Body ImageWritten by Caryl Ehrlich
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When you put on something new in a smaller size that fits, people will notice fit or color and corroborate fact that you look marvelous! Compliments are best encouragement for you to continue feeding smaller you. Sometimes, however, it is inclination of a person with low self esteem to neutralize a compliment by saying something like “Yes, but (the words of an addict), I have so much more to lose.” By doing this, you’re wiping out all that you have accomplished. If you don’t take responsibility for baby steps you have achieved, and don’t acknowledge you really are a smaller person and are one responsible for having become a smaller person, you’ll never feed smaller person you’ve become. When someone tells you, you look great, say: Thank you. Period. Don’t say thank you and then take it away with a yes, but, it’s not really a size 8; it’s cut big. Just say: Thank you. Period. Suppose you have a pair of slacks or a pretty brown shirt that you’ve worn through a twenty-pound weight gain, only you know nuance of fit as it moves from comfortably big to uncomfortably small. Friends of course, only know you’re wearing pretty brown shirt, again. If you go through life reinforcing destructive behavior by pointing our your imperfections, people will only notice your imperfections, i.e., big stomach or wide hips. They won’t see your handsome or pretty face. When I was 50 pounds heavier, I looked down and saw breasts and belly and thighs not quite shape and girth I wanted them to be. Fifty pounds lighter, I look down and see same body parts. I know my body is 50 pounds lighter but it sort of looks and feels same to me. I do know, however, my daily weight, measurements, clothing size, ring size, belt size, and shoe sizes are all telling me I am a smaller person. When you lose your weight, you have to acknowledge weight loss and feed smaller person you’ve become. The smaller you doesn’t have to eat as frequently as before and doesn’t require as much food. When I had just lost weight, I went to a casual clothing shop and stood on line at check out counter waiting to buy a pair of elastic-waisted pants. A woman standing behind me in line told me I had such a cute figure that I could wear anything, including pants I planned on buying. I proudly told her I had just lost 50 pounds. “Then don’t buy those elastic-waisted pants,” she whispered. “You’ll only grow back into them and gain all weight back.” She is absolutely correct, I thought. I put pants on counter and fled store, thanking her over my shoulder as I raced toward street. Do your clothes fit because material stretches? Have you grown into your jogging pants? Health note: When you’ve lost (or gained) a few pounds whether from overeating or pregnancy (even if you don’t carry baby to term or have a cesarean), get your diaphragm refitted. You lose inches inside as well as out. Summary: (Rewrite into your log book for daily reviews.) 1. Get photographs taken of yourself. 2. Weigh morning and evening. 3. Look at yourself in a full-length mirror. Buy new items that fit. 4. Make sure all your clothing fits properly especially when you arrive at your weight loss destination. Have your diaphragm refitted. Size your rings. 5. Wear a belt with a buckle whenever eating, whenever possible. If you like oversized clothing, wear a thin belt under your clothes. 6. Remind yourself you are smaller (mental repatterning). 7. Get rid of old slacks, big sacks, tents and tarpaulins, boombalati dresses. 8. Find a tailor or do it yourself but alter your clothes to reflect new smaller you. Those of you with relatively big weight fluctuations have several wardrobe sizes hanging in closet. Get all your clothes to fit properly; get rid of rest. 9. Don’t eat so much that you’re stuffed or bloated, ever. 10. Throw away biggest article of clothing you own. Tear it up and march it out to curb or at very least, throw it into trash. What you’re telling yourself symbolically is: I’ll never grow into that size again! 11. Go to your closet or a store and try on clothes in a smaller size that fits. Begin wearing one new smaller article of clothing every few weeks. 12. Walk tall. You lost weight. You are a smaller person. Be proud! 13. Keep a photo of a thin you visible. Look at it daily.
Caryl Ehrlich, the author, also teaches The Caryl Ehrlich Program, a one-on-one behavioral approach to weight loss in New York City. Visit her at http://www.ConquerFood.com to know more about weight loss and keep it off without diet, deprivation, props, or pills. Caryl welcomes questions or comments about this article and the behavioral methods she incorporates into her weight loss program. Contact her at Caryl@ConquerFood.com
| | 3 Easy Dieting Success TipsWritten by Beverley Brooke
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Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your diet rest of day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in “bread” group if you skip breakfast. You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during day, breakfast is perfect time to do it. 3. Eat at least 3 meals and snacks each day This can be one of hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals? Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout day. Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals.
Beverley Brooke, Editor of Health & Finesse - Free health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletter http://www.healthandfinesse.com
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