By Kelly Lynch of WorldLifestyle in Health+Fitness
Dr. Tiffany Wright, Ph.D studies the link between behavior and weight loss, focusing on compulsive overeating. She created the Skinny Coach solution, based on scientific facts about the body and the chemistry of food.
Having lost 100 pounds herself, Dr. Wright’s method involves coaching her clients through personality motivation and behavioral modification. Here, she shares some tips that cut through the excuses we often give after failing to lose weight.
1. Remove the sugar and flour! Eating too much sugar and flour over time causes our cells to become insulin resistant. When your brain cells become insulin resistant you can lose your memory, become disoriented and can cause protein plaque that is linked to Alzheimers. You have had enough sugar and flour for the rest of your life. It is time to get our mind and bodies fit and healthy and there is no place for refined foods in a healthy body.
2. Switch from flavored yogurt to plain, whole fat yogurt. Most fat-free yogurts contain extra sugar to make up for the lack of taste in the nonfat versions. Cook some frozen berries until they are warm and gooey then mix that into your yogurt and add some cinnamon for a tasty treat.
3. Don’t feed your addiction. Sugar is highly addictive and for some one bite is never enough, so if you cannot moderate then you have to go cold turkey. Look on the ingredients list for any type of added sugar and if it is there, leave that food on the shelf. Make sure you eat enough protein, fruits, veggies and whole grains like rice, potatoes, and beans so that your blood sugars stabilize.
4. In order to lose weight permanently, you have to learn dieting skills and practice them every day, and with time dieting will become easier and easier. For instance, if you normally say, “I’ve worked really hard today, I deserve to eat,” which drives you to eat, instead practice saying “I’ve worked hard today, I deserve to relax with a walk or manicure.” You have to replace long established patterns and associations with productive patterns and associations and then practice them every day until they are set.
5. When you are feeling like “one bite does not matter,” remember that every healthy dieting choice you have ever made was sabotaged by one bite. One bite does matter. Think: “If I eat this, I will strengthen the habit of failure and unhealthy eating, which will make it more likely that I given in next time.” Think: “One bite does matter, I am not going to eat this because it is not good for me and I don’t eat what is bad for me.”
6. Regular weighing is critical. People that monitor their weight regularly lose more weight and keep at a steady weight. Weigh yourself once a week and if you gain more than 3 pounds, buckle down and get back to your normal weight before it is out of hand.
7. I know you heard this a million times – eat breakfast! But more importantly, eat protein at breakfast. Eating protein increases muscle mass, which increases your resting metabolic rate. Protein at every meal also stabilizes your blood sugar which keeps cravings and energy dips at bay. Try a Skinny Girl Smoothie: 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup of frozen fruit, and 1/2 cup of liquid egg whites blended in a magic bullet.
8. Boring is okay. People often worry if they are eating the same thing all the time that they will be bored and that will make them cheat. In reality, research has discovered that people who eat the same things regularly consume significantly less calories. If you want to vary your menu, by all means you should. However, do not worry if you like the same Skinny Taco Salad every day for lunch. Skinny Taco Salad: 4 ounces ground beef cooked with chili power, garlic, and cumin served with 1/2 cup of garlic black beans, 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of fresh salsa, and 1/2 avocado on a bed of shredded lettuce.
9. Flour is worse than sugar. 2 slices of WHOLE WHEAT bread increases your blood sugar levels more than table sugar. If you have ever tried to give up sugar and still had cravings, withdrawal, and lack of weight loss, it is because you are still eating flour. ANY flour is processed and as such is immediately converted into glucose, which causes a cascade of negative health and weight consequences, including premature aging, obesity, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. If the ingredients have any type of sugar or flour listed – leave it out.
10. Plan your menu for tomorrow, commit what you are going to eat, and then stick to it. Menu planning and accountability dramatically increase your chances of eating what you want rather than giving in to temptation at the moment. When you wake up, if you already know what you are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you are less likely to get into a dialog in your head about what to eat or not eat. Plan, commit and just eat it – no matter what, and you will be Skinny Forever.
11. Remember being a little hungry is okay. Being hungry is uncomfortable, but remember that when you overeat, that is uncomfortable, too. Both feelings are uncomfortable, but one gets you skinny and the other has made you overweight.
12. You cannot have everything you want and you know that in all areas of your life. But for some reason with food, people think that you should be able to eat anything you want or you will feel deprived and binge later. That is nonsense. If you were allergic to strawberries, you would not eat them. I am here to tell you if you are overweight then you are unable to eat whatever you want and be healthy, so you should not eat those foods that make you fat, sick, and tired. You can have a cupcake or you can have health, but you can’t have both. Which do you want today?
To learn more about Dr. Wright’s Skinny Coach solution, as well as her clients’ success stories, click here.
