Note to self

Some things I (and maybe you?) need to try to remember, posted by weight watchers.


"Here we address the most common myths that undermine a healthy approach to weight loss — and offer tips to overcome them to achieve success.

- I'll get back on track on Monday/after the holidays/when the sun comes out
There's no day like today. If you slip, just pick up where you left off. Persistence works wonders.

- I shouldn't wear a bathing suit (shorts, a tank top) until I've lost all the weight
People of all different sizes and shapes enjoy sexy clothes. "When you love yourself, you start enjoying life," says Mandel. Seeing yourself through others' eyes in a harsh, critical way "is a surefire way to blow a weight-loss plan," says psychologist Debra Mandel, PhD, author of Healing the Sensitive Heart (Airleaf Publishing, 2005). Instead, she suggests, it's more effective to focus on developing a more loving relationship with your body. A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine (Winter 1998) found that those who started out accepting their bodies were more than twice as likely to lose weight than those who felt dissatisfied or ashamed. Break big goals into smaller ones, and reward yourself along the way. Rather than saying, "I need to lose 25 pounds," say, "I'll buy a new swimsuit, one size smaller."

- The less I eat, the faster I'll lose
Wrong. "The less we eat, the slower our metabolism gets, and the slower we lose the weight," says Mandel. "Deprivation also makes us unhappy and actually causes us to overeat and overindulge." Increasing your caloric restriction in reasonable amounts can increase weight loss, but cutting back to an unrealistic intake will likely backfire. A slow and steady approach — including treating yourself to your favorite foods, in moderation — is your best bet for building a healthy relationship with food and reaching your long-term goals. "