you reach your goal before you begin your weight-loss
program. Too often, women will see their "target weight" on the scale,
think they're in the clear, and immediately fall back into eating
doughnuts for breakfast. So your last preseason weight-loss task is to
decide how you're going to celebrate your success at the end, but not
with the food that led to Crying Pants Episode in the first place.
Instead, plan to do something that's in line with your vision for your
future, healthier self. If that trek to Machu Picchu seems a bit
ambitious, picture a scenic hike near your town and a sushi dinner
afterward. Or, hey, why not a plane ticket to Peru? You deserve it.
