Weight Loss Question & Answers

Weight Loss Question 1: I have a very social lifestyle. Whenever I catch up with family and friends we tend to eat and drink. How can I possibly lose weight?

It is still possible to lose weight whilst enjoying life at the same time. All it requires you do is balance your lifestyle. If you are aware of a social function coming up, then perhaps perform some extra exercise in the days leading up to it. If the social engagement simply ‘pops up’ then you may want to perform some exercise after the event instead.

Here are some other strategies to consider that can assist your weight-loss efforts despite a hectic social schedule:

• Eating a meal before attending the event.
This way you can still indulge in the good-tasting foods without over-indulging because you won’t feel hungry.

• Drink plenty of water before, during and after the event.
Not only is this good for your overall health but it will also help to curb your appetite.

• Make a conscious effort to drink a glass of water in between every alcoholic drink.
This will help to reduce your overall alcohol and calorie intake as well as help you feel full.

• Use diet mixers in alcoholic drinks.
This will help to reduce your sugar and calorie intake.

• Get up and have a dance!
Not only will you burn off some extra calories but you’ll also keep everyone entertained!

Having overweight relatives doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be overweight too. Whilst genetics does suggest a tendency to put on weight, it certainly does NOT guarantee that you will. Your chosen lifestyle has a far greater impact. It is just like having a loaded gun. Whilst it does have the potential to cause harm, if you don’t pull the trigger it won’t hurt anyone.

If you choose to follow a healthy lifestyle then it is almost impossible for you to put on weight no matter what your genetic tendencies are.

Performing regular exercise is not essential if you want to lose weight but it can certainly help you achieve your goal faster. The first question you need to ask yourself is: why do you dislike exercise? Exercise is supposed to be fun! The human body is designed for activity and it doesn’t function as well as it should when it goes without it.

Many people report that they don’t like exercise because they have had a bad experience in the past. Perhaps they were embarrassed at school or were pushed too hard as a child. Maybe they did a workout with a personal trainer and woke up the next day in intense pain or watched people on TV getting blasted by a personal trainer (even though that type of training is only good for TV ratings!). Whatever their reason, they made a decision that exercise isn’t for them.

The fact is, once you find the type of exercise you enjoy and make it a part of your lifestyle, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier. An important point is that you always work within your capabilities and don’t push yourself too hard otherwise you will end up disliking it. Also, try a variety of exercises to see which ones you prefer. Remember, the exercise doesn’t have to be performed in a gym. You may like to learn salsa dancing or go snorkeling in the ocean. It is up to you. If you can take up an active hobby your results will come much faster.

In the last issue of Focus On we covered 10 questions you need to ask in order to assess your weight-loss program to see if it is suitable for you. Here are another 3 questions you should ask to see if the weight-loss program/ system is effective:

Can you see yourself following this program/ system long term?
In order for you to be able to maintain the results, you need to be able to maintain the habits that helped you achieve the results in the first place. If you can’t incorporate the principles into your lifestyle then perhaps consider an alternative.

What proof is there that the system works?
It is imperative that other people have successfully used the system before you. If the program can’t offer proof then you need to question its validity.

Does the program/ system make sense to you?
Losing weight is actually a simple process. If the system you are considering requires you to perform bizarre practices then definitely don’t use it. Things like replacing main meals with shakes or trying to starve yourself by having long periods between meals are ridiculous practices that should be avoided at all costs.

Staying motivated to lose weight seems to be a problem for many people especially after the New Year. Oftentimes people start the New Year with a list of resolutions only to find that within a few short weeks they have returned to previous lifestyle habits.

There are a number of strategies you can do to ensure that you stay focused and achieve your goal:

a) Establish strong reasons as to why you want to lose weight in the first place.

Having strong reasons will help you create the necessary weight-loss mindset that is essential in seeing your goal come to fruition. A weight-loss mindset makes performing the necessary daily tasks much easier because very little thought is required, you just do it!

b) Select principles that fit comfortably into your lifestyle.
Consider using weight-loss principles that you find easy. For example, take some weight-loss supplements every day, go for a 20-minute walk every morning before breakfast and have 5 meals a day. These are easy principles for most people to use.

c) Have support.
A support system is an excellent way to ensure your success. This may include having a weight-loss buddy, joining a support program like, SupportSlim, or joining a weight-loss group like, Weight Watchers.

These supports systems give you an opportunity to bounce ideas around as well as address various weight loss questions as well.

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