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- $Unique_ID{BRK00833}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{What do "Life Style Changes" for Weight Loss Entail?}
- $Subject{diet lifestyle weight Community Social lifestyles metabolism
- exercise diets dieting exercises exercising overweight}
- $Volume{Q-23}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- What do "Life Style Changes" for Weight Loss Entail?
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- QUESTION: My life has been a constant battle against the scales and I have
- used diets, medications, and purchased everything in sight. Still the weight
- returns. A new counselor is suggesting "life style changes". Just what does
- this entail? Does it help?
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-
- ANSWER: Changing lifestyle means exactly what it sounds like: changing the
- style in which you live. For people with weight problems, the change most
- often has to do with how active you are. Dieting alone is not the best way to
- reduce weight. A very low calorie diet slows your metabolism (the rate at
- which your body uses calories), an ancient response that helped our ancestors
- survive famine. Moreover, many people just like you gain weight rapidly after
- stopping the diet.
- Modifying your lifestyle by adding exercise can balance the equation.
- Exercise uses up calories, offers health benefits, confers a feeling of
- psychological well-being, and, perhaps most important, sustains your metabolic
- rate.
- Other lifestyle changes:
-
- - ALTER YOUR ENVIRONMENT: For example, keep "problem" foods in a closet
- beyond easy reach, or out of the house altogether.
- - ARRANGE FOR REWARDS: Keep in mind the idea that you are moving toward
- a smaller clothing size, for example. Weight loss can also be its own
- reward.
- - TELL OTHERS OF YOUR PLAN: Family members, friends, physicians,
- nurses--knowing they are watching and hoping can motivate you when your
- own motivation flags.
- - SUBSTITUTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS FOR TEMPTATIONS
- - MAKE A DEAL: It can be verbal or written; with someone else or with
- yourself. The key elements are rewards for achievements and consequences
- for failure.
- - USE SMALL STEPS TOWARDS SUCCESS: Slow but sure wins the race.
-
- It's really never easy to lose weight, but by attacking the problem using
- a bit of each of these strategies, you may attain that very important victory
- that has been eluding you.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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-