Developing the Right Attitude

Jane has made a decision to lose weight. She has thoughts of a starvation diet, such as eating celery and rice cakes. Jane believes that losing weight means she can’t eat any foods that taste good for the next several months. Jane’s positive attitude quickly wanes, leaving her wondering if losing weight is worth going through all of this deprivation.

The above scenario is not uncommon. Many people abandon such plans of because of a negative attitude. Good intentions about losing weight are often sabotaged by misinformation surrounding nutrition and weight loss. Developing the right attitude about weight loss (or any other nutrition related health issue) is essential and it can be accomplished by eliminating barriers.

Diet
The typical definition of a diet is “food deprivation and starvation.” A diet simply consists of what we eat and drink on a daily basis. All of us have a diet because all of us eat food. We have a job, we have a car, we have a diet. There are no “good” foods or “bad” foods, just better food choices. Not one food is solely responsible for our health. Our food choices make up our diet and it is our diet which impacts our health positively or negatively. It is better to cut back on certain foods, not cut out. Withholding food is not usually practical, it is a temporary situation at best, and it often sets us up to fail. With few exceptions, any food can fit into a healthful diet.

Perfect Body
Many of us are obsessed with finding the perfect body. It seems that society is convinced that “thin is in.” The truth is there is no perfect body. The shape of the body is partially determined by genetics. Trying to obtain the perfect body can lead to health problems, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Weight Charts
The height/weight charts are still widely used to determine a person’s ideal body weight (IBW). The Body Mass Index (BMI) is another chart that is used to decide if a person’s weight puts them at risk for health problems. It is important to remember that these charts are not written in stone and are merely a guideline that must be properly interpreted. Charts do not fully take into account genetics and they cannot distinguish muscle from fat. Another draw back of these charts is they often times put people into unrealistic categories. It is best to focus on maintaining a healthy weight. A healthy weight is when you look good, feel good, and your clothes fit.

Over weight versus Over fat
There is a difference between being over weight and over fat. A 5’ 10” male, weighing 210 pounds, would be considered over weight as indicated by the height/weight charts or the BMI. Upon learning that he is a professional bodybuilder with 7% body fat, the mental picture of this person would change. Since muscle weighs more than fat, he may be “over weight” but he most certainly is not over fat. Over fat is the condition of having excess body fat. In this example, the “excess” weight is muscle.

Healthy versus Thin
Healthy and thin are not synonymous. It is possible to be thin and not healthy, and to be healthy and not thin. Some individuals don’t eat properly and are so obsessed with weight and body image that they will do anything to be thin (e.g. a person who is anorexic). On the other hand, people can be healthy (e.g. all lab values are normal, blood pressure is normal, etc.) and not be thin because they are genetically large. It is more important to be healthy rather than thin.

Genetics
Genetics determines our type of frame, our muscle structure, and where body fat is deposited. This does not mean we cannot change how our body looks. Each one of us can lose excess body fat and increase muscle mass through exercise and sensible eating.

Measuring Success
Too often success is gauged only by the “magic number” on the scale. Like the charts, the scale cannot distinguish muscle from fat. Gauge success in different ways. Do you believe that your diet is one that you can realistically follow? Do you feel good about what you are doing to improve your health? Does it feel good to exercise? Do you like the physical changes that have happened to your body since you have made these lifestyle changes? Probably the most important measure of success is how your clothes fit.

Incorporating Lifestyle Changes
The best way to make changes is to incorporate them one at a time. Our current lifestyle habits have been with us for years so it is important to realize that change will not happen over night. We often take on too much at once and then we are likely setting ourselves up for failure. Be patient with yourself, and before you know it, you will have made several lifestyle changes that are positive and permanent.