In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I’m a HUGE fan of NBC’s reality weight loss show, The Biggest Loser. I think Jillian totally Rocks!
Last night was the last pre-taped show before the season finale being held live next week. Although I am fascinated by the dramatic weight loss & transformations that the contestants go through, we assume that once the cameras & lights go off, that the contestants live happily ever after, maintaining their weight loss.
The truth is that although some have maintained their weight loss, many have regained some of the weight, and some have regained most of their weight. Why? Well, I suppose that there are a few contributing factors, and therefore ways to learn from their mistakes if weight loss is on your list of to do’s in 2009.
Neither Vicky nor her husband Brady like vegetables. Last night she said that her kids won’t even eat white potatoes!
Vegetables are my weight loss secret! You probably wouldn’t know this from looking at me, but I love to eat food. I love to eat a LOT of food. Vegetables allow me to eat a lot without looking like I eat a lot. Veggies like broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc. have a high water content, lots of vitamins and minerals, and are high in fiber. They create a lot of bulk in my stomach for not a lot of calories.
Foods high in water content are excellent for losing weight because they’re more filling. Example: Which is going to fill you up more: A) 20 grapes B) 20 raisins? Although both the grapes and raisins have the same number of calories, the grapes will fill you up more because they have more water, and therefore, they create more bulk.
I start the majority of my meals by eating vegetables, & I limit grains in my diet (grains are usually rather high in calories & don’t have a lot of water).
Eating is a very emotional habit. It’s HUGE! We’ve done it all of our lives & although exercise is a good start, we are the size we are because of our eating habits. You cannot change a habit in 12 weeks & have it stick. It’s uncomfortable. Life long sustainable habits come from slow gradual changes, and our tastes just don’t adapt that quickly.
When we’re under stress, we go to those things that we know and are comfortable because we don’t have to think about it, and it’s easy.
One major reason that Vicky got to be the size she was is that she doesn’t cook; She & her husband eat out a lot. When you eat outside the home, you have very little control over the calorie content of your foods. You have no idea how they were prepared, nor is there a quantitative way of knowing how much of each ingredient was used (even if you’re looking at the calorie counter items on the menu).
I’m not going to say that you can NOT lose weight & eat out at the same time, but it’s really really hard. In order to maintain a weight loss, you need to be in control of your calories, and the only way to be in control of your calories is to prepare your own food.
And you don’t even have to give up your favorite tastes; just prepare them differently. Hungry-Girl is a favorite of mine because she makes-over restaurant foods all the time. I consider her recipes for folks who don’t cook. Very easy using convenience foods at the grocery store.
My new favorite cookbook is The Most Decadent Diet Ever by Devin Alexander. Between Devin’s cookbook & the Sneaky Chef, I’m able to prepare most foods in a healthier way. I am therefore able to eat lots of food without looking like I do.
I hope that Vicky proves me wrong. I hope she maintains her weight loss. These are the strategies that I use to maintain mine, and the clients I have use to maintain theirs, & I can’t imagine it another way.