<\/p>\n
This month marks my first official duties as a Consulting
\nCounselor for the National Exchange for Weight-Loss Resistance, or NEWLR for
\nshort, so the issues of weight and weight-loss have been on my mind a lot in
\npreparing for my role. From the stories of the people who have found the NEWLR
\nsite and from my work with clients, I wanted to share some of what I have
\nlearned about the differences between people who successfully lose weight and those
\nwho chronically struggle.<\/p>\n
Most everyone is aware by now of the health risks associated
\nwith obesity (technically classified as having a BMI of 30 or more), but
\nsometimes these facts aren’t enough, or only add to the guilt and difficulty
\nfor people. Approaching weight-loss from the mental and emotional aspects first is often the solution.<\/p>\n
In the book, Weight
\nPerfect<\/i>, Dr. Mary O’Brien discusses not only the biological and physical
\ndifferences among people trying to lose weight, but also the psychological ones
\nthat we don’t usually consider. She writes, “Personality is sometimes
\noverlooked, but it influences our behavior in important ways.” She describes
\nhow our personality traits can strengthen the motivation to exercise, choose
\nhealthier foods, avoid fatty and fast foods, and limit portion sizes.<\/p>\n
Even if you weren’t born with the most helpful traits for
\nweight-loss, you can learn to develop them. The most important ones that Dr.
\nO’Brien cites (and that I have found in my work) are “having a positive
\nattitude” and “being mindful of what you eat.” Of course, becoming more active
\nand exercising are key habits to develop, too. People who successfully lost and
\nkept weight off for more than a year were good at “self-monitoring,” according
\nto Dr. O’Brien, meaning that they were good at gathering information,
\nconsidering their options, and being objective about their food choices. They
\ndidn’t allow emotions and stress overcome their decisions to do what was good
\nfor them.<\/p>\n
So if weight-loss is something you are struggling with and
\nyou haven’t seen the results you would like, consider approaching it from the
\ninside out instead and stop focusing on the scale for a while. Remember that no
\nmatter what your weight-loss goal, whether it’s 5 or 105 pounds, you are dealing
\nnot just with pounds, fat, and calories, but also with all the emotional and
\nsocial “weight” that comes along for the ride. Try developing the traits Dr.
\nO’Brien describes, and see if it makes a difference in your life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This month marks my first official duties as a Consulting Counselor for the National Exchange for Weight-Loss Resistance, or NEWLR for short, so the issues of weight and weight-loss have been on my mind a lot in preparing for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":181,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n