Weight maintenance: a most difficult path
So you've lost the weight or you're happy with the weight you are at, now all you need to do is to maintain. But in this land of plenty, weight maintenance is difficult. Seemingly, candy bars grow from convenience store counters and McDonald's line every major throughway. What's the health-conscious John Q. Public to do?
Now more than ever maintaining a healthy well-balanced diet and exercise regiment is integral. Lifelong diligence is key. Additionally, cosmetic medical procedures like liposuction can help remove and contour subcutaneous fat.
As with weight loss, there's a psychology to weight maintenance:
* Visual cues: Health researchers, most notably Dr. Brian Wansink author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," find that people eat with their eyes not their stomachs. For example, Dr. Wansink found that people presented with a "bottomless" self-refilling bowl of soup ended up consuming 73% more soup than they would have otherwise. Furthermore, they didn't feel any more sated after doing so. Without a point of reference like an empty bowl, people just keep on eating. Anybody who's interested in maintaining their weight can take advantage of this simple psychology by buying small plates, smaller bowls, 100-calorie "snack" packs, and avoiding all-you-can-eat buffets altogether.
So you've lost the weight or you're happy with the weight you are at, now all you need to do is to maintain. But in this land of plenty, weight maintenance is difficult. Seemingly, candy bars grow from convenience store counters and McDonald's line every major throughway. What's the health-conscious John Q. Public to do?
Now more than ever maintaining a healthy well-balanced diet and exercise regiment is integral. Lifelong diligence is key. Additionally, cosmetic medical procedures like liposuction can help remove and contour subcutaneous fat.
As with weight loss, there's a psychology to weight maintenance:
* Visual cues: Health researchers, most notably Dr. Brian Wansink author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," find that people eat with their eyes not their stomachs. For example, Dr. Wansink found that people presented with a "bottomless" self-refilling bowl of soup ended up consuming 73% more soup than they would have otherwise. Furthermore, they didn't feel any more sated after doing so. Without a point of reference like an empty bowl, people just keep on eating. Anybody who's interested in maintaining their weight can take advantage of this simple psychology by buying small plates, smaller bowls, 100-calorie "snack" packs, and avoiding all-you-can-eat buffets altogether.
* Taking a day off: Health researchers also discovered that once physically fit people lose restraint they are more likely to keep on eating. In a quaint experiment, researchers fed obese and physically fit subjects a milkshake and then offered them as much ice cream as they wanted. The thinner subjects, who are normally restrained in their eating patterns, threw caution to the wind and ate more ice cream than their obese counterparts. This line of thinking influenced the common recommendation that everybody take off one day a week from strict diet maintenance. People intent on maintaining their weight should eat a bowl of ice cream and a couple cookies every Sunday night after "The Simpsons" instead of eating a candy bar every other day.
With respect to weight loss and maintenance, everybody controls their own destiny. It's important for all of us to realize that healthy living is within our control. Determination is the key to proper weight loss and maintenance. We all hold the keys to our own slimmer and healthier selves.
No comments:
Post a Comment