WEIGHT-LOSS Q&A
Q: I often feel despondent about losing weight even though I feel like I am constantly hungry. How much effect do my emotions have on my attempt to lose weight?
Emotional eating is one of the most difficult habits to break. The only way to break this bad habit is by making sure that you eat a kilojoule–controlled varied diet that keeps you full and comforts you. That is exactly why in this lifestyle change you must eat the foods you love.
Q: I've been trying to lose weight all my life using every diet under the sun, the Cabbage Soup diet, the Fruit Only diet, even crash diets and none of them have had long term benefits, why is that?
You have been following short-term fad diets which are non-sustainable. You have to change your whole approach to your diet by educating yourself about food.
Q: Six months ago I started exercising three times a week and I haven't lost any weight, what am I doing wrong?
Weight-loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. The one goes with the other, but their relative importance varies greatly. first get your eating habits right, then worry about exercise. In the meantime, go for a walk several times a week. You will notice the difference immediately.
Q: I work long hours, how can I achieve a balance when I feel like all I do is eat and work?
It is the easiest thing in the world. Make sure that you take your meals with you and choose protein-heavy foods with complex carbohydrate back-up. Never eat low glycemic foods and you will not feel hungry. Nibble all day on the right food and you will find success.
Q: I'm trying to diet and live healthily but with growing boys in the house I have to keep snacks around for them and sometimes I find myself cheating on my programme and don't know how to help myself, what do you suggest?
Snacks are fine – perhaps you should try to ensure that most of the snacks are healthy and reserve one day for unhealthy snacks. Make a family outing of going and choosing the less healthy snacks for that day together.
Q: Every time I look in the mirror I feel like none of my dieting and exercise is helping, how do you keep yourself motivated?
I find that the base human emotions work the best. I always have some instance or somebody in mind when I try and motivate myself. The smirking face of someone who finds you distasteful, the look of admiration in a partner’s eyes when I did something good or a situation that I would like to unfold or would like to forget.
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