50 – How to overcome weight loss overwhelm issues

3 October 201021 January 2013Podcast admin 12 Comments

Podcast: Download (Duration: 16:31 — 11.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(duration 16:30)

In this show we discuss a motivated listener’s weight loss objectives and once again determine that “counting calories” is ill-advised, and that keeping your daily carb consumption under a hundred grams is a good rule of thumb. After setting goals, it’s important to focus on the process and not get oriented towards bad habits (such as stepping on the scale every day). Once you’ve transitioned to a new eating lifestyle and you’re eating properly, your body is going to adjust and lose its excess body fat. We address three problematic beliefs. If you believe you have “Too much weight to lose!” then the practice of self-acceptance is key. Only by fully accepting your condition right now will you be able to move on to where you want to be. If you believe you have to “Give up favorite foods” then it’s important to realize that those unhealthy foods can be gradually replaced with new healthy favorites that are aligned with your weight loss goals. And introspection is crucial to living free of self-conflict. Finally, if you believe “Who’s to know what’s good to eat, so what’s the point?” then you need to embrace the practice of self-responsibility and objectivity in order to stay healthy.

We welcome you to tell us about your own weight loss challenges by commenting after this podcast or the accompanying blog post.

Click here to get your free audio download of the 3 Pillars Of Achieving Your Perfect Weight Using The Mind/Body Connection, as well as our succinct newsletter.

Items mentioned in this episode:

Sesame Street: Kermit Reports News On The Tortoise & Hare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no1ilt3VjBY
the real story…Hare vs Tortoise race (Disney 1934)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdZIfafAlaU

The practice of self-acceptance is key to not feeling overwhelmed
http://healthymindfitbody.com/2010/04/05/28-the-practice-of-self-acceptance/

bumper music “All In My Head” (Remix) – http://www.kosheen.com

Feel free to rate and/or review our show on iTunes!
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=332309038

12 thoughts on “50 – How to overcome weight loss overwhelm issues”

George

7 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Thanks for the episode suggestions! I rammed through those in a day… Fantastic stuff.
Kim

6 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Hi guys!

I’m a 34 year old new mother (my son is almost 10 months). I gained quite a bit of weight during pregnancy (nearly 60 lbs.) and have been working to get the excess weight off. I lost an initial 30 lbs. easily right after my son was born, but had a tough few months of no weight loss following this. I started a low carb, whole foods diet in the Spring, and have lost 20 lbs. so far. I have about another 10-15 to get to my pre-pregnancy weight and an additional 10-15 to get to a really healthy weight. I have no doubt I’ll get there, so long as I continue to make good choices.

I think my major difficulty in my weight loss journey is finding time to cook. With a little one, it’s hard to find the time I would like to devote to making whole foods from scratch. I cut corners where I can (eating easy to prepare salads, making stock/soups/sauces on weekends that make the week easier), but it’s still a challenge.

I like what you had to say about cravings and how our tastes and priorities change. I work at a school and there’s A LOT of temptation as far as treats go. I no longer indulge in sweet treats though. It’s become easy to turn them down. Instead, I enjoy the simple pleasure of eating an apple or having some tea with honey and coconut oil (my daily grind).

Thanks for the podcasts, gentlemen. I greatly enjoy listening.
- Wes
  
  6 October 2010
  | Log in to Reply
  
  I’m sure you’ll get there too, Kim. I admire your goals and dedication. The “treats” at school are of course not treats at all, but rather tricks (Halloween is upon us, btw:), so I’m glad you’re resolved not to jump into that pitfall of unhealthiness.
  
  Cooking is something that can indeed be time-consuming. Having a little person to attend to can definitely add to the challenge. I appreciate your whole-foods perspective. Fruits and veggies are always handy, and I’ve found that nuts are a good source of fat and nutrients when you’re on the go (though I’ve also been known to take swigs of olive oil when I’m in a real hurry;). So, probably the most difficult macronutrient to prepare is protein; lately I’ve been using the microwave, which works ok with the proper seasoning.
  
  Prior to going full-on paleo, I used dairy, such as cheese and cottage cheese, and of course whey protein powder in the mornings. It was much quicker than cooking something, so you might give them a try while your child is still so young–though if you’re going paleo, you’ll have to order some egg protein powder instead, as I noted with Mike above. Best wishes!
Bleicke

5 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

I second Shannon. I’ve started paleo over a year ago. I did lose a lot of weight, but once I reached my “normal” weight (still overweight) it became very difficult to stay away from cookies, chocolate and milk. I did dark chocolate for a while, but it didn’t help for more than a week or two. I can be very strict with myself for 1-2 weeks, but then I get big cravings. I don’t get such huge cravings if I eat a pack of cookies or similar a day. The sweets don’t even taste good after a few bites and I know that, but I have this psychological addiction to eat them because once upon a time they made me feel good. Damn you, serotonin addiction!
- Wes
  
  6 October 2010
  | Log in to Reply
  
  Hi, Bleicke. Thanks for the comment. Being “very strict” on yourself may be part of the problem rather than the solution here, because it indicates that there’s an emotional conflict going on that’s putting you at odds with your well-being. Obviously, you realize that cookies, chocolate, and milk in excess aren’t good for you (and they are not paleo of course:).
  
  So, the main question is not so much “Why are you giving into your cravings?” (which is what a strict disciplinarian might say) as it is “Why are you craving not-so-healthy stuff instead of things that are actually good for you?” It’s key to explore the emotional roots of those cravings. Feeling good on account of doing unhealthy things evidences that there are some subconscious premises that need to be examined and modified. Perhaps give the stems I wrote in response to Shannon’s comment a try. Also, here are a few more:
  
  Being strict on myself means…
  
  When I’m strict on myself, I feel…
  
  If I’m not strict on myself regarding my food choices, I tend to…
  
  As I pay attention to my cravings, I notice that…
  
  As I learn to do what’s good for me, so that I feel good about my choices…
  
  If any of what I’ve written here is true, it might be helpful if I…
Kevin

5 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Hi Shannon,

To add to Wes’s great advice in the comments, I use Stevia powder, which is a natural non-caloric sweetener. One trick I have found that satisfies sugar cravings while still being healthy is hot cocoa sweetened with stevia instead of sugar. It’s also packed with antioxidants so you are actually doing something good for yourself in the process!
But ultimately, as Wes said, the best way to “overcome the overwhelm” is with the written sentence completion exercises.

Also, as we discussed in the podcast, it’s important to keep patience in mind. Losing carb addictions is very tough at first, I can attest to that! 2 or 3 weeks may be difficult, but it does get easier after that.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Kevin
Shannon

5 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Mine is fairly typical. I have no problem giving up grains or even dairy.

My issue is pure sugar. Every day I get cravings for chocolate, ice cream, cookies. I am not particular.

I know if I can keep away from that stuff for a week I’ll be OK, I have done it before. But, I need some tricks to get through that week.

I tried eating fruit, brushing my teeth, having hot tea, going for a walk/trying to distract myself. Sometimes it works but often I end up giving in anyway.

Any other tips you guys can throw at me to add to my arsenal would be appreciated.

Love the podcast, thanks for all you do!
- Wes
  
  5 October 2010
  | Log in to Reply
  
  I understand where you’re coming from, Shannon. Those things are made to be so tasty, and I’m sure you either grew up eating them or they were off limits and thus became a guilty pleasure. I grew up eating Oreo cookies and milk, and to this day I eat a pack a day with a half gallon of moo juice. Just kidding!
  
  The first thing to do, of course, is not stock up on any of these things. Then, at least they won’t be staring you in the face at home. As far as satisfying the cravings goes, I’ve found that a serving of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) with a handful of almonds is a very tasty (and quite healthy) replacement. Of course, not eating this in excess relates to the psychological side of eating.
  
  Here are a few sentence completion exercises (like we have in the back of our book) that might assist in getting at the root of your self-conflict (provide 8-10 endings to each one, off the top of your head, without censorship)-
  
  At the thought of going more than a week without (fill in the blank with your craving of choice)…
  
  As I’m eating such things as ice cream and cookies, I feel…
  
  After I eat such things as ice cream and cookies, I feel…
  
  One of the good things about criticizing myself about my food choices is…
  
  One of the bad things about criticizing myself about my food choices is…
  
  As I learn to listen to what I’m really feeling in the moment…
  
  A better way to deal with my self-conflict about what I’m eating might be to…
  
  I am becoming aware…
  
  Cheers,
  W
George

5 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Hey guys, just discovered the podcast. Great practical advice.

I’m actually at the end of my weight loss phase of my journey. After losing > 40 lbs over the course of the last year, I am 3 lbs away from my end goal of 190. At that point, I move to the ‘Make my body look f’n awesome phase.’

At the end of this podcast you asked about what my biggest challenge is. Well, my challenge is something I haven’t gotten to yet, but I have a lot of “anxiety” about (I’m not really anxious about it, but calmly concerned): Weight loss maintenance. For the last 11 years I have been in either a pure weight gain mode, or a weight roller coaster. I’m excited to get to my lowest weight (and best health) yet, but I’ve never been at a point where I’ve sustained this quality of life and wellness. I feel like I have really transformed my overall lifestyle this time, more so in the past, so I feel very confident, but we all know maintaining one’s health is harder than it seems.

I know this challenge has a simple solution: continue being healthy. Simple…. right.

This probably isn’t the type of challenge you were requesting since it is not something that can be concretely discussed (at least within a short form podcast), but you asked and it is #1 on my mind now.

Exciting times ahead.

Keep pressing on!
- Wes
  
  5 October 2010
  | Log in to Reply
  
  Thanks for the comment, George. I’d say that is a challenge worth discussing on the next podcast, since it affects so many individuals who’ve been on the weight loss journey. As you know, Kevin and I talk about making lifestyle changes rather than just a new “diet.” Maintaining an optimal lifestyle is definitely a psychological process and, as you noted, effectively resolving anxiety is part of that process.
  
  This relates to a quite widespread phenomenon in general: happiness anxiety. Of course, the more aware we are of our potential to sabotage our own achievements, on account of thoughts such as “I’m not deserving of this” or “This won’t last long” or “I can’t do this indefinitely and this isn’t me,” the more effective we can be at remedying such negative assessments of self-concept. Self-concept is indeed destiny for humans. Have a listen to HMFB podcast episodes 27 through 32, which address this issue in more detail (self-esteem is the evaluative component of self-concept). Keep pressing on, indeed!
Wes

5 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

Well, Mike, join the club. ;) Grains have actually been easier to cut out than dairy, because I pretty much had ditched them before going full-on paleo (as my experiment to deal with my type 1 diabetes continues into the 7th week). Fruits and veggies are easy substitutes for breads, cereals, chips, etc.

However, I’m quite used to eating cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, as well as whey protein powder, so I’ve had to switch to more eggs and meats (side pork, sausage, ham, chicken, turkey, and especially venison) to replace those familiar sources of protein. I’ve yet to buy some egg protein powder to make things easier at times, and it looks like the online rate is about $25/2 lbs, which isn’t bad (although not as cheap as whey).

Again, it’s practically impossible to mimic the eating regimen of humans during paleolithic times, and I’m not sure you’d want to. So, do what you think is best, given your present situation.

Best wishes,
W
Mike

4 October 2010
| Log in to Reply

The hardest thing for me with the paleo “solution” is quitting dairy and grains. Do you have any tips for cutting them out of my diet?