Extreme Diets
Most of us dieters tend to go to extremes about the latest diet plan. We eat right, work out, and drink water by the gallon--for the first week or two. Then we fall off the bandwagon just as quickly. Part of the problem may be that we get a little extreme about our new lifestyle, too obsessive to reasonably sustain what we're doing. Here are some tips from our BLC members about how to control extreme behavior that may end up causing us to quit dieting all together. Do you weigh yourself over and over, then find that the number on the scale depresses you? Over-weighing can make you feel hopeless! Instead weigh yourself once a week. "In the closet is where the scales should always be," says one BLC member who only takes her scale out on weigh-in day. "Most of all, remember to only weigh first thing in the morning, and never after exercise. You lose 2 to 3 lbs overnight and can gain up to 5 right after exercise." Do you cut out snacks or meals in an effort to speed up your weight loss? Under-eating can leave you listless and slow down your metabolism. Instead, eat everything on your meal plan and drink plenty of water. "I grew up with coal furnaces," says one BLC member. "If you don't keep them stoked, the fire burns out. It's the same with our bodies...we need to eat tiny portions all day long. If we don't, the fire that burns our calories goes out. Your body goes into survival mode when you don't get some type of food. It doesn't have to be very much. If your inner furnace thinks the fire is going out, it quits burning calories and your metabolism slows way down."
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