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A few weeks ago, I wrote about feeling deserving to lose weight. But this is about a different issue . . .

It is that feeling you get . . . sometimes an almost imperceptible thought before you overeat.

“I deserve it.”

“I have worked so hard.”

“I have put up with so much.”

“I deserve this.”

It is JUST that easy to sabotage yourself.

And it is probably the very best, believable rationalization you can make.

After all, you HAVE worked hard, and tolerated a great deal. You probably have exhausted yourself in the process.

It is SO easy to reach for food.

And so easy to justify it.

To get that instant sense of relief, the sense of giving yourself something . . . to pay yourself back for the endurance of working so hard, doing so much (for everyone else) and tolerating it all.

If you can’t have what you REALLY want (e.g. a lighter schedule, a deep rest, fewer responsibilities, a week at a spa . . .), then it is SO easy to SETTLE for food.

Yes - food is easy.

Life is hard.

Next time . . . think about what it is you REALLY want.

The truth is . . . food is NOT going to solve it.

It’s NOT the answer.

ASK yourself - is this going to solve the problem?

The extent to which you can be honest with yourself and act accordingly is the extent to which you can make progress.

The extent to which you are still convincing yourself that it’s what you really need is the extent that you sell out on yourself.

Ask yourself what you REALLY need. And try to give it to yourself.

Chances are . . . it won’t be chocolate.

Here’s to getting the real thing.

With love, Carol

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Carol Solomon, Ph.D. is a psychologist and personal coach who specializes in helping people who want to lose weight and eliminate food and weight issues.

She is the author of “Lose Weight Now Stay Slim Forever,” a practical “how-to” manual for learning to lose weight without dieting.

Go To: Lose Weight Now (http://www.stresseating.com/)
to get your FREE copy of SLIM FOREVER.

Copyright 2005 Adam Waxler

If you have just a little weight to lose, and want to take it off fast (say, so you can fit into those great pants for your cousin’s wedding), there are a number of diets that you can use. Most of these wouldn’t be recommended for long-term weight loss, as they substantially restrict your intake of some essential nutrients, so using them habitually may not be healthy. But if you’re normal diet is healthy, and you just want a quick boost to drop 8-10 pounds quickly, or to kick off a new diet with a bang, the Cabbage Soup Diet actually works.

The cabbage soup diet has been around for nearly 30 years. It’s based on the notion that your body actually uses more calories to digest cabbage than the amount that it derives from cabbage. It’s a so-called ‘negative calorie diet’, and includes many foods that, like cabbage, are high in fiber and very low in calories.

The base of the cabbage soup diet is - what else? Cabbage soup. There are several recipes for cabbage soup available. Essentially, the soup is made with onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, celery and spices to taste. You’ll be eating the soup every day - as much of it as you want.

In addition, there is a seven day routine of foods to supplement the cabbage soup.

Day One: All the fruit you want (except bananas) along with all the soup that you want. No caffeinated beverages or sodas. Drink only water, tea and cranberry juice.

Day Two: Eat all the vegetables that you want, but avoid dried beans, peas and corn. Eat veggies raw, fresh or cooked. No fats, no sauces, no butter. At dinner, you may have one baked potato with butter - and of course, all the cabbage soup that you want!

Day Three: Eat all the fruits and veggies that you want from day two and day three - but NO baked potato.

Day Four: Bananas and skim milk - yes, all the skim milk you want, plus up to eight bananas, along with — you guessed it, all the cabbage soup you want.

Day Five: Eat ten to twenty ounces of beef (or skinless chicken, or broiled fish). Drink at least 10 glasses of water, and eat up to six fresh tomatoes. (if you substitute for the beef today, you may not tomorrow)

Day Six: Eat all the beef, vegetables and cabbage soup that you want. No baked potato. Lots of leafy green vegetables.

Day Seven: You can have all the unsweetened fruit juices, brown rice, and vegetables that you want - and at least one bowl of soup.

That’s it. Remember - this diet is NOT recommended for long term weight loss, or long term use. It doesn’t contain enough complex carbohydrates to be healthy for longer than a few days. But if you just need a jump-start or a quick fix, it’s a good way to pick up the pace for a week.

People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, and joint pain caused by excess uric acid (gout). Excess weight can also cause interrupted breathing during sleep and wearing away of the joints (osteoarthritis). Carrying extra weight means carrying an extra risk for certain types of cancer, including endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancer.

What is Obesity?

Obesity means an excessively high proportion of body fat. Overweight refers to an excess of body weight, but not necessarily body fat. Health professionals use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult’s weight as healthy, overweight, or obese. BMI describes body weight relative to height and is correlated with total body fat content in most adults. Generally, the higher your BMI, the higher your health risk, and the risk increases even further if your waist size is greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women.

Losing Weight

Most overweight people should lose weight gradually. Sometimes, people with serious health problems associated with obesity may have legitimate reasons for losing weight rapidly. If so, a physician’s supervision is required. Experts recommend that people who are overweight or obese should concentrate on engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining healthy eating habits.

See your doctor for advice about your overall health risk and the weight loss options that are best for you. Together, decide whether you should go on a moderate diet or whether other options might be appropriate. Check with your doctor and make sure that your health status allows lowering your caloric intake and increasing your physical activity.

Successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. Doctors, dieticians, and other experts agree that the best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. Follow a calorie-reduced balanced diet that provides for 1-2 pounds of weight loss a week. Be sure to include at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. Make time in your day for some form of physical activity. Walking is an excellent form of physical activity that almost everyone can do. In addition to helping to control weight, physical activity decreases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease and reduces the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers.
About the Author

Copyright © 2005. C Mwape writes for http://www.nutritional-supplements.org.uk and http://www.outdoor-gear.org.uk/