Black Bean and Corn Salad

5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss

woman-eating-berries Despite doing all of the right things — trading those potato chips for a wholesome snack, cooking and preparing your meals at home, and getting regular exercise — you’re still struggling to shed those last 10 or 20 pounds (or more!). And it seems you’ve been at it for weeks (months, years!) and you can’t get those darn last pounds off.

Don’t just assume you can’t reach your goal — you can! Of course, you do need to make sure your weight-loss goal is a realistic one, but all too often I find that even “healthy” habits can get in the way of the scale moving in the right direction.

Okay, you think I’ve lost it. You’re thinking, “How can healthy behaviors be getting in my way?” Well oftentimes just some small adjustments can make big payoffs. Here are some surprising reasons why you’re not losing the weight and how to switch up your strategy to get that scale moving down a notch:

1) You’re loading up on whole grains. You’ve cleared your pantry of snacks made with white flour and replaced them with heart-healthy whole-grain versions. But many of these snacks can be high in sugar, fat and sodium…not to mention calories.

I recently was at a supermarket where you can sample some of the products, and I saw they had a “healthy, whole-grain, organic” granola bar. I’m always looking to try something new, so I took a small piece. Within a few seconds the sugar content was just too overwhelming for me. I looked at the package — for 1 serving (one bar at 35 grams) it had 13 grams of sugar! I was thinking, “I’d rather just have a cookie!” and it was a quick reminder why I don’t often eat “packaged” snacks (if I have a cookie, 8o% of the time I bake them myself). And studies have shown that those who eat the least amount of processed whole-grain foods (like snack foods and crackers) enjoy the biggest weight-control benefits.

So even if that packaged food is “whole grain” or has some other health-claim on it (and beware of those claims….) remember it is still packaged food. Aim to eat things like brown and wild rice, bulgur, quinoa, spelt and oatmeal instead. And try to keep the majority of your whole grains as close to “whole” as possible — meaning less processed. A whole food (ie, real food) is much better for you than anything out of a package.

2) You allow yourself a “cheat day”…or two. Being one of my readers, and I’m sure from your own personal experience, you know that denying yourself all treats when trying to lose or maintain weight can set you up for a binge. So your solution? For being “good” during the week you allow yourself to splurge on weekends. Now I’m not against having a cheat day here and there, but for many this feast or famine mentality can backfire. And too often one cheat day turns into two, then three, and before you know a week (or weekS!) have gone by and you’re right back at where you started.

So if you do have a cheat day — keep it to a DAY. And don’t use it as a free-pass to go crazy. Don’t start the day with donuts for breakfast, then McDonald’s for lunch, and a huge pizza for dinner. Allow yourself some treats or your favorite foods — but keep it to a minimum. One good strategy is instead of having a cheat day, allow yourself a FEW SMALL treats a few times during the week, rather than waiting until Friday night to splurge.

3) You make your own meals. Okay, cooking your own meals is one of (if not THE) best strategies for weight-loss, maintaining weight-loss, and overall better health. But if you’re not mindful, some bad habits in the kitchen can easily translate into extra pounds. For example: picking at food while you cook, using a heavy hand with sauces and dressings, taking second (or third) helpings, and nibbling leftovers as you’re clearing the table. So preparing and cooking your own meals is great, just be aware of some of these little ‘habits’ than can backfire if you’re not careful.

So get out there and cook — but don’t nibble too much and be aware of the “mindless eating” that can go on.

4) You’ve made and keeping to a routine. Now having a routine is good. But often when it comes to our food, even healthy food, we can get STUCK in a routine. Meaning we’re eating the same things over and over again. You have a handful of recipes and meals that you prepare week after week. And even if they’re healthy, you’re body starts to adjust.

So you need to try some new things and shake it up a bit. And your body needs to get some different nutrients, minerals and vitamins. So if you always have a banana with your cereal for breakfast, switch it up and and have some fresh berries instead. Or whip up a fruit smoothie. Maybe you have a salad with grilled chicken a few times a week for lunch Make things different (and get some great Omega 3′s) and have a piece of salmon instead. If your normal veggie with dinner is either broccoli or carrots, try something new like a spinach, kale, swiss chard, squash, zucchini, okra, leeks….the list goes on. The point is you may need to be eating some different things to introduce to your body, AND to keep your taste buds happy.

5) You like your exercise program. It’s BEST to enjoy the exercise you’re getting, but you’ve been doing the same exercise routine for months. Maybe you walk for 30 minutes 5 days a week. Walking is great, but at some point you’re going to need to step it up or at least switch it up to see more weight loss.

Replace one day of walking with swimming, tennis, dancing, a fitness class at a local gym, yoga, running, do an exercise video at home….you get the idea. But you need to challenge your body and to work different muscles. And just like with your food, it’s a great way to avoid boredom. Even if you love walking, add in some different exercises from time to time (or for even better results, at least once a week).

At the gym I often find myself doing the same old things: elliptical or treadmill, some free weights and crunches (for my abs). But at least every other week I force myself to do something different. Even if it’s using a weight machine instead of the free weights. The next day I’ll feel it in muscles in areas of my body I didn’t know existed! Or I’ll take a stretching or yoga class. Just something to keep my body (and mind) challenged and working a different area.

So don’t let an exercise routine become too habitual. Time to time shake things up a bit and try something new. You just might be surprised how your body reacts (in a positive way!)

So if the scale hasn’t moved for a while, take a look at some areas that could use some tweaking. Though your body does need time to adjust to any weight loss, it is normal for the scale to not move much during a week or two. But if it’s been weeks or months — take a closer look at making some small changes even if you’re doing everything “right”.

Some small tweaking could be just what your body needs to move the scale in the right direction. As that’s what losing weight, and keeping it off, is all about….continually learning, fine tuning, and being open to new things. Come to think of it, that’s what LIFE is all about. And making the best of your life is what should be your motivation. So shake things up!

Tags: diet, dieting, Dinneen Diette, Eat Without Guilt, Exercise, food, healthy eating, healthy living, lose weight, Nutrition, scale, Weight Loss

A Powerful First Step to Ending Comfort Eating

by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Emotional Eating

11 Comments

Many of us at one time or another have eaten for comfort. It’s common to reach for food when we are bored, stressed, unhappy with life, upset, or depressed. So we eat in an attempt to feel better, get rid of the boredom, de-stress, or cheer up.

Yet while we reach to the food for comfort, in the end it does the exact opposite. When you eat for comfort you don’t eat for pleasure and savor the taste, smell and texture of the food. Instead, you eat mindlessly and afterwards are more likely to feel miserable and guilty about overeating. In fact, you probably end up feeling worse after the comfort eating than you did before! Most of the time, eating fails to provide you with the comfort you seek.

If you have relied too much on comfort eating to get rid of stress or cheer you up, you may now be carrying the effects of that comfort eating in the form of extra weight. So the first thing people often do is go on some type of diet plan.

But while following the diet plan, eating becomes a set of rules and not a pleasant, sensory relationship. For instance, your focus shifts on how many calories, points, carbohydrates or fat grams you can have. So your comfort foods, like pizza, macaroni & cheese, chocolate, or cake are now considered “bad” or guilty foods. So you’re even more tempted to treat yourself to these forbidden foods. Hey, we all want what we can’t have, right?

Diet plans may solve the upper layer problem, meaning they will help you lose weight, at least in the short run.

But they don’t provide a solution to the underlying core needs and desires.

Your core needs and desires are about wanting to enjoy life more fully, feeling secure and safe in your life, and being able to handle your emotions in an empowered way. If you overeat for comfort, one effective solution involves learning to create a new relationship with food.

Here’s a powerful tool I learned in France which can help you change your comfort eating habits and lose weight:

Create a Pleasurable Eating Experience

In our fast-paced lives, we have lost some of the pleasure that food provides and that is found in cultures around the world. I experienced this firsthand in my travels to Italy and when I lived in France. When was the last time you took just a few minutes to really explore the food you were eating — how it smells, the texture, the colors, the way it feels in your mouth? Did you think about where it came from? How it was grown or how it got to the table? Because we often eat mindlessly, we often take larger bits or overconsume food because subconsciously we are not getting the innate pleasure food can provide.

If now you’re thinking “I DO enjoy food — I just enjoy it too much” you’re not looking deep enough. The enjoyment of food is not just the moment it’s in your mouth. It’s the whole experience: picking out the food, cutting it up and preparing it, setting the table, having good conversation with friends and family.

Decide today to take one meal a week and turn it into a pleasure, full sensory, enjoyable experience. Choose a meal that would be enjoyable for you and fun to cook. Get the family involved, turn off the tv and put some music on. Or even invite some friends over. There’s no better way to get reconnected with friends than by sharing something you’ve made. And it doesn’t have to be fancy. Just something simple that you enjoy. Be focused on the food and the time you’re spending on doing something good for you and your family.

You can even place flowers on the table and make a nice setting. As you eat, let your taste buds truly experience the food. But also relax, talk and enjoy the company of others. As you take in the experience of eating and digesting, you’ll notice there is less a need to stuff your stomach. We eat with more than just our stomach — all of our senses are involved and we should allow them to experience the meal to it’s fullest.

Remember, we don’t just eat with our mouths. We eat with our nose, our eyes, and even our ears.

Treat yourself and decide you are deserving and give yourself the gift of pleasure and enjoyment. So just take one meal this week. Once you start experiencing food differently, you’ll see that you start to participate in LIFE differently. Soon you’ll start to see that even more things in life will become pleasurable, and you’ll find yourself eating less, feeling more satisfied — and more fulfilled — in more ways than one.

Tags: binge eating, comfort eating, dieting, eating for pleasure, Emotional Eating, food, Weight Loss

How to Indulge, Without the Bulge, Over the Holidays

by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss

2 Comments

As someone whose job it is to help people lose weight (and keep it off), you might be surprised to hear that, yes, I do indulge a bit during the holidays.

Hot chocolate? Pass me a cup. Gingerbread? Mmm, mmm, serve me some. Christmas cookies? Absolutely!

And I don’t gain weight. “Impossible,” you say. No, not at all.

Now that doesn’t mean I forgo eating my veggies and other healthy foods during the holidays. It just means I relax a bit don’t try to be so vigilant by following a strict regimen. And you should do the same.

My philosophy is that there’s no reason not to indulge a bit in something you (or your family) enjoy during the December holidays, provided you: 1) eat with pleasure 2) do it in moderation and 3) get some exercise.

Okay, I know. Easier said than done, right? That’s what I hear all of the time. Everyone is afraid they can’t indulge as they fear they’ll lose control and eat everything in sight! But there’s NO need to fear. Follow my advice and you’ll learn that you can have your cake…and eat it too!

Eat With Pleasure. Be in the moment, truly enjoy the food and take real pleasure when eating it. Studies have shown that one gets more out of a meal, not just emotionally, but also physiologically, when the food is a pleasure to eat.

In other words, when you eat with pleasure, your body absorbs more nutrients from the foods than if you ate the exact same foods but without much enjoyment. So whether you’re eating a piece of fruit or a piece of chocolate, eat it with pleasure!

Moderation. I know this a tough one for many. You think that once you start, you won’t be able to stop. The reason you often can’t stop is that you think of the food as “forbidden” and something that you shouldn’t be eating. By understanding that it’s okay to eat the indulgent food, you’ll relax more and that “I must eat it all now” attitude will subside.

You see, we’re genetically programmed to eat in a feast-or-famine world. It did us good when we were hunters and gatherers, as we didn’t always know when the next meal or piece of food was going to be around. But we live in a drastically different world today.

So just telling yourself that you can have that piece of pie anytime, the desire to devour the whole thing subsides. Really, it does. Once you get rid of the feast or famine mindset your body will crave it less.

Get some exercise. We all tell ourselves we’ll exercise, and then don’t do it during our busy holiday schedule. The best way is to plan exercise into your routine, and set a minimum time that you’ll exercise per week. But make it something that is achievable. And then use positive reinforcement.

For example, I’m busy this month but I still make a schedule for exercise, but I make it a lighter one…and I stick to it!

If I usually exercise Monday, Wednesday and Friday, then for the few busy weeks of December I say I’ll exercise Tuesdays & Thursdays. It’s only two days, and THAT I can do! It’s not overwhelming, but it still gives me some exercise. Hey, some is better than none!

Then after achieving it, I pat myself on the back instead of criticizing myself for not getting enough.

What often happens is that I’m much more motivated to exercise the next time. Having felt good for achieving something, I want to achieve it again. It’s the role of positive reinforcement.

No matter what time of the year, there is an easy way to keep your weight under control — without an ounce of deprivation. You can indulge, but just do it with pleasure, in moderation, and be sure to get some exercise.

Once you put your mind to it, you may be surprised by just how easy it is.

How do YOU indulge without the bulge? What works for YOU?

Tags: eating, food, guilt, holiday eating, Holidays, Nutrition, Weight Loss

The REAL Reason Oprah Has Gained Weight — Again!

by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Weight Loss

9 Comments

Oprah’s Battle With Weight Gain – and her Missing Link for Permanent Weight Loss

It’s hitting the airwaves and news media like a tidal wave. The news about Oprah and her constant struggle with her weight.

Once a trim, healthy-for-her-body weight of 160 pounds, Oprah has now reached the dreaded 200 pound mark, a number she (nor many of us) does not want to see on the bathroom scale.

In the latest issue of O Magazine (January 2009) Oprah opens up about why she feels she regained the weight, what she’s learned, and how she plans to change. The article is candid, open, honest. She puts it all out there. There’s no excuses, whining, or blaming of anything, or anyone other than herself, for her actions (or lack thereof). Kudos to Oprah for being real, being open, and taking responsibility for her body, her life, and how to go about moving forward.

In her article, Oprah says:

“My goal isn’t to be thin. My goal is for my body to be the weight it can hold—to be strong and healthy and fit, to be itself.”

That’s an awesome goal. And a goal we all should be reaching for. But there’s something missing. Something that Oprah is not getting. The key — the missing link — that holds the answer. The key to help ALL OF US reach our goals and solve our own weight challenges.

But before I get to that, I need to address some other questions that are on everybody’s minds, and the ones Oprah tries to answer in her candid article:

Why? Why did Oprah REALLY put on the weight? How did she let this happen?

Really — Oprah, of all people. I mean, this is a woman who has it all. With all of the experts and medical doctors she is friends with and has on her show, she knows what to do – heck, we all know what to do, it’s not rocket science: eat healthier, eat less and move more.

But why didn’t she (and don’t we all) just do it?

I mean Oprah has it all: money, fame, friends, and a hugely successful career (to put it mildly).

Really. What DOESN’T Oprah have?

She is one of the lucky few who have access to (and the money to pay for) the top people in the health, wellness, nutrition and fitness fields. She has access to personal tainers, chefs, expensive gyms (and probably a home-gym too, I’m sure). She has all of the tools to make weight-loss and weight-management possible AND easy!

I mean, really. She doesn’t come home from a long day of work and have to worry about chopping, preparing and cooking dinner.

So what is it?

If one of the richest, most famous, and successful women in the world who has overcome the odds in many areas of her life — if SHE can’t lose weight AND keep it off, then how the heck can YOU?

If Oprah keeps falling off the wagon, then how on earth are YOU going to stay on track??

Well, I’ve got the answer for you.

Oprah touches on it and talks about areas it touches in her article, but she’s missing the big point. She talks about many reasons, all of them true.

Oprah talks about her thyroid problem. But says she has that under control and knows that is NOT the reason why she regained the weight, nor does she use it as an excuse. (Hey, she’s lucky enough to be treated by the best doctors money can buy).

She then talks about a list of reasons why: she has a food addiction, she uses food for comfort, she is craving love, and she needs to put herself and her health on her to-do list as a priority.

These issues are all true. But there’s still a missing link. And it’s NOT about only eating the right foods.

It’s not about eating steamed broccoli and chicken the rest of her life. It’s not about how much to eat, portion control, or how many calories, fat grams or carbs she eats. It’s not about being too busy, stressed, and tired to cook or eat right. It’s not about having enough willpower.

It all boils down to ONE thing, and the one thing Oprah does not have or is really broken:

her relationship with food. THAT, my friends, is the foolproof formula Oprah (and all of us) are seeking.

It’s her broken relationship with food that…

is making everything else out of whack that she can’t get control of her weight
makes her put herself last, and the food first
made Oprah feel she didn’t want to photographed head-to-toe all last year for the cover of O Magazine
made her hit rock bottom — and not want to be onstage with Tina Turner and Cher (both older, but who looked better, felt better, and had more energy than she did)
got her on the wagon in the first place, then off it again

Only when she has a positive relationship with food — and only then — will she stop using food as a drug, stop using food for comfort, to soothe, or to ease stress. Only then, will she stop craving love and stop reaching for food instead. Only then, will she stop and ask herself if, and why, she’s really hungry.

She needs to change her relationship with food.

Do that, my friends, and you will you have found the foolproof formula for permanent weight loss and be truly happy, healthy, and be whole — right now, in 2009, and in every new year.

And let me know YOUR thoughts…

P.S. Call me Oprah — or anyone who has gone off the wagon — I can help. Really, I can.

Tags: food, Nutrition, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, weight, weight gain, Weight Loss

Enjoy Thanksgiving Without the Guilt

by Dinneen
Filed under Blog, Nutrition, Weight Loss

5 Comments

Whether you’re trying to lose – or simply maintain – weight, this time of year causes a lot of dread and anxiety. You want to get through the holiday season without putting on extra pounds, without feeling fat, and without the guilt of eating holiday foods.

And then we all have the “shoulder angel” and “shoulder devil” talking to us. You know, those voices in our heads, the two that constantly fight with each other about what to do.

You’ve probably seen them in cartoons. On one side of the shoulder is an angel, representing good or “our conscience.” On the other shoulder is the devil, representing bad or “tempation.”

It seems these two follow us around, especially during the holidays. You’ll be at the Thanksgiving table and all the delicious food is being passed around. You have those two guys on your shoulder. The good one says, “Oh no, I can’t give up on my weight-loss efforts and my dream of being slim. I’ve given up before and can’t do it again this year.” While the bad one says, “Hey, it’s Thanksgiving for crying out loud. You’re supposed to gorge yourself, it’s okay. It’s only one day.”

So who to listen to? If you eat like you normally do on Thanksgiving, then you’ll feel terrible afterwards, and then feel shame for giving up and not realizing your dream. But if you diet and watch what you eat, then you miss out on all the fun.

There’s no way to win, right? Wrong!

But what to do? Listen to the shoulder angel or the shoulder devil??

Well, the answer is…both!

You see, Thanksgiving is about enjoyment. Enjoying spending time with family, while being thankful for all that you have. But at the same time, you have to understand the difference between enjoyment and gluttony. It’s about having balance.

Here are some things to think about which can help you find that balance:

Get Rid of the Pressure

There’s already so much pressure on the holidays, there’s no need to add more to it by restricting yourself. Many experts will tell you to eat low-fat versions of your favorite foods, or only eat when you’re hungry, or even “wear tight-fitting clothes” so you’re less tempted to overeat! Personally I disagree with these. Besides, easier said than done, right!

In my opinion, this isn’t the time to be eating low-fat foods. Thanksgiving is a day for enjoyment — to enjoy the food and being in the company of family and friends.

What’s more important to you on Thanksgiving? Eating a low-fat food, or spending time with family or catching up with friends? Let these be your focus for the day and not the pressure of the food.

Take Pleasure

Thanksgiving is one of those days when you should allow yourself to be fulfilled and enjoy the foods.

Take off the chains of dieting. Don’t restrict yourself from eating your favorite foods. Thanksgiving is supposed to be pleasurable.

If Aunt Suzie makes your favorite pecan pie, then go ahead and have some. But enjoy it — really enjoy it. Take the time to savor it. Your aunt probably put a lot of time and effort into making the pie, so honor the food and enjoy it mindfully.

Realize it’s Okay to Overeat

Don’t worry if you overeat a little. It’s okay. No one is perfect and it’s quite normal to eat a bit more than you normally do. The weight will come off later when you go back to eating more healthy.

At the same time, if you miss out on some of the food, that’s fine too. You don’t have to eat ALL of your favorite foods, just eat some. There will always be another occasion to eat those other foods. We live in a world of abundance and it’s not like you won’t see that food again.

As always, it’s up to you what and how you eat. If you really want to overindulge, that’s okay. If you want to be careful and not eat too much, that’s fine too. Just don’t feel guilty afterwards.

Thanksgiving is one of those days when you should allow yourself to indulge a little and enjoy the foods. It’s supposed to be pleasurable, you just need to take away the “pressure” of doing everything right.

So relax…. and enjoy!

Tags: Dinneen Diette, Eat Without Guilt, food, guilt, holiday, overeating, Thanksgiving, weight, Weight Loss