Winning the Battle of the Bulge: Successful Strategies

Let's take a look at how your attitudes and perceptions affect the results you acheive and how slight modifications can achieve mighty results.

When attacking any problem, it is always best to break it into small sections that can be approached individually. Every war is made up of many battles. Stringing together a series of battles helps to win the war. If you are dealing with personal debt, credit counselors will tell you to pay off one card or account at a time; building momentum with each little victory.

In many ways, our battle of the bulge is very similar. If you have ten, or twenty, or thirty, or one hundred pounds to lose, it is self-defeating to try to lose that amount in any given time. However, anyone can lose one pound or two. Once done, you simply repeat the steps you took to win that small (but significant) battle, and you're on your way to winning the war!

According to the Wellness Letter (published by UC Berkeley), the average American gains about two pounds each year. Well, someone at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) crunched the numbers and look what they came up with. Each pound of body weight is equivalent to 3500 calories. Dividing those 3500 calories by 365 days, each pound of body weight gain comes from an extra 19 calories per day. Now this is generalized, so don't write me letters.... just hear me out.

If you can see what 19 calories a day can do over the course of a year, imagine what decreasing your diet by 100 calories per day can do. This would equate to a five-pound weight loss (roughly) over the course of a year.

How difficult would it be to leave out 100 calories each day? Well, the folks at the ADA came up with a few -- amazingly easy -- suggestions.

-- eat water packed tuna instead of oil packed tuna

-- have one cup of cereal in the morning instead of two cups

-- put tomato slices, lettuce and pepper strips on a sandwich instead of mayo

-- substitute skim milk for whole milk (two cups is all it takes...)

-- snack on a cup of low fat yogurt and fruit instead of doughnuts or cookies

-- drink a big glass of water with green tea extract, instead of a soda

Once you see how easy it is to trim some calories away, you need only diligence and will-power to stick to it. The old saying goes "if you fail to plan, it's like planning to fail."

To win the battle of the bulge, you've got to have a battle plan. That plan will involve (your number one ingredient) CHANGE. When you undertake a challenge such as this, you need to take an assessment of your attitude.

The good folks at the ADA came up with a few questions to ask yourself:

Are you willing to make regular physical activity a part of your routine? Are you committed to making small gradual changes in your eating plan? Do you have a realistic weight-loss goal in mind? Can you control your food choices and meal preparation methods? Are you losing weight to improve your health and feel better?

If you go into this with the right plan, the right attitude, and have the ability to persevere, you can't help but achieve your goals.

If you haven't started off with a plan and the right attitude, do so now! Don't go through all of the effort it takes to ATTEMPT to lose weight and fail. Instead, make the effort and LOSE weight!

References:
http://www.eatright.org American Dietetic Association,
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/index.php The Wellness Letter

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (ccwebgroup.com/tips) and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com, an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), r+ alpha lipoic acid (R+ ALA), and Green Tea Extract.

---

Top 5 Reasons Why Women Over 30 Dont Lose Weight And Keep It Off

Have you heard about it lately? Everywhere you look, women... Read More

Weight-loss Tip: Add Extra Calcium to a Low-Fat Diet

Got milk? New research suggests you should if you want... Read More

Measuring and Monitoring Your Bodyfat: Improves Overall Health

With so many diets and fads being offered on the... Read More

Weight Loss Program - Weight Loss? Why Bother With a Diet Plan? Does Weight Loss Matter?

We all know that weight loss is important. We know... Read More

How to Gain More Pleasure While Losing Weight

It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More

The Magic Formula Works its Wonder Today Part 4

The people of earlier times depended on the rich resource... Read More

5 Easy Weight Loss Tips You Can Use Right Now

Sometimes, just the thought of starting on a diet and... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #13

Life is great, isn't it? Stop and just look around... Read More

Are Your Co-Workers Making You Fat? Avoiding Unexpected Treats

Taming the See Food Eat Food ResponseWhat happens when you're... Read More

Diet Pills: Tremendous Temptation, Huge Frauds

False campaignsMore than 50 percent of Americans and Canadians are... Read More

What is Your Healthy Body Weight

Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More

South Beach Diets and Fast Food Franchises

Franchised Business Models and American Diets could be at odds.... Read More

The Truth About Diet Myths

How do we know what we know? Often, our knowledge... Read More

The Best Weight Loss Advice Youll Ever Get

"Who are you to give me weight loss advice?" I... Read More

7 Little Known Facts About Cellulite

Cellulite is a condition for which cures are commonly sought.... Read More

Atkins Diet Plan - Whats The Catch

The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs... Read More

The Fail-Safe Weight Loss Formula

Yes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists.It's so simple,... Read More

Obesity as an Issue Today and the Half Ton Man

Following recent reports of a South Dakota man weighing half... Read More

Hoodia ? Its Basic Nature Part 3

Hoodia Gordonii a cactus plant found thousands of miles away... Read More

Teenage Weight Loss -- How Teenagers Can Safely Lose Weight

Teenagers with body mass indices between 25 and 30 require... Read More

Finally, Natural Weight Loss Availalble, Judge Lifts Ban on Ephedra

April 14, 2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal... Read More

Spare Muscle Mass and Power, Lose the Fat

The goal of many athletes and exercisers is to "get... Read More

Walking for Weight Loss: Walking with a Purpose

I wrote this article back in the late fall when... Read More

Weight Loss: How to Get Rid of Excess You

Q: "I'm wondering if you can help me. I'm not... Read More

Dieting? Upgrading Your Non-Conscious Mind ? Part 2

To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More

Before and After Your Liposuction

Although liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic... Read More

Protein - Its Place In Your Weight Loss Program

Any food that we take into our bodies is composed... Read More

Weight Loss Motivation: I CAN DO IT!

Several months ago I was in desperate need of weight... Read More

Dietary Recommendations After Gastric Bypass Surgery

When obesity gets out of hand, unresponsive to dietary, lifestyle... Read More

Weight Loss: Secrets To Losing Weight Without Much Efforts

Are you overweight?Most people are afraid to admit they are.It... Read More

Weight Loss - Attitude Counts

Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More

Why Low Carb Dieters Can Eat Chicken Skin And Meat Fat

While low-fat dieters and non-dieters may want to avoid chicken... Read More

Eating Out

I know how difficult it can be do stick to... Read More