I was a roly-poly kid, a squishy teen, and a squashier young adult (ages 18 to 36). Like most of us, I’ve yo-yo’d through a bazillion diets and a million more workouts with the likes of Jane Fonda; Lilias, Yoga and You; and Jazzercise, but I never created a permeant loss for myself.
Never even came close.
But guess what? (You might want to sit down.) The world has moved on from ye diets of old. We’re in a new year – inside a young century – and we know a lot more about how to lose weight. And stay tuned, because there’s exciting news on the forever-loss front as well.
Even when I was little, I was big. I started to balloon around the age of seven.
I was teased in school, of course, but was bummed to see that even the adults got in on the action. From coworkers I’d hear, “You’d be so pretty if you’d lose weight.”
From a family member when seeing me in my new red robe at Christmas, “You look like Santa.”
Such fun.
But by my early 40s, I lost 55-pounds (with toddlers running around); fast-forward 17 years and I’ve kept the original loss off. (No yo-yo-ing and I’m currently 59.)
In a nutshell, it’s not in the diet-world’s best interest for you and me to figure out how to have a forever-loss. So, we have to figure it out ourselves.
Over the last 17 years, I pieced together a map that details how to create a long-term, permeant weight loss.
Thanks to two masterpiece books, Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, along with a super cool study on habits out of England, we have a more detailed understanding about how successful long-term change happens and how habit is the force behind so much good in our lives, but especially for a long-term weight loss.
James Clear tells us, “We’re not human beings. We’re habit beings.”
Given that, let’s say that strong embedded habits – that’ll have our backs forever – are the foundation of our house. And that new mindsets and super skills are the well-built house’s frame.
So, based on our smart home, this is what I figured out: smart eating habits + powerful new mindsets + precision super skills put you and me on the path to a forever weight loss.
Let me give you a handful of examples.
The pain is real. Shopping at Costco is only for the most skilled shopper because it’s too easy to run in for red grapes and come out with a double kayak.
But I’ve created the habit of going to Costco two or three times a month for the following:
Now, here’s the real trick: besides shopping at Costco, I made more habits for myself like I stay out of the bakery and candy aisle entirely. Haven’t seen them in years.
As you might have noticed, our culture is riddled with come-hither food. So, save yourself by asking the strongest of questions (that I use all the time), “Do I want the donuts or do I want to be a size 10”? (This sentence whisks me out of inappropriate-eating land – cookies, candy, ice cream – in a blink.) Best of all, the more you use this question, the stronger it gets.
Relying on willpower to take us to our preferred weight is so last century. It went the way of yo-yo dieting.
And good riddance.
I always carry a cold-tote packed with healthy bites and take the tote everywhere when I’m out and about. In my cold-tote you’ll likely find a hard-boiled egg, mini whole wheat banana muffins, a sliced apple, a small yogurt cup and so forth. I usually take two or three of the tiny bites with me.
With your cold-tote’s riding shotgun, you’ll never succumb to the donut shop and the fast-not-food drive thrus again.
Instead of willpower (which never worked long-term anyway), we’re replacing the vintage method of yo-yo-ing with seriously upleveled habits, mindsets, and super skills.
It’s 2024 and we’re jumping in the brand-new chapter that’s unfolding in our lives.
Just begin.
Have you ever wondered why weight maintenance has seemed so elusive? Do you blame yourself for a “lack of willpower?” What do you think about creating strong habits that serve you? Do you think our understanding of weight loss grows from decade to decade?
Thank you for the practical Costco list. Until recently, I’ve always been a bit rounder ever since the last baby (he turned 38 in Aug), then suddenly after a colon resection I ballooned up to the highest I’ve ever weighed. Turns out along with menopause I also have hypothyroidism. Dr put me on meds, weight gain stopped & I’ve dropped some weight but, the progress is super slow. Ordering the books & copied the Costco list. Now to build some better habits. Luckily, I never developed a “sweet tooth” so donuts & snacking is not a huge issue.
Your baby is 38! I’m just like you about my 20 yr olds!! (It makes me weird, I know, but when my boys were brand-new drivers, I made a bumper sticker that said: “My precious baby is a new driver, please be nice.”
I promise, I’m not a helicopter-mom, but I have my moments.
Great move re: the habit books. I say that I keep my book collection in the library meaning that I rarely buy a book, but these two are worth it.
Also, I want to encourage you to check out my book. I used the habit books extensively as I while writing. Their books speak to habits and how to best develop habits for your success, but my book is how to use habits for women over 30 who want to lose weight.
Wendy
http://www.theIn
You write about all the right things and it explains exactly why your weight stays stable. It’s not will power or crushing diets that do it. In my program 6 weeks to diet freedom I dedicate a whole module to the topic of habit because like you, I know it’s not just about food. It’s about habits. Wishing you a Happy New Year and continued success and good health.
Thank you, Peg! Have you read these two habit books?
Wendy