The Weigh to Go

Exercise encompasses more than just aerobics.  To make exercise effective there must be aerobic activity (running, walking, any activity that raises your heart rate), plus resistance  training and stretching.  It is a common mistake to just do one or other of the components.  Doing an aerobic activity trains the heart and lungs, whereas resistance training strengthens your muscles.  Post exercise stretching helps to remove lactic acid (stiffness) and stretch your muscles back to their original length.

Aerobics or cardio-vascular (C.V) exercise is any kind of exercise which causes your heart rate to increase, perhaps your breathing to become laboured, and perhaps to sweat.   All these combine to burn calories and improve your heart and lung function.

The Connection:

A discussion about the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviors:

The definition of “cognition” is simply a thought. Dr. Aaron T. Beck – the major player in bringing Cognitive Therapy to the attention of the medical world, assigned primary importance to the fact that people think. In turn, how they think and the conclusions they reach determine what they feel and do. Our feelings or moods are what lead us to behave different ways.

Dr. Judith Beck, Aaron’s daughter, has developed a weight loss model incorporating Cognitive Therapy (CT). Judith asks that dieters pinpoint the reasons they want to lose weight and she asks them to review their reasons at least twice a day. On the flip side, she asks them to unearth the sabotaging thoughts that keep them from dieting success – and then create written response cards that will act as a reality check to each thought. Once the sabotaging thoughts are unearthed, then the dieter can change them for new thoughts that would better support their overall goal. Some dieters might blame their metabolism or their genetic makeup. According to Judy, “those are just thoughts” and whether or not the thoughts are true will unfold.

Judy states: “If you’re trying to lose weight, you can’t go by hunger; you have to go by a plan. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to figure out that I can stand being hungry no matter what. Before I was able to keep weight off I was always worried about being hungry.” She adds: “Almost every dieter has difficulty distinguishing between true hunger, a desire to eat, and cravings. And most people who struggle with weight loss tend to feel hunger pangs intensely and often eat to avoid those feelings. But the point is hunger comes and goes. Thin people know this and don’t worry about being hungry.” To give more impact to her thoughts about hunger, Judy claims: “ Purposely skipping a meal is the only way to prove to yourself that you can withstand hunger.” It is important to get over the fear of being hungry in order to keep weight off for the rest of ones life.

The Beck Diet Solution is a 8 week program that teaches you a different psychological skill daily to help you achieve your weight loss goal. These skills are based on the principles of Cognitive Therapy as mentioned above which focuses on helping you change your thinking so that you can maintain life long changes in your behaviour. This plan helps you to “catch” your thoughts and rethink your actions.

In the 8 weeks we will explore your faulty thinking and long standing beliefs. Beliefs such as always finishing what you have been given to eat because there are people starving all over the world. You will become aware of your tendency to eat “unconsciously” and you will learn to make your eating a very conscious action. According to Beck, thoughts about eating don’t come out of nowhere. There are always triggers that precede the thoughts.

Below are five categories of triggers:
1)Biological: hunger pangs, thirst, hormonally influenced cravings
2) Environmental: seeing or smelling foods, watching cooking shows or other food commercials
3)Mental: thinking about food especially at certain times of the day, having positive memories of food and good times or negative memories of being hungry and feeling deprived
4)Emotional: tensions, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, boredom and other negative and positive emotions
5)Social: being around food on social occasions and being offered food and not being able to say no.

Conclusion:
Dr. Judith Beck recommends that the dieter:
1)Figure out the thoughts that sabotage their success at losing weight
2)Change the sabotaging thoughts
3)Keep track of daily eating habits
4)Make a daily plan and STICK TO IT – DO NOT SUBSTITUE (master the skill of no choice)
5)Track hunger- keep a record
6)Vary the plan only after the weight has been lost
See rules.

Enjoy the process.

Studies have shown that having another person support you in changing your dietary habits will increase your chances of successfully taking weight off and keeping it off. You need a real live person to talk to, someone you like and on whom you can depend. A coach is the ideal person to: identify and counter your unhelpful thinking; to give you practical suggestions and to encourage and motivate you. A coach will closely monitor your progress as you implement your chosen weight loss program.

Diet Coaches Will:

1. Keep You Motivated. Your coach can encourage you by reminding you why all your efforts are worthwhile.  S/he will help you examine and change the sabotaging thoughts that heretofore were barriers to you having achieved and maintaining former weight loss goals.
2. Build Your Self-confidence. Your diet coach will remind you to give yourself credit for any and all changes and s/he will help you get back on track if you stray from your plan.
3. Help You Problem Solve. From time to time, obstacles will arise that can make sticking to the program difficult. For example, you might feel that you are too busy to follow your plan or you might just feel unmotivated to do so. Sometimes even well meaning individuals may unknowingly put roadblocks in your way. Collaborating with your diet coach and determining a desired outcome would assist you in overcoming a perceived obstacle.
4. Keep You Accountable. Knowing that you have to report on your progress to someone can motivate you to stick to your plan. THIS IS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM. You’ll keep yourself in line better if you know you’re going to have to report to your diet coach.
5. Help You Take A More Useful Perspective. When you consider straying from the plan, think to yourself…”what would my coach say to me now?” How would s/he objectively look at this situation?