When it comes to the dieting process, losing weight is actually the easiest part for most people. That’s why I spend most of my time teaching people how to keep the weight off once they’ve lost it. It’s not sexy and it’s not the stuff people want to hear, but it is critical if you want to achieve your lifelong health and weight goals.
And the fact is, you will only be successful keeping the weight off if you’re consistent and understand the potential pitfalls surrounding you. And I’m not just talking about the ice cream aisle at the supermarket.
In fact, when it comes to keeping weight off, it’s not the physical challenges that are the most difficult to overcome — it’s the psychological ones.
By the time you’ve put in the work to lose a significant amount of weight, you’ve already committed to eating a healthy diet and exercising, so you don’t need specific advice on what foods to eat or how to get moving.
But the problem is, all too often people haven’t addressed their underlying relationship with food, even if they’ve shed 20, 30, 40 pounds or more. And excluding the mind from any weight loss plan is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
To that end, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners pointed out various behavioral and emotional factors that lead to regaining weight. Here are some of the most important:
- Unrealistic expectations: This is why I try to urge my patients not to set specific weight loss goals — especially if they have a lot to lose, and especially within a certain time frame. Yes, it’s possible to shed weight quickly (I’ve seen it happen…and write about some specific instances in The A-List Diet). But it’s more important to recognize that all weight loss is good — it doesn’t matter how much or how long it takes, as long as the trend is down.
- Failure to achieve weight loss goals: This goes hand-in-hand with No. 1 on this list. If you’re frustrated and disappointed that you haven’t reached that unrealistic number you had in your mind, you’re much more likely to throw in the towel.
- Dichotomous (or “black and white”) thinking: People who think this way tend to view one slip-up as out-and-out failure. Instead of accepting that slip-ups happen to everyone and getting back on track with their next meal, they give up entirely.
- Eating to regulate mood: This is the biggest enemy of weight management. Find other ways to manage your emotions.
- Body image: Individuals who were more satisfied with their appearance, and whose body image steadily improved throughout the time period studied, were more likely to maintain their weight loss. Be proud, and not afraid, of your new body.
These are important points to be aware of and get a jump start on now, even if you’re still in the weight-loss phase of The A-List Diet. That way, when you do reach your goals, you’ll be less likely to fall victim to any of them.
And I’ll be here to help every step of the way.
A-Listers’ Corner
Mike’s diet story
Something I’ve noticed over the years is that pride can get in the way of people’s motivation to make a change in their life. For men especially, I’ve seen many failed attempts at dieting simply because they feel as though there isn’t a program out there geared towards their specific needs. Most diets are catered to women — which can feel very discouraging to a man that wants to lose weight.
That’s why The A-List Diet is broken down into categories that meet the needs of six specific dieter types, with men finally getting the individualized advice that’s been sorely missing in other diet plans.
Of course, my patient Mike, a rap icon, almost cried after I told him about the detox phase of The A-List Diet. I never expected that type of reaction from such a macho guy. So I reminded him that the Grammys were two weeks away and that he would be very shirtless on stage, which was enough motivation for him to start the program immediately.
He dug deep, did it, and called me on day three to tell me how amazed he was that he was never hungry at all. By day seven, he had lost ten pounds. He was a happy man.
If you’d like to share your story with me, please send an email to drfred@alistdietbook.com.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Recipe of the Week
This week’s A-List recipe spotlight is desserts:
(Yes, The A-List Diet program even has desserts! I do recommend keeping sweet treats at a minimum — but these recipes are okay to have in moderation or used to serve guests for a special occasion!)
Chocolate-Coconut Pudding (page 271 of The A-List Diet Book)
Ingredients:
- 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, mash the avocado until very smooth. Stir in the milk and cocoa powder
- Divide the pudding evenly between two dessert bowls. Stir 1 tablespoon chia seeds into each, cover, and allow to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.