Don’t Rush into Losing Weight, Nutritionists Say

Whenever we decide to lose weight, even if just a couple of pounds, we arm ourselves with an entire arsenal of weapons, from patience and courage, resolutions not to fall off the bandwagon, to several dietary plans and workout equipment. Our approach to losing weight is like a revolution of sorts, and it’s precisely this that causes us to fail or, at best, pile on the pounds once the “program” is over, nutritionists say for Shape magazine.

The idea behind dropping a few sizes is that it has to happen on the basis of considerable changes in our eating behavior. Either by means of a diet or a strict workout plan, we inevitably change our lifestyle – the only thing we have to remember if we want the best results is that we shouldn’t rush into things. Learning to make one change at a time and to wait until it is fully integrated into our life before making another is essential in this sense.

“Small changes can make a big difference.” Melanie Polk, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition education at the American Institute for Cancer Research, says for Shape. In order to illustrate that, the mag suggests that people drinking three cups of milk a day switch from reduced-fat to nonfat. Just this simple change amounts to 3,000 calories in a month, which means enough to lose one pound of weight.

“What’s more, changing one habit at a time gives you a sense of success: You’ll see results and be able to stick to your plan. Soon, the habit will be second nature. Then you’ll be inspired to add another change, and another. This works far better than a drastic dietary overhaul, which leads to feelings of failure and deprivation.” Shape further explains. In all fairness, these are common-sense tips – it’s just our eagerness to lose the weight that makes us rush head first into it, seeing it more as a challenge instead of an improvement, as it should be regarded.

By making subtle changes in our life and sticking with them for a while before making others also means we’re actually increasing our chances of keeping the pounds off. A restrictive diet, granted we have the strength and dedication to see it through, almost inevitably leads to the yo-yo phenomenon, whereas the gradual method of making changes is certain not to make us feel as if we’re being deprived, or going out of our way to achieve a goal.

To kick-start the series of changes, Shape suggests drinking more water. After a month or so, we should be accustomed to it, and it’s then we should feel free to choose a different change we wish to make about our eating and lifestyle patterns.