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I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. Why am I really overweight?

Of course, the simple answer is this: eating more calories than you burn makes you gain weight. That’s true, but it’s also not quite true at the same time. It doesn’t get to the heart of the problem.

You see, if it were as simple as eating less (or exercising more), losing weight would be a simple thing. If you’re like me and have struggled to lose weight, then you know that losing weight isn’t simple at all.

The real issue is this, why do I eat more calories than I burn?

There are a lot of answers to this one. Maybe you’re like me, and you’re a stress eater. I tend to associate food with comfort, so I eat when I’m not really hungry. Maybe you keep on the weight as a kind of barrier or shield from the world. Maybe you hate to exercise, or you have a health condition that keeps you from it.

Whatever the reasons for your weight problem, I’m convinced that as long as you see it as a simple matter of calories in and calories burned, you’re not going to be successful. People just aren’t that simple. If you’re overweight, you have a problem with your eating, and you have to examine the cause of the problem, not just try to treat the symptom.

So, here’s my challenge to you. Spend some time today thinking about how you relate to food.

• When do you overeat?
• What causes you to fall off your diet?
• How do you feel about yourself when you’re dieting? When you’re overeating?
• When did you first become overweight? What was going on in your life at the time?
• How did you relate to food when you were a child? Were you a heavy kid?

Thinking about these things may be uncomfortable, but it will give you some ideas where your food problems lie. You’re not likely to be successful simply trying to eat less, unless you understand why you tend to overeat in the first place.

Half of Me is a weight loss blog I ran across a few days ago. She’s also written a book, Half-Assed, about her weight loss struggles. Yep, you may have guessed it; she’s lost HALF her body weight.

Wow. I’m enjoying her blog because she’s a bit irreverent, and she’s honest about what a struggle it is to lose weight and keep it off. She’s in that second stage now, trying to not fall into the old habits and see the weight creep back on.

I highly recommend it for some fun and inspiring reading.

Asithi left an interesting comment to my recent post, Declutter Yourself, about keeping skinny clothes.

While you may think about whether you still like them, if they’re in style, how old they are, etc. I think there’s a more important question to consider.

How do you feel every time you open the closet and see clothes that don’t fit you? 

I’m guessing that doesn’t feel great. I know when I used to keep my smaller clothes (I never really had “skinny” clothes), I felt awful each time I looked at them. My favorite pants, that no longer button. That shirt I only wore a few times. Each item reminded me how I’d failed to keep my weight in check.

Why would you keep something that doesn’t fit you? You’re getting no more use from it than if it were torn or stained and unwearable for that reason. Yes, you’re trying to lose weight, and you very well may be able to fit into it again. I’m all for being frugal, but I think you have to weigh what you gain with what this kind of behavior costs.

You save some cash by not buying new clothes. That is, if you get back into those clothes. And if you still like them. And if they’re still in style. And if… you get my point.

In the meantime, each time you open your closet you’re reminded of your weight. Does that make you feel good? Does it encourage you to lose weight? I don’t think so. I believe that in order to lose weight, you have to feel good about yourself as you are now. Holding on to too-small clothes isn’t going to help you do that.

And here’s a final rant… Let these clothes do some good. Pack them up and give them to a charity where they’ll be used and appreciated. You’re doing yourself harm by keeping them, and you’re denying those in need as well.

When you’re finished cleaning out your closet, go buy yourself something nice that FITS and makes you feel good about yourself. You’ll be one step closer to a healthy weight.

Oddly enough, I’ve dropped about a few pounds in the last month. That brings my total to 32 pounds since last summer, I believe.

That’s how it usually goes for me. I hit a plateau and stay there for a while. In this case, I’ve been more or less stuck for almost two months. Then poof, I drop a few pounds in just a week or two.

It’s important for me to remind myself of this; it’s all too easy to get discouraged when I’m stuck. I track my weight in a spreadsheet, and it helps to go back and look at how my progress has slowed, stopped, and picked back up again. Although we might like to plan to average a pound or two a week, it rarely happens that way.

Another trick I have for not getting discouraged is how often I weigh. I tend to weigh almost daily, except for when I’ve been on a plateau for a while. Since it’s discouraging to see the same weight day after day, when I’m stuck I return to a weekly weigh-in routine. Then, when I finally drop some weight, it’s a pleasant surprise.

What techniques do you use to keep your spirits up when the scale won’t budge?

I sometimes read and participate in weight loss forums. I think it can be helpful to get feedback and support when trying to lose weight. Goodness knows, sticking with it can be tough.

Surprisingly, I also think that those same forums can be the very thing to trip you up and cause you to lose motivation.

Why is that?

People tend to get carried away on forums and set bigger and bigger goals. Setting unrealistic goals sets you up for disappointment and failure.

On one forum, the goal is to set exercise time limits per day and meet those. You get “points” for each ten minutes of exercise. Instead of setting something reasonable, it’s not uncommon to see people setting goals for an hour, even an hour and a half, of exercise per day.

Does that sound reasonable for most people? Can you find the time to do that? Would you stick with it long term? For every person who can stick with that type of grueling schedule, there are several who can’t.

Weight loss goals are even worse. We don’t like to admit it, but we really have no control over how much or how quickly we lose weight. You’ve probably had the same types of experiences I have; I do everything “right” and don’t lose anything. After a weekend of splurging, I hop on the scale, and I’ve dropped a pound.

Setting specific weight loss goals like losing a pound or two a week sets you up for disappointment. You’ll hit the inevitable plateau and become frustrated when your weight loss stalls despite your continuing to work hard at it.

Save yourself the hassle and heartache.

• Set small goals. Aim to lose two or three pounds, not ten or twenty.
• Begin with goals that you know you can meet. That may mean exercising for ten minutes a day to begin with, but sticking with ten minutes a day is better than failing to do an hour a day.
• Avoid time limits. Even saying that you’ll lose a pound a week sets you up for disappointment if it doesn’t happen. Set a goal to lose a few pounds, and leave the time limit off.
• Reward yourself. When you lose the few pounds you wanted, do something nice for yourself. Spend equal time exercising and doing something else you enjoy. Be creative and “bribe” yourself if you have to.

I set small weight loss goals, five pounds or less. If I’m stuck on a plateau, then I set a goal of only one or two pounds. Staying positive is a great first step to staying on track with your weight loss.

With summer coming on, it’s getting to be ice cream season again. If you’re watching your carbs and/or your sugar, then there are some nice selections out there for you.

Breyers does a low carb ice cream that’s very good. Unfortunately, there are only a few flavors. I’ve seen vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, and rocky road.

There are also lots of no sugar added ice creams. These may or may not be low carb as well, so you’ll need to read the package. I’ve tried Blue Bunny and Skinny Cow and have found both to be good.

Calculating Carbs

• Note the serving size. Usually it’s for half a cup, but double-check just in case.
• Start with total carbs and subtract any fiber and sugar alcohols listed. The result is the net carbs.

Breyers is around 4 net carbs. I’ve found some Blue Bunny that’s only 3. However, some of the low /no-sugar ice creams can still be pretty high in carbs, so read the label.

Does anyone have any suggestions for other low carb desserts?

With warm weather coming, you may be wondering how to dress to avoid showing your problem areas but still be comfortable and fashionable.

Shirts

• If your upper arms are a problem, choose t-shirts instead of tank tops.
• Or, try a sheer or light shirt worn as a jacket over your tank top.
• Unless you have 6-pack abs, skip the shirts that bare your stomach.
• While you may be tempted to choose something baggy to cover up, don’t. It will just make you look heavier. You don’t have to go form-fitting, but the shirt should fit.
• Make sure your shirts aren’t too long. Having them hit around halfway between your waist and hips is a good option for most women.

Shorts

• If your thighs are an issue, pick shorts that come down below your thighs.
• Pleats can make your stomach look even bigger. Flat front pants are a better choice.
• Stretch jeans and pants are good if you tend to have a “bulge.” They’ll also give you more wear time if you’re losing weight.
• Capri pants are a good option if shorts don’t do it for you.

Colors / Patterns 

• Dark colors make you look thinner. If you’re bottom heavy, choose dark shorts or pants.
• Vertical stripes are thinning; horizontal stripes tend to add weight.
• Large patterns (flowers, etc.) tend to add pounds.
• Bright or shiny fabrics will tend to add pounds.

Tan 

• Having a tan will tend to make you look thinner. No, I’m not telling you to risk sun cancer; try one of the sunless tanners instead.

Anyone have more tips on how to look thinner in summer clothes?

Broccolini over whole wheat pasta

Originally uploaded by MontageMan
If you’re like me, you’ve heard (and read) that whole wheat pasta tastes awful, is hard to get used to, etc. I’m here to tell you that it isn’t so.

Since my husband found out he was diabetic almost a year ago, we’ve been changing a lot of our eating habits. White bread got replaced by high fiber wheat. Potatoes are a rarity. Pasta fell in that category too for a long time.

We bought Dreamfields pasta, which is white, for a while. It didn’t affect his blood sugar, (more…)

First Rule of Walking: Keep Hydrated

Originally uploaded by Sister72

It may still be a bit cold where you are, but as spring arrives, it’s a great time to think about getting outside and being more active.

1. Get some new shoes if you haven’t for a while. Your walking or running shoes may need to be replaced, and this is a perfect time.

2. Take a walk around your house and yard and make a list of things that need to be done. Each item on the list is an opportunity to get more active and get some needed things done.

3. Prepare your flower beds. If that seems like a lot of work, (more…)

How do you get the most out of your visits to the doctor? Whether you’re sick or just getting a checkup, you’ll want to take some steps to make the most of your visit.

• Make a list of questions, issues, etc. that you’d like to talk about before you go. Sit down with your spouse or another family member and talk about any issues you might want to bring up while you’re there.
• Print out copies of notes you’ve taken about your condition or concern. If you’re referring to books or websites, take copies with you if possible.
• Don’t be shy about asking the questions. Get out your notes and go through the things you want to talk about. If you think the visit will be a long one, alert the staff when you make your appointment to allot extra time.
• Take notes during your visit. Ask your doctor to repeat things, spell them, whatever is necessary.
• Don’t let your doctor put you off. If your doctor seems as if he’s in a hurry to go or doesn’t have time, then politely ask if you should make another appointment to get your questions answered. Chances are, you won’t.
• If your doctor blows you off or acts as if you’re silly to ask these things, seriously consider getting another doctor. You have a right to understand your health and your care.
• If your doctor’s directions or advice differ from what you expected, then ask about his reasoning. You have a right to know why a course of action is being prescribed.
• Ask your doctor if there’s a website or literature you can get for more reading.
• Your visit doesn’t necessarily have to end when you walk out. If you have concerns, call and speak to a nurse or leave a question for the doctor. Don’t worry about being a pest, it’s your health.
• Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. Often doctors working in the same practice will have varying ideas on how to proceed with a patient’s care.
• Do your own research. No, you’re not a doctor, but that doesn’t mean you can’t, or shouldn’t, understand everything about your health that you can.

In case you’re wondering, I have a reason for posting these tips. I’ll write about it in a few days, once I’ve had time to get over my frustration. If I wrote about it down, it would just be a bitch session. Let’s just say that I had a less-than-positive experience with my new doctor. I’m grateful that I’ve begun to get more assertive with my own medical care, and I’d like to help others do the same.

If you take nothing else away from this… it’s your health, your body, your future. Your doctor is just a person, capable of making mistakes, having a bad day, or simply not giving a crap. No one cares more about your health than you do, so step up and take charge of your medical care.