The weight loss industry knows one important (better yet, vital) thing about us: We don’t know what we’re doing wrong. As long as someone else has the upper hand in what you’re doing, you’ll only be able to do what you’re being told. From mail order food to weekly meetings, the weight loss industry has us figured out to a “t”. As long as we’re committed to staying in a program, we’re committed to their way of thinking. So what’s wrong with a regiment or program that’s designed to help you help yourself? Absolutely nothing. But when the program doesn’t teach you how to become self-sufficient versus co-dependent there’s a problem. 

 

So how do you transition from needing help to helping yourself? Simply this: You learn to cook. Why? You’ll learn more about what you’re eating and consuming. One of the biggest problems associated with weight gain stems from “blind eating”. When we don’t know how much we’re actually consuming and what we’re supposed to be eating, we begin eating “blindly”.  Even when we eat-out we’re not fully aware of how our food was prepared and which “hidden” ingredients are used. Take, for example, seasonings used in our food. Did they use MSG free or salt free seasonings (most likely not)? Were healthier choice products used in preparing the meal (i.e. I can’t believe it’s not butter or olive oil versus margarine or vegetable oil used)? I doubt it. Was the milk 2%, fat free or Almond milk? Not likely. Calories, alone, do not reveal the full story about what we’re consuming and pre-made meals are packed full of preservatives that negatively affect our overall wellness. 

Transitioning from eating out and eating fast food or pre-made meals takes a lot of discipline but it is doable and useful. I travel and work long hours in my profession, which once negatively affected my weight. Once I learned a few simple tricks and started practicing a few daily disciplines my weight loss became extremely easy. To this day, I have not gained back any of the 57 lbs I lost two years ago. Here are some of things I did to help me help myself:

*Know what you’re eating – Before it goes in your mouth it needs to go through your mind. If you’re going to stop eating “blindly” then you need to know exactly what you’re eating, right? If you have a “smart phone” practice looking-up anything you’re about to eat to find out the how and what behind the food you’re about to eat (I still do this to this day). If you can’t discern what you’re about to eat (i.e. Home cooking style restaurants) then ask how it’s being prepared and if you can have the food prepared to your liking/restrictions. Remember: People with food allergies ask how food is prepared all the time, so don’t be embarrassed to ask. If you’re eating fast food then choose fresh and healthier choices (i.e. a grilled chicken salad versus a grilled chicken sandwich). Avoid frozen pre-cooked meals (they’re rarely ever healthy). Read the label on the food and know how to look for the “hidden” ingredients.

*Know when to eat – Most of your carbs should be consumed by lunch and your protein at dinner. This helps to keep your cravings and over-eating habits in check.

*Know how to eat - Graze. Don’t try to consume all your calories in one meal. The average person needs about 100 calories per 10 lbs, based upon their “healthy weight” (not their current weight). For example: 150 lbs = 1500 calories. But again, calories aren’t the only number you need to consider, but they’re a beginning. A simple way to graze is to deduct 300 calories from your total calorie intake (example – 1500-300=1200) and divide that number by 3 (example 1200/3 = 400). That number (400) will show how many calories per meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Divide the remaining 300 calories in half (150) and that becomes the number of calories you can eat in between meal calories (snacks).

For many, a pre-planned pattern seems like a God-send. But in the end you aren’t learning to change your personal habits and that is why so many people gain the weight back. As long as you’re stuck to sticking with a plan made for convenience you’ll always be lacking the discipline to change. Sorry, but it’s the truth. Will you lose weight on a pre-designed weight loss plan? Absolutely. Will you more than likely gain it back? Absolutely. Will you be consuming healthy food for your overall wellness? Only if the food your consuming is fresh and cooked/prepared with healthy choices. 

Unless you change your habits your habits will haunt you. Learning how to take control by controlling what you take-in is the key. Anything else is a short lived response that requires a long term solution.

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