Losing Weight is all in Your Head

According to my bathroom scales, I’ve lost 10 pounds. I’d like to share some tips, admit some flaws, and include some former posts that have helped me come this far and continue.  If you’ve been struggling with weight gain, you might discover that it’s all in your mind.

My New Year’s goal for 2012 was to lose 30 pounds. See ‘Boomer Blues’ post.

Fast forward to June 1, 2012

It’s taken me 6 months to lose 10 pounds. Yes, I’m pretty proud of myself, too, but in order to justify that cute swimsuit I saw at Macy’s, I need to get my head on straight.

If I’d been more disciplined, I could have lost all the weight by the end of April, but as most of my teachers from high school can attest, I’ve never been much of a disciplined person.

My affirmation every morning is to look in the mirror and say, “I love you.” but my mantra has not ringing true.

But no matter how hard I’ve tried to love myself, I don’t like seeing that size 14, butterball with the double chin staring back at me. Even after a 10-pound loss, I haven’t gone down a size, I still have belly fat, and I’m not inclined to wear a funky, cute choker around my chubby neck anytime soon. Impatient, maybe a little.

So after some careful pondering the last few weeks, I decided it was time to put my brain on a diet.

If you are an emotional eater or just love food in general, here’s some tips that might help you.

Tip #1 – have a thorough check up. I had avoided my doctor – I thought I could shed a few pounds beforehand, but that was the wrong attitude.

My avoidance was acknowledged. My cholesterol numbers were off the charts and she promptly put me a straight vegetarian diet (no statin drugs, though).

Wake up call. Once you hit age 50, your risk for a heart attack, diabetes, and cancer goes way, way up. If your sugar or cholesterol levels are out of control or your blood pressure is out of whack, it’s time to smarten up, sisters. Do what your doctor tells you. It’s not only about losing weight anymore.

Tip #2 – count calories and record your food intake. My sweetheart constantly harps that calories don’t matter if you’re eating healthy, especially now that we we’ve gone vegetarian. Wrong.

When you’re trying to lose weight, you can eat fruit and veggies all day long and the calories still add up. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Wake up call. It’s a real pain to record everything you eat, but it’s worth it. Try the Loseit app. It’s easy.

Tip #3 – don’t become too content. I hate to say it, but contentment breeds contempt…for yourself and others. I could write a whole post on this topic (and probably will), but the point is – when you’re happy and satisfied; you tend to let yourself go.

Take a class. Join a book club. Take a trip. Just be sure it’s somewhere new and a place where the opposite sex is involved. Too busy? Have an imaginary lover. It’s healthy…really.

Wake up call. If your spouse says he loves you just the way you are, he’s really saying, “Nobody will steal you away from me now that you’re fat and happy.”

Worse yet, if he doesn’t give you and compliments, barely looks at you, and your sex life has taken a nose dive, it’s time to take a good look at yourself before you go blaming anybody else. Sad, but true.

Tip #4 – cut down your sugar intake. According to the American Heart Association, women should not consume more than 100 calories of added sugar per day, or about 6 teaspoons.

Wake up call. Eating sugary foods is more about emotional eating than satisfying your hunger. For some people, sugar is an addiction much like tobacco and alcohol. Think before you bite.

Tip #5 – exercise. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know how good exercise is for the body and the brain.

Wake up call. You don’t have to join a gym, but as a boomer woman, you have to do something – take a walk. You’d be surprised – you might like it.

Finally, the most important tip that brings all the other tips together–Get your head on straight. This is a lifestyle, not a diet.

Hope this helps – Good luck!