Guilt Free Weight Management

Feeling guilty about food and then overeating is part of our culture. But, what if you could enjoy good food, celebrate life, and still lose weight? The answer is you can. How guilt-free weight loss can be achieved may surprise you. Many diets eliminate whole categories of foods and put favorite foods on a “do not eat list”. But is this realistic? The dismal statistics on the rates of weight regain after following most weight loss programs suggest that dieting doesn’t work. It’s time for a change in the weight loss paradigm because two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese. After all, almost anyone can lose weight temporarily by cutting calories and boosting physical activity. Keeping the weight off is the real challenge. If you’re planning to join a weight loss program, consider whether the program offers guilt-free strategies that you can easily follow for years rather than days or weeks. When choosing among several programs, you will want to assess whether programs feature wellness, self care, and weight loss strategies that will help enhance your life and achieve permanent weight management while still encouraging you to savor the foods you love. What else is important in selecting a weight management program? When checking out programs, ask whether they use these 10 strategies. Will the program:

1. Focus on total calories you consume;
2. Provide guidance and tools to monitor food and beverage intake and physical activity;
3. Advise you about how to prepare, serve, and consume smaller portions of foods and beverages, especially those high in calories (whether at home or eating out);
4. Advise you to eat a breakfast packed with nutrients instead of empty calories;
5. Advise limiting inactive screen time;
6. Include strategies for maintaining weight loss and offer at least one year of follow up;
7. Advise you about how to gradually increase physical activity and build up to an hour a day of moderate level activity (or the equivalent) based on your ability;
8. Give you behavior change strategies to avoid mindless and emotional eating;
9. Encourage you to identify important internal motivators for losing weight; and
10. Provide ways for you to reduce stress and fatigue and build the resilience needed for permanent weight management?

Notice that none of these strategies suggests rapid weight loss, guilt, or eliminating favorite foods. Instead what is called for is an end to temporary dieting. What works for permanent weight management is to make changes that are realistic and lasting. Most important, as someone who is managing your weight, you’ll want to give yourself permission to take pleasure in what you eat.