Weight Loss Information |
How To Indulge and Win The Battle of The Bulge During The Holidays: Get Yourself a Buddy
If you are trying to lose weight, the holidays literally are the heaviest time of the year. So how do you eat, drink and be merry while you're counting every single calorie? By getting a buddy who will help you make the right choices bite by bite. Scientific studies have shown that people who diet with partners are much more likely to lose weight and to keep it off. And there's no more crucial time to have a buddy on your side than from Thanksgiving to New Year's. "During the holidays, you can use all the help you can get," says Alan Gettis, a nutritionist and clinical psychologist in River Edge, N.J. "I urge my clients to get a full-time year-round a buddy, it could be a husband or a wife, a neighbor or a friend. I've also been telling my clients about www.WeightLossBuddy.com, where they can sign up for a buddy for free." But don't wait for the first feast to find a buddy, says Susan Holmberg, a nutritionist and behavioral therapist in Oradell, N.J. "Once you start overeating, you don't want a buddy," she says. Buddies give you moral support and help you identify bad eating habits and patterns because they have been there, too, she says. "You may want to have more than one buddy," she says. "You can have one on the phone and one who exercises with you and goes to parties with you. You can make deals with your buddy where you both go to the party but only one of you goes through the buffet line or where you agree to split one meal." Buddies also are like therapists and coaches, who listen to you and keep you on the right path. "Your buddy should be a person you can share your feelings with and rely on in a pinch without fear that your feelings will be used as ammunition against you," Gettis says. Holmberg says that www.WeightLossBuddy.com is particularly helpful to people who may be reluctant to change because those who sign on can choose a either real-life buddy, someone in their geographical area they can meet and exercise with, or select someone to work with solely online or via the phone. "Sometimes anonymity is good," she says. "You are much more likely to try it if you don't have to meet the person." Gettis points out that with www.WeightLossBuddy, "you can find someone with similar goals, and both of you can support each other." Buddies also take on active roles, getting you to stop a bad habit and replace it with a healthy one. Gettis likens the process to a marathon, where the runners are tempted to give up before the 26th mile because it is so difficult to stay the course. "The 18- to 19-mile mark is the crucial one," he says. "During a marathon I was once in, I came upon two guys running - one was hurting, and the other was encouraging him to keep running. I followed them for two to three miles, and the one kept saying, 'Leave me.' The other kept saying, 'I'm not going to.' And I thought, 'What great friends!' Then I heard the one hurting say, 'What's your name?'" Perhaps the most important role that buddies play is helping plan strategies and then making sure that you make them work. "They can teach you to take baby steps and to change your environment," Holmberg says. "For instance, they may suggest that you keep sneakers in your trunk or put on your gym clothes as you leave the office so you don't have an excuse not to exercise. They can call ahead to the party to check on the menu and give you a low-cal recipe to bring so there's at least one thing that you can eat." Holmberg says that some of the changes are so simple that people overlook them. A buddy may, for instance, suggest that you get at the end of the buffet line so there is less food available or help the host wash dishes because if your hands are wet, you are less likely to nibble on the last remaining crumbs from the serving dishes. "If you are asked to bring dessert, your buddy may remind you not to make chocolate chip cookies because the last time you ate a dozen cookies before you brought them to the party and nibbled the chips while baking and suggest that instead you make something like a pie that can't be nibbled because it is cut only when served." Buddies also can help you practice being assertive, not aggressive to make significant changes in your diet and your lifestyle. "By being assertive, you attack the task," Gettis says. "By being aggressive, you attack the person. You need to stand your ground and in a firm but angry voice say: 'I really would appreciate it if you would not bring home anything fattening. You may have had good intentions, but I'd feel better if you didn't do it again.'" So don't wait until you're boxed in by back-to-back parties and surrounded by wall-to-wall goodies to find a buddy. Make an early New Year's resolution to do it now, long before the marathon feasts begin, Gettis says. "You have to be realistic, so don't count on losing 10 to 12 pounds during the holidays. Don't say you'll lose 10 pounds during the holidays, and don't gain 10 either. And get someone to be your buddy for all 12 months of the year. You have nothing to lose - but weight." Copyright © 2004, Weight Loss Buddy Press About The Author Joey Dweck We at http://www.WeightLossBuddy.com are committed to helping you find a 24/7 buddy who will not only help you lose weight but who also will get you to change to a healthy lifestyle. You choose your own diet and your own exercise regime, and we find you a buddy who literally will stick with you through thick and thin. Signing up for a buddy is free. Simply visit the website or call up 1-877-BUDDY-UP.
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Atkins Diet Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) Carbohydrate Ladder The Atkins low-carb diet consists of four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance, and Maintenance. This article focuses on phase II of the Atkins diet, ongoing weight loss, or OWL. No Excuse on Getting in Shape America is getting more obese every year. Even our children are becoming dangerously obese, even though we are more self conscious over our appearance. When Cellulite Attacks! Cellulite is a recent addition to the English language. In fact, it is not a medical term at all. 4 Tips for Fast Fat Loss Part I Fat Loss Tip #1) Train With WeightsWorking out with weights when trying to lose body fat has numerous important benefits. First, an intense weight training session burns calories during the actual workout. Fast Weight Loss Secret Revealed - Move it or Lose it! Some of you will not like what I have to say, even though it is the truth. And that may be where the problem of American's health problems lies. High Carb & Low Carb Diets: How To Avoid The Dangers There's a two hundred year history of people prescribing both high and low carb diets for weight loss. So how does one choose? One factor you should consider is the dangers associated with each diet. 4 Tips for Fast Fat Loss Part II Fat Loss Tip #2) Drink More WaterI know, I know, we've all heard this one over and over again. But how many of us really drink enough water? I'm talking at least 10 8 ounce glasses of water a day, minimum. The Best Diet/Way To Lose Weight The diet that worked for meI have had a lot of issues and problems with my weight. It has had a major effect on my life, it knocked my confidence and I had an all round low self-esteem. High Protein Diets Can Have a "Bad" Impact on Your Career With all the excitement regarding high protein diets, one area that is often not talked about is a diet rich in protein can be a major contributor to bad breath. Actually, there are several causes of bad breath, many of which most people have given little, if any, thought to. Dieting Tips For Fast Weight Loss - How To Jump-start Your Diet Do you want to lose weight fast? While there is no diet that will allow you to eat as much as you want and still lose weight, there are things you can do to speed along the process. Good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are the most important aspects of any diet, but there are appetite suppressants and diet aids designed to help you burn fat and increase your metabolic rate. Shape Up! 4-Alternative Weight Loss Solutions I am embarrassed to admit how many different commercial weight loss programs I've tried. I don't know about you, but after a while I grow tired of talking heads touting empty promises. Fat Burners: The Biggest Rip-Off of the Weight Loss Industry? Fat burners have become very popular in today's society, especially in America. It seems that everyone is looking for a "quick fix" to their problem?and that is why they, therefore, turn to those "awesome" fat burners where you can just pop a pill and "lose 30 pounds in 10 days!"However, do these fat burners actually work? Do they actually provide any benefits? Do the $40-$100 price tags justify their benefits? Here we will investigate some of the claims that they make such as:-increased thermogenesis-decreased appetite-weight loss without exercising-increased energyHowever, before I go into any more detail about fat burners, you must understand two important concepts:Total Daily Energy Expenditure and The Law of Thermodynamics (don't worry -they're quite simple). Weight Loss Problems - Or is it a Self Image Problem? Some of you will not like what I have to say, even though it is the truth. And that may be where the problem of American's health problems lies. Eat Healthy for Life Let's not talk about diets. Diets are punishment - like being sent to bed without dinner. How 40,000 People Reversed Heart Disease It is well known that about two-thirds of the U.S. Fat Burning Secrets For Cardio Workouts Lets face it, most of us live pretty busy lives and the amount of time spent exercising does eat up what little free time a lot of us have. I don't like to waste my free time anymore than anyone else so if I am going to use it up on an activity, I feel the rewards of the activity should out way the cost. The Myth of Fast Weight Loss You will be surprised to find out how many people are actually looking for a fast weight loss program. Why fast? Well, first of all, most of us are impatient. Dieting Will Never Be the Same! A Review of How to Make Your Diet Work According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are categorized as obese or overweight. Catching Yourself In A Binge or Compulsive Eating: Stopping Behaviors Oh, no . . Weight Loss and Disease - It's Not the Food that's Killing Us! Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or from a letter in the mail, it's hard to face the truth at times. Hearing it can really cut to the core of our beings. |
home | site map | contact us |