Joining the Thin Club

Lifelong Habits

Are you scared of the statistics on regaining lost weight? Want the secret to a lifetime Thin Club membership? 

We all do. We didn't work this hard to get where we are for nothing, and we don't-- any of us-- want to backslide. But if you haven't changed the patterns that caused you to gain weight in the first place, whatever those patterns might be, you will gain weight.

Nobody wants to hear that, I know, but it's the truth. Losing the weight was the easy part, in some ways. The hard part is to make those new habits stick. Here are some of the items on my personal list. They may seem obvious, but it's also obvious that many Americans aren't doing them.

-Drink plenty of water every day.

-Exercise, exercise, exercise! If you've lost a significant amount of weight, and exercise is still something you dread, it's time to try another activity. See my post below on "Shake Up Your Exercise."

-Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Eat reasonable-sized portions of everything.

-When you're full, stop eating.

-Don't deny yourself anything. If you feel too restricted, you will cheat. It's much better to have a small piece (very small!) of dark chocolate now than to inhale a big bag of M&Ms later when the craving overcomes your willpower.

-Weigh yourself regularly. If you see your weight starting to creep up, even if it's just a little bit, take steps to correct it. You know how to do this. You lost the weight in the first place, didn't you?

-Take pride in the new you and love your life.

 

Party time

There's always a flurry of articles around the holidays citing scary statistics on holiday weight gain. But if you're like me, any party, no matter what time of year, can be a challenging food situation.  Here are a few of my best party food tips. I hope they will help you as much as they help me.

DO eat a healthy meal before going to a party, so you aren't tempted to binge on the rich and high-calorie party treats.

DON'T position yourself near the buffet table, lest you find yourself unconsciously grazing.

DO take a small plate and make good choices (crudite is good for you, but that high-fat dip isn't!). Eat slowly so you aren't tempted to immediately return for more.

DON'T make a production of your health-conscious decisions. You may make others uncomfortable if you are vocal about how bad for you most party food is!

DO think about bringing something to share. This is a trick I picked up from my vegetarian friends, who know that bringing something to a party guarantees there'll be at least one thing there they can eat! Just be sure to check with the host or hostess first, as you don't want them to feel offended.

DON'T forget to give appropriate compliments on the items you enjoy. Your remarks should be specific, but should definitely not reference your weight watching. Say, "Sarah, the salsa on the veggie plate is fantastic! Is it homemade?", not "Sarah, the salsa on the veggie plate is fantastic. Plus it was SUCH a relief that there was something there I could eat!"

DO make sure you have a drink in your hand. Club soda has gotten me through many a social occasion, when I didn't want to deal with the calories of alcoholic beverages.  (Double bonus: since most of us aren't coordinated enough to juggle both a drink and a small plate at a cocktail party, you'll eat that much less.)

DON'T drink to excess-- this is a bad idea both calorically and otherwise. It's common sense, but something too many of us are inclined to disregard when we're in a festive mood.

DO enjoy yourself and have a great time!

Other Resources (these are good year-round, not just at the holidays!):

Walking.about.com How far you must walk to burn off calories from various holiday foods.

Weightloss.about.com  Top 5 tips for avoiding holiday weight gain.

Weight Watchers tips on recovering from post-holiday gain.