| Does it come as a surprise that you really don't | | | | 2) It doesn't matter whether you eat health food |
| have to exercise to lose weight? Or that it | | | | or junk food, diet food or fast food. |
| doesn't matter whether you eat diet food or junk | | | | Your weight is a result of your "caloric balance |
| food? Or that you can eat at night and still | | | | sheet." Eat more calories than you use (1800 per |
| maintain your ideal body weight? It certainly | | | | day for the "average" woman, 54,000 per month) |
| surprised me, because these things were drilled | | | | and you'll gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you |
| into me by the so-called "experts" my whole life | | | | use, and you'll burn up stored fat and lose weight. |
| as an obese child, teenager and adult. But with my | | | | It doesn't matter where the calories come from, |
| unique education as a psychotherapist, combined | | | | health food, "junk" food, carbs, fat, protein---- It |
| with lessons that can only be learned by being | | | | doesn't matter (for weight control purposes). A |
| overweight, dieting, and being turned into a | | | | calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Is it better to have |
| compulsive overeater, I learned that the dietitians, | | | | better nutrition? You bet. But if you eat too many |
| phys-ed teachers and doctors who pretended to | | | | calories of "health food" you'll get fat, while |
| know it all were wrong. | | | | someone who eats fewer calories of the "wrong |
| If you've been failing at diets and exercise | | | | things" will lose weight. |
| schemes forever and have just about given up, | | | | 3) Diets are not the solution. Learning how to eat, |
| don't lose hope. This can be the year you finally | | | | strategically undereat what you like, is the solution. |
| succeed. Believe me, no matter how many times | | | | Learning how to diet (eat in some abnormal way |
| you've tried and failed, no matter how hopeless it | | | | to lose weight) does no good, because at the end |
| has looked, your success is entirely possible, as | | | | of the diet, we go back to "normal" or worse, |
| long as you're still breathing and have an open | | | | and keep gaining. We got fat because we |
| mind. I know this because I lost 140 pounds | | | | developed habits of eating too many calories, and |
| twenty-five years ago, after twenty-five years | | | | if we go on a "diet" with the intention of going |
| of being an overweight diet failure who gave up | | | | back to "normal", we are planning on getting fat |
| more times than you can count. But one year, I | | | | again. Success will come from learning to eat food |
| "got it", lost 140 pounds, ended my obesity | | | | we like in ways where we won't get fat. Believe |
| problem, and I've maintained my ideal weight | | | | me, there is a way. We will need to change, and it |
| since, over twenty years. This could be the year | | | | must be a permanent change with no return to |
| you "get it". | | | | the old ways, but it needn't be without pleasure. |
| Today, I'm a psychotherapist who helps people | | | | In fact, we enjoy eating even more! Our favorite |
| solve their weight/obesity problem. I teach other | | | | foods are even better, and no guilt! |
| therapists so they can help their overweight | | | | 4) It doesn't matter what time of the day you |
| clients, wherever they are. We are very | | | | eat, or even what day of the week. |
| successful. Believe me, there is hope. You can | | | | Read again what I said in item #2. It really doesn't |
| succeed. There is a way. And here are five | | | | matter when you eat, even if you eat mostly at |
| surprising and vitally important facts you need to | | | | night, or skip meals during the week and splurge |
| absorb before you can begin on your path to | | | | on Saturday night. Real science backs me up on |
| recovery from obesity and dieting failure. Accept | | | | this. If you can create a lifestyle you like, one you |
| these truths and you may be on your way. | | | | can live with where your "balance sheet" is |
| 1) You don't need to exercise to lose and control | | | | correct, you'll succeed, even if it's not what some |
| your weight. | | | | "experts" think is the "right" way to eat. |
| What? This goes against everything all the | | | | 5) Success is not just a matter of "will power" or |
| "experts" say! Well, it's true. Exercise may be | | | | "just making up your mind". |
| vitally important for a lot of things, but it's not | | | | It's not that some people have "it" and some |
| required to lose and control your weight, and if | | | | don't. Success in changing habitual behavior, even |
| you don't get your eating under control, focusing | | | | tough habitual behavior like an addiction, is not just |
| on exercise may cause a weight gain! (An hour on | | | | a matter of "will power". There is a body of |
| the treadmill will be cancelled by one brownie! Eat | | | | knowledge and technique in my field of behavioral |
| two because you "worked out", and you gain | | | | medicine that you can learn, knowledge and |
| weight, not lose it!) When I learned how | | | | technique that will empower you to make |
| insignificant exercise was, and that controlling my | | | | changes in your life that were not possible before. |
| intake was the solution, whether or not I | | | | It will be work. You'll have to let go of some |
| exercised, I had hope for the first time in my life. | | | | things that you haven't wanted to let go of. But if |
| I didn't have to exercise in ways I hated! I have | | | | being overweight/obese has been a curse on |
| clients who are disabled and cannot exercise, yet | | | | your life, and you'd like to get rid of it, don't give |
| they do fine at controlling their weight. Exercise is | | | | up. Keep hoping and praying. Learn what you have |
| important for lots of things, but it's not the | | | | to do. Be prepared to learn more from legitimate |
| solution to your weight problem. Controlling your | | | | sources, and work at it. You can succeed like I |
| intake is the solution. | | | | and my clients have. Keep going. |