Guest bloggers Kenneth Schwarz PhD and Julie North Schwarz are the authors of Maria’s Last Diet and Breaking Up with Food. Dr. Kenneth Schwarz is a psychologist and psychoanalyst specializing in personal change and goal achievement. Julie North Schwarz writes about the non-food issues related to women’s weight loss. For more help with the psychological side of dieting, visit their website: Maria’s Last Diet.
Pack your bag. You’re going on a weight-loss trip.
What are the essentials you need to put in?
Well, a good food plan, of course. Choose a diet that fits your likes and dislikes; choose a diet that won’t be at odds with your lifestyle; choose a diet that utilizes your personal strengths; choose a diet that won’t be too restrictive for you.
Next, stick in a non-food plan. This plan needs to include strategies for when you come up against dieting challenges and obstacles. Give yourself pre-planned things to do, so when you encounter something that threatens your diet, you have things to do right at your fingertips.Then, you’ll need a list of your dieting hot spots—these are the situations and triggers that always seem to throw you off track. Think back over your past dieting history and try to discover just what your danger zones are. If you can anticipate them, you can cool them down so they won’t burn up your diet.
You can’t put her in your carryall, but bring a friend along on this trip. She can help you and support you and be someone you can go to when the road gets too rough. Don’t go it all alone.
Give yourself plenty of time to get there. This trip takes the time it takes, and if you try to take a shortcut, you’ll probably wind up in a ditch somewhere.
Put in your goal, and look at it a lot. Keep it in mind so you can remember what you wanted when you began.
Bring a mind-compass, so you can stay aware of your direction, and whether you’re keeping to the best route. If you find yourself taking too many side roads that aren’t getting you closer to your destination, re-evaluate and get back on course.
Last, pack up your strength and courage and persistence, for that’s what it takes to solve a weight problem once and for all.
Bon Voyage!
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