Weight Control from Diet-Lifestyle Change

The dream of many people is a magic diet pill taken before each meal that will remove all the calories.

In the absence of such a magic diet pill, we continue to try dozens of diets, spend a fortune on exercise equipment and health club memberships, and even hire trainers who will come to our homes and work out with us.

We read so much about what is good for us and what is bad that the picture has become muddled.  Today's advertising is so slick that we often don't know what to believe.

Here are some hard facts you can depend on. You can accomplish weight control in a healthy way without a magic diet pill:

• Always have a breakfast. In a hurry? Try a bagel, toast, or dry cereal.
• Carry your lunch to avoid fast food. Stay away from vending machines.
• Go outdoors for a brisk walk during lunch. Join a health club.
• Try new low-fat, easy-to-prepare recipes for dinner.
• Dietary dangers abound at parties.  Eat before you go to a party!
• Find a partner to collaborate with in targeting weight control and exercise goals.

Managing obesity is much more than a dietary problem. Like diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, or smoking, obesity requires a comprehensive approach to lifestyle changes.  There is no magic diet pill you can gulp, and Presto! - a healthy you.  Forget the diet pill and follow the approach below:

First, you must have a long-term commitment to better health, a commitment that does not change when binges or other lapses occur. With this kind of commitment you can get up when you fall, start again, and persevere.

Second, you need to identify and change habits that cause obesity. This may be as simple as eliminating soft drinks or cutting back on fats and oils. Or it may require you to re-structure your eating patterns and your lifestyle completely.  Changing lifelong habits is among the most difficult things a person can do. For many people the process can be very threatening. Faithful, regular meetings with a support group greatly increase the chances of success. This kind of team effort is a must for those more than 30 pounds overweight, or who have had problems for several years.

Third, attitudes often need radical surgery. Willingness to change is critically important. Read books, attend seminars, join fitness groups, and make friends with health-minded people. Weight control is not a vanity trip. Keep the focus on improved health, and the weight will take care of itself.

Finally, look for a weight control plan that is consistent with a lifetime of good health. This will include a low-fat, high-fiber diet, regular exercise, and a physical, mental, and psychological outlook that meets your needs. Weight control should be only part of a full and fulfilling life—not its main preoccupation.

Such a workable life plan is possible to achieve your desired level of weight control. Many have succeeded. Put your heart into it and keep it there.