When women talk about their biggest obstacles to successful weight and health management, we often hear about hurdles like not enough time or knowledge to prepare healthy meals. Or frequent social occasions that involve food. Or hectic schedules, or stress in their lives, or transitions they're currently going through. The list goes on. But if you're like many of us, it's really none of these. Instead, our biggest obstacle is unrealistic expectations.
All the menu planning, exercising, and positive behavior change in the world will not help the woman who has set goals that are impossible to achieve. Unfortunately, too many of us are that woman ? driven, all-or-nothing, compulsive perfectionists. Because of feelings of insecurity or inferiority, we idealize our standards of success and try to mold ourselves into perfect people. The irony is that the worse we feel about ourselves, the more perfectionistic we become and thus set ourselves up for failure.
It's easy to understand intellectually that healthy eating, physical activity and a balanced lifestyle are key to getting and staying fit. The hard part is 'doing it'-- dealing emotionally with the slow, ordinary, day-to-day process called moderation. Unrealistic expectations don't blend well with everyday life. As such, everyday life becomes a failure; each failure undermines confidence in our ability to succeed and creates feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. After a while, it's easy to stop trying.
Often, we identify family and friends as saboteurs to our efforts to take care of ourselves. We're angry when we realize that, rightly so. But how often do we fail to identify the biggest saboteur of all: ourselves. We set the unrealistic expectations that cause failure. On the other hand, realistic expectations promote success. Success builds confidence. Confidence creates a feeling of self-efficacy ? that we can do it. That makes it easier to maintain a high level of commitment and to accept that changing behaviors takes time and is a less than perfect process.
Resolve to start supporting yourself by being moderate. Learn to live, breathe, dream moderation because moderation helps you keep your life in balance which ultimately leads to success. Know that change is a back-and-forth process that is only perfect in its erratic course. Look at mistakes as learning opportunities. Be kind and gentle to yourself.
?2004 Green Mountain at Fox Run, Ludlow, Vermont.
Marsha J. Hudnall, MS, RD, CD is director of health communications and senior nutritionist at Green Mountain at Fox Run, an all-womens weight loss program. For over 32 years, Green Mountain at Fox Run has developed and refined a life-changing weight loss program through lifestyle change, exclusively for women. To learn more about Green Mountain at Fox Run, visit us at: weight loss program
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..Negative calorie foods are said to use more calories to... Read More
If you are overweight and suffer from pain in your... Read More
The general approach for treatment of obesity is to suggest... Read More
Whew! So how did you do on that last lesson?... Read More
After the post-Halloween sugar surge, everyone coaches you to get... Read More
I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being... Read More
Even if you're not overweight, you still could have a... Read More
It all begins with water .... Water makes up 75%... Read More
You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More
Fat does Not Make You Fat. One of the other... Read More
Life is extraordinary filled with wonderful people to show up... Read More
Obesity, once seen as akin to laziness and overeating, is... Read More
If you are trying to lose weight you may find... Read More
Today, Ephedra is an herb of controversy. It contains ephedrine,... Read More
Are you one of the many who may be tempted... Read More
You need to reset your weight-o-stat. No matter how much... Read More
You've seen diet pill advertisements? You have read the testimonials... Read More
Research from Harvard, recently published in the highly respected peer-reviewed... Read More
Unfortunately, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, with over 60% of... Read More
It's now official. The simple act of fidgeting can mean... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
Stop Being Influenced by Food Ads on TVThere is much... Read More
Your Can Turn Fat into Muscle......Fact or Fiction???Completely False!!!!First of... Read More
If you're like most people who tried losing weight on... Read More
Good health is all too easily taken for granted until... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat... Read More
Looking to lose some pounds quickly? Fast and safe weight... Read More
How's this for a diet: Take in fewer calories than... Read More
To understand how surgical procedures aid the grossly overweight person... Read More
I asked my sister to come to my gym with... Read More
On the road to weight loss, fitness, and health,... Read More
You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut... Read More
Do you want to lose weight? Of course you do,... Read More
Why Making Small Changes in Your Eating Habits Adds up... Read More
"Unless that apple tastes like the best apple you've ever... Read More
This is a continuation of the article entitled, "Making Diets... Read More
We must all now be familiar with the Atkins Diet.... Read More
In the early nineties I had the opportunity to work... Read More
What is the advantage of these new half sugar and... Read More
I get asked all the time, "what do you think... Read More
In twenty years of consistant exercising, maintaining a low percentage... Read More
Fast Weight Loss - Is it better to lose 2lbs... Read More
Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight... Read More
You've seen them a hundred times: "Before" and "After" pictures.... Read More
Experts say obesity will overtake smoking as the biggest health... Read More
"I eat like a bird, why do I gain weight?"... Read More
Being over weight is usually being 20 percent or more... Read More
Well, with the success of my article, "Wrinkle Remover That... Read More
Stop Weight From Creeping Up By Staying AwareEveryone has small... Read More
How to Break the Weighing HabitFace it, if you weigh... Read More
Weight Loss |