Weight Loss - Practice Lowering Your Stress

Winning After Losing: Keep Off the Weight You've Lost - Forever
by Stacey Halprin

(Page 6 of 7)

There are lots of different ways to lower your stress level. For me, a swimming pool or any body of water immediately calms me down. Taking a walk, meditating, or window shopping works for me too. For you it could be yoga, dance, hiking-the possibilities are endless. Dr. Hoffman encourages his patients to do the following breathing exercise, which comes from the practice of pranayama. The beauty of this exercise is you can do it anywhere, any time you feel like you need it (no assembly required!). He suggests that you use this technique when you're feeling anxious or upset and when you want to quiet your mind. This exercise can also help you to relax and fall asleep.

Nadi Shodhana

1. Place an index finger on the outside of your nose to close off your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril.

2. Place an index finger on the outside your nose to close off your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril.

3. Repeat this process three times.

4. Repeat the process three more times, only now inhale through your left nostril and exhale through your right.

Have a Love Affair with the World

While you were losing weight, you probably got a lot of positive reinforcement from the scale, the reflection you saw in the mirror, the way your clothes fit, and from your family and friends. But after you've maintained your weight for a few months or longer, the initial excitement of reaching your goal can begin to fade away. (No more parades thrown in your honor.) This is a critical fork in the road (pun intended) where people either learn to turn inward and rely on themselves and their coping mechanisms, or they get discouraged and turn outward, back toward overeating and other unhealthy habits. We can't let this happen! This is when we truly find out if what we said was lip service or really "This time I'm doing it for me!"

Beth, one of the women in the Winners' Circle, said, "I couldn't believe how quickly the people around me took my weight loss for granted. I had gained and lost my entire life, so even though I'd only lost twenty pounds, the fact that I was keeping it off was a pretty big deal for me. But after a few months, even my family acted like I was never overweight in the first place. The compliments died out, the encouraging words dried up, and my life started to feel like nothing had changed. I had said that I lost the weight for myself that time, but when the positive feedback stopped, I realized that I was still looking for praise and acknowledgment from other people. And then I realized that I wasn't giving those things to myself and I'd better figure out how to do that and how to enjoy my new lease on life or I'd be back at the bagel bar in no time."

Beth sums up the same basic story that I've heard from many women and men who are trying to maintain their weight loss-same song, different chorus. It also points to a very important part of step 1. For you to completely appreciate and enjoy your new way of living, you have to take the party beyond your physical look and the number on the scale and begin to have a love affair with the world.

Dr. Jane Greer says, "Your love affair with the world begins by discovering what gives you the most healthy pleasure and making those things part of your life. Start to look at what you like doing and what makes you feel good (aside from food) and plan those perks into your schedule. Get out your calendar and plan a small treat for each day of the week and something really special for the weekends. And keep on going! Stay open to spontaneous opportunities to try different activities and hobbies, meet new people, and learn or experience new things. This is an aspect of life where you can have as much as you want. The sky is the limit."

She explains, "The key to success is to feed your heart and soul, instead of your stomach. Think about what excites you and makes you feel happy and energized. It doesn't have to be something big. Remember, it used to be something as small as a cookie or a piece of candy. Feeding your heart and soul is about taking in nourishing emotional energy, and that means giving it to yourself and getting it from other people."

Dr. Greer suggests that you make a list of all the things you enjoy that have been getting lost in the shuffle and make them priorities. Just like you plan healthy meals instead of grabbing snacks on the run, it's important to put time and energy into the people and activities that are most meaningful to you and help you to feel good about yourself. for example, if you've been wanting to take a relaxing bath, spend an hour with a friend, get a massage, have a manicure, or just take some quiet time to read or watch your favorite TV show, schedule it for a specific day and time. Write it down in your day planner or Palm Pilot and keep the appointments as you keep appointments with your coworkers, doctor, or your hair salon. She says, "Many times people feel guilty about taking care of themselves and let everyone and everything else come before them. The trouble is that if you do this you end up feeling depleted and deprived and both of those feelings can trigger a desire to fill your emotional needs with food."

If you like reading magazines, but your stack of magazines is piling up and collecting dust, start with the one on top, tear out the articles you want to read, and carry them in your handbag, briefcase, or car. When you're in line at the store, waiting to pick up your kids, sitting in a doctor's office, or waiting for a meeting to start, pull out one of the articles and read it. By doing these sorts of things, you feed and nourish yourself in ways that go beyond food. And you feel a sense of accomplishment in knowing you are taking care of your own wants and desires.

About the Author

Stacey Halprin lives in New York City.