Tools for a Balanced LifestyleStrategies for Success in Weight Management

ORIENTATION AND OVERVIEW

Jim Messina, Ph.D.

Life Strategist

Program Facilitator

Who is this Program aimed at?

People who need to work on improving their relationship with food

People who need to improve their body image People who allow their weight issues interfere

in their daily functioning People who consistently yoyo Diet People who have not made exercise a regular

part of their lives

Goals of the Program

1. Develop a healthy relationship with food

2. Develop a healthy exercise program

3. Reduce the strength of triggers for relapse

4. Creation of new self-scripts which keep you targeted and reduce stress and anxiety

5. Letting go of need for approval and focus on personal health as rationale for new lifestyle

6. Improved Body Image

7. Reduced compulsive behaviors

Support System in Program

Peer support of the weekly group meetings One to one support outside of meetings with

fellow group members Support by email, fax or phone during week

with program facilitator Ongoing communications bulletin board on

website for program at www.coping.org

What is expected during Program

Participant will follow a food plan which is suited to person’s personality, attitudes, temperament, motivation, and lifestyle

Participant will develop and follow an exercise program which is suited to person’s personality, attitudes, temperament, motivation, and lifestyle

Participant will participate in group and outside of group support sharing

Participant will participate in the accountability of daily reporting while in program

Principles of the Balanced Lifestyles Program

1. This is a lifestyle change program to modify your relationship with food, exercise and body weight

2. This program requires accountability with daily reporting by email or fax

3. Success in program is not dependent on how much weight lost but rather on how well you manage to continue to keep it off

Principles:

4. You are not asked to compare your success with others in program

5. You are expected to follow a food program which meets your needs or to develop one while in program which is suited to you

6. By end of 12 week program you will be fully engaged in a planned program of exercise

7. This is a guilt free program, we do not use guilt to motivate your new relationship with food or exercise

Principles:

8. You are only to enter this program because you want to, not to please someone else, or to gain the approval of someone else.

9. Try not to tell others about your involvement in this program so you will not be hounded about how well you are doing in it

10. Set realistic goals for yourself in program

11. Be realistic in your expectations of yourself in this program

Principles:

12. You are in this program for yourself, do not try to fix or change anyone else in program

13. Keep an open mind to all suggestions offered in program, try to get rid of the “yes…but” knee jerk response to new ideas offered.

14. Let go of critical, judgmental, and controlling attitudes so you can hear messages of hope, encouragement and support offered.

Why Accountability?

Insures your personal commitment Identifies patterns or cycles which may be

unconscious and not easily self-identified Encourages facilitator to identify what is

working or not working for you Individualizes the program to fit your personal

needs Encourages personal recommendations which

will address your specific concerns

4 Topics to be covered in Weekly Programs

Part 1: Overcoming Triggers to Relapse Part 2: Developing New Relationship to Food Part 3: Developing a Healthy Exercise Program Part 4: Personal Testimonies and Sharing

Time

Part 1: Overcoming Triggers to Relapse

What are triggers to relapse The many faces of triggers which derail us How to identify them when they are happening What to do to overcome such triggers How to insure that triggers lose their power to

derail in the future

1. Possible Triggers while in program

Disillusionment with the program Fear that complete change will never come Anger at the slowness of change Discouragement at the size of change (amount of

weight loss, rate of weight loss, etc.) Disbelief that to sustain the changed behavior requires

a change in lifestyle Use of excessive rationalization as to why it is

impossible for you to implement the full program at this point in your life

Claims that you have no time to work on the necessary changes

2. Possible Triggers while in program

Feeling as if you are facing a life of deprivation rather than feeling good about how full your life will be once you have implemented the lifestyle change

Feeling that this takes too much effort, time, and money for the results

Lacking in motivation to continue in your program of change

Wanting to abandon your time-management schedule because it feels too demanding and intrusive

Wishing you had never started this program of change

3. Possible Triggers while in program

Faultfinding with the professional staff and fellow members in the program

Looking for something wrong with the program, fellow members, or staff to justify your quitting

Feeling bored or overwhelmed with the efforts needed to make the change in your life

Not liking the "new'' you; feeling that the "old'' you wasn't so bad, was easier to live with, was happier, was funnier, etc.

4. Possible Triggers While in Program

Fearful of others' newly found interest in you when before they ignored, shunned, or barely tolerated you

Not really convinced of a need for change in your life Just wanting to achieve an end goal of change (healthy

relationship with food, weight management and exercise program), and not wanting to change your lifestyle for full recovery

Resentment that lifestyle changes require so much restructuring of your time, social support, and personal habits

Some Sources of Triggers

Personal feelings and emotions at any time of day or night

Times of days: on scale, meal times, work, driving etc…

Times of year: vacations, holidays, anniversaries Words or attitudes of self or others Advertisements on TV, Radio, Billboards, Stores

related to your trigger issues TV, Movies, Radio, Songs, Shows, with story lines

related to your trigger issues

Watch Out for Emotional Triggers:

Lack of commitment to change Lack of motivation Depression over the difficulty Boredom over the repetitious monotony Denial Discouragement Anger Suspicion Overwhelmed Resentful

Be on the Look out for Other Sources of Triggers

Emotional Status Irrational Belief System Habitual Ways of Acting and Believing Value System Peer Pressure Overabundance of Choices Sense of Prosperity Propaganda Conspicuous Consumption

Part 2: Developing New Relationship with Food

Identifying a Food Plan which suited for you Identifying a Food Plan which can be implemented

easily and fit into your current lifestyle Eating to Live not Living to Eat Eating to be stay healthy, not eating to stuff emotions Eating plan which works while eating out Understanding the Nutrition of Food Keeping up on What is new in the Food arena

1. Overcoming Myths Related to Weight and Food

Myth 1: Being overweight is due to bad metabolism - its your behaviors not metabolism

Myth 2: Being overweight is due to bad genes – its your behaviors not your genes

Myth 3: Being overweight is due a thyroid problem - its your behaviors not your thyroid

Myth 4: Fat-free and low-fat foods are good for my food program - fat-free is not calorie free

2. Overcoming Myths Related to Weight and Food

Myth 5: Some people just can’t lose weight – it takes a lifestyle change which anyone can do

Myth 6: Fat people are fit – there are health problems which stem from obesity such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, cancer

Myth 7: Bodies plateau and it is impossible to lose weight after that – efforts to lose weight plateau not bodies

3. Overcoming Myths Related to Weight and Food

Myth 8: Bodies want to be the weight they get to – bodies do not want to be overweight

Myth 9: Big Boned People are overweight due to their Bones – skeletal size of average man or woman does not differ much

Myth 10: Obesity can be result of being too muscular – that weight could be marbleized fat

Myth 11: How can be gaining weight, since I do not eat? – increased body weight come from increased eating

4. Overcoming Myths Related to Weight and Food

Myth 12: It is not good to weigh yourself – the scale does not lie and is not in denial

Myth 13: Dieting five days a week is a good plan – weight loss comes from a caloric deficit and requires a 7 day a week effort

Weight loss = calories in minus calories out

Part 3: Developing a Healthy Exercise Program

Identify Benefits Combat Myths about exercising Combat Roadblocks to exercising Identify and overcome: Triggers to avoid,

ignore, or stop exercising Look at what is new in exercise offerings

Benefits of Healthy Exercise

Compensates for fat accumulation by burning calories Provides a "natural high'' by the release of endorphins Strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory

systems if aerobic type exercise sustained for at least fifteen minutes on a regular basis.

Keeps the muscular system supple Keeps the circulatory system operating at its best Builds bone mass to combat osteoporosis.

1. Myths about Exercise

1. Exercise makes you tired. Because heart rate and respiration is increased, a person becomes energized, alert, and awake after a period of strenuous exercise.

2. Exercise increases your appetite. The immediate effect of exercise is a decrease in appetite

3. Exercise is boring. Rigorous exercise results in the production of hormones called endorphins which give a feeling of well-being, a "natural high

2. Myths about Exercise

4. With exercise you can reduce certain spots on your body. Where people lose weight is determined by their hormones. With proper exercise people can increase muscle tone in certain areas and can speed along the general loss of fat, which helps overall appearance but not necessarily in specific areas.

5. You have to have athletic ability to get the most out of an exercise program. A complicated program of sophisticated athletic activities is unnecessary. Simply walking a1/2 hour to hour a day during time when you normally would have been sedentary is enough exercise to provide some balance in your life.

3. Myths about Exercise

6. A health spa or gym is the best place to exercise. Health spas and gyms can be useful if you need a social atmosphere in which to exercise. However, the type of exercise needed for lifestyle change can be done effectively with no expense.

7. Exercise takes a lot of time and expensive equipment. You need only 30- 45 minutes of consecutive, brisk, full-body movement a day to gain the full benefit of exercise. You can do this in your home with your own equipment (e.g., stationary cycle, rebound trampoline, or rowing machine), or you can do it without equipment by walking, jump roping, etc...

Roadblocks to Exercise

Not enough time; my schedule is already so full Implementing a program of exercise takes

exceptional effort and planning The health club is too far away. It is not "on my way''

to anywhere An exercise program costs a lot of money. It is unpleasant to get all sweaty when you exercise Exercise can be so boring Exercise makes your body sore

Time for Exercise

Make the exercise session a priority of the day schedule a regular, specific time of day for

exercise. Choose a convenient time. Exercise in the morning before breakfast, in the

afternoon before lunch, or in the evening after getting home from work, but before dinner.

Place for Exercise

Choose an exercise easily performed around the house, e.g., treadmill, stationary cycle, rowing machine, jumping rope, rebound trampoline, jumping jacks, walking, running, biking, swimming.

Perform exercises that can be done in an air-conditioned environment (stationary cycle, rowing machine, or rebound trampoline). Profuse sweating is not necessary for exercise to be worthwhile.

Reduce Costs of Exercise

Choose an exercise which doesn't involve the purchase of equipment or club memberships, e.g., walking, running, jumping rope, etc.

Keep Exercise Interesting

Try indoor exercise in front of a TV or while listening to motivational tapes or energizing music.

Try outdoor exercise in tree-lined or park-like settings with interesting scenery and use a portable radio or tape player

For either type of exercise, get a partner or group of people to exercise with; make it a social experience that will provide mutual motivation and encouragement

Start out Slow to Protect Your Body from Being Strained

Slowly phase an exercise program in; help your body adjust to the increased activity

Use warm-up and cool-down exercises to avoid muscle strain

Wear the proper clothing and shoes to avoid body strain or injury

Part 4: Personal Testimonies and Sharing

Sharing success stories from past week or from your current program

Sharing concerns and issues which have come up over the past week

Sharing strategies you have found which help keep you on track with food, exercise etc…

New ideas, articles, program, you have found which you think all could benefit from