At any given time more than 60 percent of Americans are overweight. According to the National Council on Strength and Fitness, more than 3.8 million Americans weigh more than 300 pounds and 400,000 people weigh 400+.
Obesity is an epidemic and kills more people than smoking each year.
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Many people will lose weight and gain it all back. Some people gain back even more.
What causes a person to lose and regain 100 pounds five times (it happens)? What separates a person that loses weight and keeps it off from the person who loses it and regains again?
I will tell you a secret…it is not about the food. Well, it is, but it isn’t. Losing weight is a numbers game and you will have to eat less in order for the weight to come off.
But…getting to a healthy weight starts with what goes on in your head. If you start with your mind the weight loss will soon follow.
This guide creates a roadmap for losing weight without “dieting” in the traditional sense. It focuses on your thinking and the balance in your life.
Losing weight is a little bit like giving up smoking. You have to want it. The mindset to want to change the outcome has to be there.
So, if you are ready, here is your guide to losing weight without focusing on food and using a traditional diet.
Keep in mind this program works one day at a time and as long as you take small steps in the right direction the weight will come off. Remember, if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
You will be glad you accepted this challenge!
This guide has several modules. Some have downloadable worksheets. Others have books that complement the information provided in the module.
To increase your chances of being successful at managing emotional eating, take the time to download the worksheets and complete the exercises.
Here are five things that will get you started down the road to losing weight
Find Your “Why”
There is always something that changes about a person when they lose weight. The same is true when a person gains a lot of weight. It can all be traced back to an event or circumstance that leads to change. Focus on what you want for your life after you lose weight.
What is your single most important dream for when you lose weight? These will be the things that motivate you to keep taking steps towards your goal.
Replace Emotional Eating With Another Activity
Have a plan for when you feel like eating when you are not truly hungry. Slow down and take the time to get in touch with your body.
Is your stomach telling you that it is hungry or is it your head that wants the food?
If you are not sure how to get in touch with stomach hunger and head hunger, try drinking a glass of water before you turn to food.
Find an activity that you can use when your head is telling you to eat. Read some pages from an inspirational book, march in place for five minutes, call an accountability partner, color a page in a coloring book.
When you think about it, the activities are endless.
Evaluate What Situations or Events Cause Stress
Stress is one of the biggest reasons for emotional eating. There is no shortage of things that cause stress. You have to learn to avoid stress.
Slow down and really take the time to see how you can change the outcome of a stressful situation.
If you know it is a situation or event that will trigger your emotional eating, avoid it.
There is a lot you can do to avoid and manage stress. It does not have to control you or cause you to eat out of control.
There are plenty of ways of dealing with stress. We will get to that later, but finding ways to take your mind off of things getting under your skin long enough to calm down is crucial to managing emotional eating.
Stay Active
I am not necessarily talking about formal exercise. You just feel better if you are up and about.
Get off the couch and get the endorphins flowing. It could be something as simple as cleaning your house.
If that is not your idea of moving, turn some music on and dance. There is an endless number of videos that you can watch and move to.
It does not matter what your preference is, there is no doubt it is available online. My preference is to do anything that can be done outside.
Walking and swimming are my favorites, but it can be anything. The fresh air you get while outside is a double bonus.
The energy and mood lift you get from moving will motivate you to make a decision that will benefit your health. At this point, it is all about being motivated to get healthy.
Do Something Visual
I find a lot of inspiration in pretty things. And pretty things come in lots forms. The options are limitless.
If you don’t know where to start, just get one of those crazy adult color books and color. Learn to draw. The internet is full of how-to drawing guides.
YouTube is full of things you can learn to do. Learn to make jewelry, knit or crochet.
Perfect the art of taking pictures with your cell phone (we all have one). Make simple crafts with your children. Do something that lifts your mood.
What’s Next?
So, Can you really lose weight without dieting? Yes and no… In most cases, a “diet” will not be enough. It takes the will to want to change the outcome.
You have to be tired enough of living the way you are living to want to change. And if that will is strong enough, the dieting part of losing weight becomes easier.
Pick out one simple thing you can change about your life and you will have taken the first step towards losing weight and did not have anything to do with food.