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Submitted to YWN from http://www.startfresh.com
1. The rule in weight loss is FOFO – Fast On Fast Off. Those few pounds that you gained last week have not settled into permanent weight yet (why do you think that week #1 often yields the biggest weight loss?). If you tackle the program NOW, it’s really possible to get those pounds off fairly soon.
2. The better answer to quick weight loss is – if you lose it too quickly then I have to assume you are doing it with some extreme measure – and then that weight loss is never permanent. Normal, safe, expected average weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week – anything more than that is muscle loss (and you certainly don’t want that!) So many of us have lost weight really fast and gained it back even faster. The goal is permanent lifestyle change, a change in your relationship with food and with yourself.
So, OK, your behavior during the Yom Tov season was not “perfect” – forget perfect, focus on progress! By the next food challenge – whether it is a holiday, a Shabbos, or an ordinary late night – you will have learned strategies to head off those overeating episodes. The first step is to forgive yourself and applaud any effort that you made. Those food challenges come every day – forget Yom Tov- it’s over and focus on today. Start fresh today, and feel better tomorrow.
3. PLAN. Now is also the time to take the time for yourself – take that 1/2 hour and plan your meals for the week. Make that shopping list, and get out there and buy what you need. Treat yourself the way you treated your honored guests over Yom Tov. Give yourself the same care and respect. While you are preparing your food, make extra for the freezer. Batch cook. It is so much easier to stay on track when you can pull something out of the fridge or the freezer – something healthy, on program and prepared with love. Reach up there and get the food scale down from the top shelf, put in on the counter and USE IT! At the same time take the scale on which you are so used to weighing yourself and put it under the bed, in the basement, in the garage – just get rid of it. Don’t be a slave to the numbers, focus on the behaviors instead.
Does anyone out there relate to this?
#2 definitely resonates with me. There are such high expectations nowadays from diets and pills that people just want a “quick fix” which is simply not realistic. I used to watch the TV show The Biggest Loser where contestants would lose at least 5 pounds every week, usually more. One week, there was a woman who only lost 3 pounds, and her team was so disappointed in her. Yet as we can see from this article, even 3 pounds in a week is too much! The healthy- and permanent- method is to lose weight over a longer period of time and keep it off rather than losing a lot very quickly and then gaining it back right away.
The FOFO idea is a new one to me. I have a thin sister in law that always diets for a week or so after a long simcha or ymm tov. So now I see how important that is.
I disagree with some points here. The reason why people gain their weight back from losing it fast is because, when they get to that goal number on the scale or close to it, they stop their diet cold turkey, then a couple weeks later they’re in complete shock to discover that they gained weight.
Weight loss depends on how much weight a person wants to lose. If it’s 10 or 20 pounds, a slower weight loss is best, but if someone has significant weight to lose, they can lose weight fast without even trying nearly as hard as a person who needs to lose less.
By the end of my pregnancy I had gained 50 pounds! I’m short, so that is a high number for someone like me. When I got home from the hospital, I was excited to step on the scale and see that the number had gone down significantly. Do my disappointment, I had not lost any weight! It was depressing. But it got be motivated to go on a serious diet plan. I went on an Atkins type diet, and lost 45 pounds in 3 months. When I saw that the bulk of the weight was off, I SLOWLY started to add healthy carbs to my diet. I then created a well rounded healthy eating lifestyle plan. The plan included whole grains (including fiber), protein, fruits, vegetables, a multi vitamin (suggested by my Dr.) I also allowed myself ONE cheat meal a week as a reward, and something yummy to look forward to every week. I also added exercise, such as running, yoga, strength training. I lost the remainder of the weight I needed to lose a couple months after that. My baby is just about 2 years old, and I haven’t gained that weight back. I gain the occasional few pounds around holidays, and when aunt flow comes for a visit, but lose it pretty quick.
So losing weight fast is not a problem, you just have to monitor your health and make sure you aren’t depriving yourself of the proper amount of calories, and nutrients you need. You also have to be aware when it is time to stop the “fast weight loss” diet and slowly bring yourself up to a well balanced, healthy LIFESTYLE type of eating. Also, don’t forget to include exercise. You should be getting at least 30+ minutes of cardio most days of the week, and include strength exercises during the week.
Congradulations Yoshi for losing and keeping it off, that is great!
I’ve a cousin that weighed over 120kg and shot down to 60kg in a few months by exercising and keeping low on sugar. Would highly recommend to any overweight person!
noitallmr – make sure that cousin doesn’t duplicate his weight loss…
Just control your eating habit and style. decide before your what and how much you wanna eat, cut out cake and bread etc. from your menu for 2-3 weeks (except for shabbos- of course), use splenda or equal instead of sugar, and your extra pounds will disappear in no time.
p.s. some exercise wouldn’t hurt..
noitallmr- You are right consuming sugar will help contribute to gaining weight. Exercise is important in burning calories that could potentially be converted into fat. Chewing each bite full many times may help digestion and the dieting process. Fiber consumption in the form of eating Whole Grains (which are complex carbohydrates as opposed to simple carbohydrates) , Nuts, Seeds, Fruits and Vegetables may help one advance in their dieting efforts. Drinking water is also helpful in weight reduction.
shindy – Thanks a bunch! I was a total mess the first week, but then it got a little easier from there.
Plus, running after a little one all day is major cardio 😉
you are welcome yoshi. and after you chase after your child you are not eating junk for a quick pick me up, so I still give you the credit.
BUMP
!!!!!!!!!!!
Just ordered a wii fit to help… It helped me last year, and I decided I need my own.
in need of some weight loss inspiration!
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