10 KEY BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT LOSS CHANGES
10 KEY BEHAVIORAL WEIGHT LOSS CHANGES
Change is really an exchange By John Jolliffe, MFT www.bariatricradio.com This we know. Although, Bariatric Surgery does not cure or prevent obesity, it is the best tool available to aid in its management. But that is where the hope ends and personal responsibility begins. I challenge you to walk down another street. I refer you to my article, “A Hole In The Sidewalk.” Before I share with you 10 key behavioral changes necessary to manage and control your weight, I want to reiterate an evidence-based truth, “Relapse is high in food addictions for two main reasons.”
Change is really an exchange By John Jolliffe, MFT www.bariatricradio.com This we know. Although, Bariatric Surgery does not cure or prevent obesity, it is the best tool available to aid in its management. But that is where the hope ends and personal responsibility begins. I challenge you to walk down another street. I refer you to my article, “A Hole In The Sidewalk.” Before I share with you 10 key behavioral changes necessary to manage and control your weight, I want to reiterate an evidence-based truth, “Relapse is high in food addictions for two main reasons.”
- Post-operative patients fail to learn the following key behavioral changes.
- What is learned is not practiced for a lifetime.
| 1. | Keep your metabolism active by eating 2-3 meals plus 2-3 snacks per day. |
| Eating regularly during the day starting with breakfast will maintain a higher metabolic burn rate. An active metabolism burns more calories. If you want to loose weight you have to eat more regularly, starting with breakfast. | |
| 2. | At lease three meals should be high protein meals. |
| Remember to eat protein first. Protein causes more satiety than carbohydrates. When eating smaller portions, start with protein-based foods – meat, fish, eggs, etc, to insure better nutrition. Remember women need 60 grams and men 90 grams of protein per day. | |
| 3. | Decrease your portion size. |
| Switch to 9” plates or smaller. It’s an established fact that you will eat what you are served irrespective of your better judgment. | |
| 4. | Decrease the number of bites you eat to around 2-3 bites per minute. |
| Monitor the number of times you put the fork to your mouth. People who are overweight tend to have 5-8 bites per minute with minimal pauses between bites. | |
| 5. | Learn to chew – macerate – your food. |
| People who eat too quickly swallow their food rather than chew it. Aim for 25 chews per bites as a general rule. This not only helps you digest food more easily, but also makes you more aware of approaching fullness. When attempting to take 25 chews per bite, put your fork down while doing so. When finished take 2 deep breathes before picking up the fork and taking another bite. | |
| 6. | Savor and focus on the taste of your food. |
| Remember to eat good tasting, flavorful food, chew well and eat slowly. This is very important. You will eat more slowly and chew longer if you have good tasting food you enjoy. This is an important part of feeling satisfied after a meal. Being satisfied has everything to do with enjoying your food. | |
| 7. | Learn to take at least 3-5 long pauses per meal. |
| It’s the pause that refreshes. Your meal should take at least 25-30 minutes to finish. | |
| 8. | Limit the number of distractions while you eat. |
| Distractions lead to rapid, mindless speed eating. Avoid television and the computer. In virtually every research study, television viewing evidences having one of the strongest correlations with obesity. You will not be able to monitor how much or fast you eat if you allow distractions during meal times. Eat your meals in eating rooms, dining, breakfast or cafeterias. Research studies testify that meals are likely to be more healthy and nutritious when a family sits down at mealtime together with the television turned off. | |
| 9. | Hydrate daily. |
| Drink eight, eight ounce glasses of calorie –free beverages per day. Dehydration occurs when you drink less than the required amount of calorie-free liquid/water each day. Dehydration will often be mistaken as hunger. Remember, water is a micronutrient. You hunger after water as you do after food. But if you don’t know that you may be confused by the hunger and reach for food remaining dehydrated. Drink one, eight ounce glass of water 30 minutes prior to each meal. This will give you a feeling of satiety. Do not drink during meals for this flushes food from your stomach leaving you wanting more. | |
| 10. | Exercise. |
| Many people don’t realize that exercise is an essential part of nutrition. Not only does exercise burn calories during the activity, but also it builds muscle mass that keeps your metabolism burning calories even during rest and sleep. Healthy muscle also helps balance your blood sugar and hormone levels and will help minimize cravings. Refer to my article on “The Role of Exercise.” | |
Certified Personal Trainer
"I'm tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. if that makes me a bitch, okay." - Madonna
Beginning Weight: 265 Current Weight:143
So I run like a Girl....now keep up!
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