Julia, a 42-year-old elementary school teacher, recently was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She has a family history of obesity and has struggled with her weight throughout adulthood. Julia was told by her physician and diabetes educator that she needed to lose weight, exercise, and follow a healthy meal plan. She has tried numerous diets and exercise programs; every pound she has taken off, she has put right back on. "I know I have to lose weight," Julia told us. "I just can't seem to do it."
Julia's story is not uncommon. Approximately two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. At any given time, millions of Americans are attempting to lose weight, but statistics show that fewer than 20 percent will be successful.
When she came to us, Julie said she understood the benefits of weight loss and exercise. She knew that losing weight might help her:
* Manage her diabetes more successfully
* Reduce her risk of heart disease and cancer
* Lower her blood pressure and cholesterol
* Feel more energized
* Increase her self-esteem and confidence in her appearance
But knowing the benefits of weight loss isn't enough for many people, including Julia. To lose weight and keep it off, Julia first had to identify her major obstacles. Here are five major challenges that make weight loss difficult for everyone:
THE CHALLLENGE
1 Your environment is working against you. "I feel like I am surrounded by food," Julia told us. "Someone is always bringing cookies or candy to work, and my husband keeps our freezer stocked with ice cream." We live in a society where food is plentiful and where high-fat, high-calorie foods are readily accessible--and pretty darned tasty! When we feel pressured for time, it's easy to grab whatever attractive food is handy. Unfortunately, this means we are eating more processed, packaged, and "fast foods" than ever before. And then there is the problem of dining out. These days, eating at a restaurant, and sometimes even eating at home, means encountering very large portions. Research shows that the more food you pile on a plate, the more you will eat, regardless of your willpower!
2 Old habits are tough to change. Taking a closer look at Julia's day-to-day life, we could see how her behaviors prevented her from losing weight. Every day after work, Julia would head straight to the pantry for an afternoon snack, usually consisting of large quantities of crackers and cookies. In the evening, Julia and her husband would sit down for some "quality time" together, and this always included some form of high-fat or high-calorie dessert. During these times, Julia was on automatic pilot. She was not giving thought to what foods she was eating or to whether or not she was even hungry. Julia was eating simply out of habit.
3 You feel discouraged and hopeless. Let's face it, losing weight takes effort. "I feel like I work really hard and make huge sacrifices for very little payoff," Julia said. It is easy to feel like giving up when you don't see results fast enough. Furthermore, when you have been unsuccessful at losing weight in the past, you may believe that you will meet with the same fate again.
4 You are wasting energy. It's tempting to get caught up in the latest fad diet or to be seduced by the newest piece of exercise equipment. Nutritional supplements and miracle pills that "guarantee you will lose weight and keep it off" sound very enticing, but they don't work. Like Julia, you are probably a busy person and only have a limited amount of time and energy to spend on worrying about your weight. So if your efforts are being wasted on something ineffective (like wondering which new miracle pill to buy), there won't be time for something truly effective (like starting a walking program).
5 You lack social support or you have loved ones who sabotage your plans. When asked about her support system, Julia said: "My husband tells me that I'm not trying hard enough and that I lack willpower. Then he walks in with shopping bags full of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, my favorite!" When family and friends are unable or unwilling to offer understanding and encouragement, it can feel isolating and hurtful. Without an effective support system, it can be very difficult to stick to a weight loss program.
THE STRATEGY
Faced with challenges such as these, it's easy to see why anyone might feel discouraged. The good news, however, is that there are simple and effective strategies for overcoming all of these obstacles:
1 Make adjustments to your environment so that it supports, rather than sabotages, your weight loss.
* Remove high-fat, high calorie foods from your house.
* Put away unhealthy snack foods; moving food out of sight will help you eat less.
* Prepare healthy snacks and have them readily available.
* Use smaller plates and cups when eating at home.
* Begin your meals with smaller portions on your plate. Don't worry; you can always get more.
* Limit how often you dine away from home. Almost everyone consumes more at restaurants than they do at home.
* Pick a place to exercise that is conveniently located near your home or work. If it is too far away, you probably won't go.
* Make sure that your home exercise equipment is always set up and ready to go. The more effort required to set it up, the less likely you will be to use it.
2 Create new habits
* Be a mindful eater. During meal times, turn the television off, sit down at the table, and pay close attention to what you are eating.
* Eat because you are hungry, not just out of habit or boredom; pay attention to your body's physical cues.
* If possible, eat more slowly; take time to really enjoy your food.
* Schedule a time to be physically active each day. Once you have the time set aside, it is harder for common excuses ("Oh, I'm just too busy today.") to get in the way.
* During a time when you would typically be snacking, plan to take a walk instead.
* Clean plate club? Just because food's there, you don't have to eat it.
* Whenever you dine out, make certain to have leftovers to bring home.
* Walk, don't drive, to work or to the store.
* Set aside half of your lunch break to take a walk.
* Use the stairs rather than the elevator.
* Do not eat while driving; it's too easy to be on "automatic" and eat more than you need.
* Put your treadmill or stationary bike in front of the television and exercise during one of your favorite shows.
3 Develop a realistic weight-loss plan and set specific goals.
* Set weight-loss goals that are realistic. If you expect to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
* Have a good and specific reason for losing weight. When losing weight is personally meaningful to you, you will be more likely to stay with it through the tough times.
* Know exactly what actions you need to take; create small, specific, achievable steps.
* Identify possible obstacles and make a plan for handling them.
* Make a plan for how to handle lapses.
4 Attend to the basics.
* Sit down with your health care provider and identify the steps that are most important to your weight loss (like regular exercise) and those that are less important (like worrying about how much water you drink).
* Focus on healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables and whole grains, rather than on those foods that need to be limited. Who wants to feel deprived?
* Get your body moving--almost any kind of activity counts! Regular exercise is key to losing weight and keeping it off.
* Monitor your weight regularly.
* Keep a food diary.
5 Develop a support system
* Find an exercise buddy.
* Join a local weight-loss support group or an online support group.
* Educate your family and friends about diabetes and your dietary needs.
* Ask for support from your loved ones, and be specific; they are not mind readers!
* Ask your family to join you in making healthy changes; it will be good for them as well.
And Julia? We encouraged her to keep a positive attitude and stay focused on her goals. After identifying her personal obstacles, she built a plan of action that met those challenges. She is making good progress and, slowly but surely, is moving toward her goal weight.
She understands that habits are hard to change and that she can never be perfect. Like most people, Julia has days that are difficult and frustrating, but she stays committed to this process. She tells us that she feels terrific and that she has more energy and confidence than ever before.
Like Julia, it's important to remember that we all face challenges when trying to lose weight. There will be good days and bad days. The key is to never give in to despair. You have the skills and knowledge to be successful. Let's get started!
