The key to successful and sustained weight loss involves changing habits. But as we all know, whether it’s biting your nails or raiding the fridge at midnight, bad habits die hard. If you’ve found yourself hitting the same bad habit snags, The Biggest Loser Club is here to help. All change is challenging but with awareness, planning and a little bit of kindness, you’ll be on your way to achieving your weight loss goals.
Habit 1: Procrastination
It’s easy to find reasons to put off starting a diet. “The most common situation I see is that past weight loss attempts have been unsuccessful so people are fearful of trying again,” says nutritionist and lifestyle expert Susie Burrell. “Others are resentful that they have to work hard to control their weight, while for others, it’s just not enough of a priority at the time.”
To tackle procrastination, your goal needs to be clear. “Change your approach and commit to weight loss when you have the resources to do so,” says Burrell. It requires commitment and strategy.
Need a powerful motivational tool to help? Your online diary is a procrastination-buster at your fingertips. Taking 10 minutes to fill it in 4 times a week will give you the satisfaction of working towards your goal. In turn, that will strengthen your resolve and reduce procrastination. 10 minutes is all it takes.
Habit 2: Emotional eating
Food is often used as a reliable source of comfort. “One of the most common, but easily fixed, contributors to emotional overeating is under-nutrition,” says Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis, weight loss scientist and author of The Don't Go Hungry Diet. “Research shows that if your body is deficient in important nutrients – something that happens when people cut out entire food groups such as fats or carbohydrates in order to lose weight – it triggers chemical changes in the brain that cause a voracious appetite.”
Emotional eaters can reduce or eliminate this behaviour by making sure they eat the right nutrients and a balanced diet. “This is part of the standard treatment for eating disorders such as binge eating.”
Habit 3: Chocolate
Giving up or reducing chocolate intake is a challenge for many dieters. Some chocoholics abstain while others opt for moderation. Abstainers suggest finding non-food sources of satisfaction such as pursuing a hobby. If you go down the moderation path, keep these suggestions in mind:
- choose good-quality chocolate that’s high in cocoa
- limit yourself to 1 square a day
- when you eat chocolate, negate the calories with exercise
- enjoy that chocolate taste by adding cocoa to a smoothie
- substitute other foods such as bananas and nuts when you get cravings
Habit 4: Finishing a meal with something sweet
Dessert eaters talk about 2 components to this habit. One is a belief they deserve to eat something sweet after dinner, especially if they’ve had a tough day. Another is the craving to consume something sweet because it’s something they’ve always done.
With the former, establish some non-food rewards and do something you love after dinner. With the latter, make natural foods your dessert. Consider mixing sliced apple with cinnamon powder and heat it in the microwave or oven. Make a milkshake from low-fat milk and frozen berries. Be creative with your desserts and retrain your palate.
Try this delectable dessert bursting with the natural sweetness of strawberries.
Habit 5: Beating yourself up
“Dieters beat themselves up because they often struggle with low self-worth and are used to negative self-talk,” says clinical psychologist, Jo Lamble. “If their expectations are unrealistic, then they set themselves up for failure and further self-bashing.” The best strategy is to set realistic short and long-term goals. You’ll feel good about your achievements and the task won’t feel as overwhelming.
“Pretend you are encouraging your best friend to get healthy,” continues Jo. “Would you beat them up with negativity? Or would you be compassionate and supportive? If we treated ourselves as well as we treat others, we would be a lot kinder.”
Habit 6: Not drinking enough water
Water makes you feel full and helps to metabolise fat. If that doesn’t make you knock back a glass right away, there are other strategies to get you drinking. If you have a habit of forgetting to drink water, set an alarm on the hour to remind you to swig. Another idea is to keep a pitcher of water near your desk so it’s easy to access and you won’t dehydrate. If you don’t like the taste, add slices of lemon, lime and mint to the water. Don’t be annoyed at extra trips to the bathroom – consider it exercise.
Habit 7: Social overeating
Many people eat more when they go out. “Much of this behaviour is learnt when we are small,” says Susie Burrell. “We tend to indulge when we are out and are usually distracted so the eating is mindless.”
Susie’s tips:
- Never go to a party hungry
- Stand away from the food
- Request healthy food options
- Have a pre-defined limit of, say, 3-5 canapes so you know when to stop
- Remember, you’re still in control even at a party
Be kind to yourself as you undertake the difficult task of creating new and better habits. It’s a process. Chart your success in your diary, use aspirational pictures to remind you of the prize and don’t forget to enjoy life along the way. Old habits might take some effort to conquer at first, but new habits will make you healthy and happy.