Summer is the perfect time to lose some weight!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
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7 Reasons Why Now Is the Perfect Time
to Start Pursuing Your
Summer Weight Loss Goals
If you haven't lost any of the
pounds you swore to by swimsuit season, you might be tempted to throw in
the towel and put off your dreams of weight loss till next year. However, there's no time like the present to start eating and
living healthier!
Look at the calendar: June is already drawing to a close. And if
you have yet to start losing that weight you initially said you'd drop
before swimsuit season, you're in good company. Like many others, you may
figure that there's no point in going through the hassle of beginning a new
fitness regimen at this advanced date. After all, it's too late to start making
a difference in your weight or your shape this summer, right?
Wrong, says Dr. Lavinia
Rodriguez, a clinical psychologist who is trained in treating eating issues and
weight problems. In fact, there's never been a better time to start
losing weight.
"Many people assume that
because it's already the middle of the summer, they've missed their opportunity
to achieve their weight loss goals," says Rodriguez, author of Mind Over Fat Matters: Conquering Psychological Barriers to
Weight Management (iUniverse, 2008, ISBN:
978-1-4401-0228-8, $14.95). "The truth is, though, they haven't."
It's a common issue:
summer has a way of sneaking up on all of us. During chilly March, bare arms and
legs are probably the last thing on your mind—and if your summer shape does
cross your mind, you figure that you've got three whole months to work on
things. April rolls around, but you're still not feeling the urgency; after all,
there are still two months to go!
And then suddenly, you have an
"Oh, crap" moment. Because somehow Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and
you haven't even started working on your summer weight loss goal. At this point,
you think, Well, heck. I missed my chance. Now, the game becomes avoiding
the pool, and trying (unsuccessfully) to force your summer clothes to conceal
your love handles as well as the winter ones did.
"I know that as you stare
July in the face, it can seem like you're past the point of no return in the
summer weight loss department," concedes Rodriguez. "However, I urge you not to
let an 'It's too late' feeling keep you from working toward those goals you set
in March. For one thing, it's always a good time to get healthier. But
more to the point, summer practically rolls weight loss opportunities out on a
silver platter. Instead of seeing this as the end of your pound-shedding
aspirations, you should look at it as the beginning!"
It's true. Although you
might not see it now, there's never going to be an easier time to start the
journey toward looking and feeling your best. To start changing your attitude
and your strategy, read on for some of Rodriguez's tips:
Take advantage of the great outdoors. 
All right, so maybe the prospect
of exercising is never going to make you drop everything, jump up and down, and
squeal with glee. That said, it doesn't have to be torture, either—and let's
face it, the setting in which you work up a sweat can make a huge difference in
whether or not a fitness habit takes hold. Which would you choose: a cluttered,
stinky gym, or a green, open park?
"Summer is the perfect time to really make exercise a part of your daily
routine," Rodriguez points out. "For one thing, the weather is warm, so outdoor
exercise is much more fun—especially in the milder mornings and evenings. Also,
the days are longer and sunnier, so you're probably in a better mood than you
would be in the depths of winter. Lastly, there's a much smaller chance that
you'll be knocked out of commission by a sore throat or runny nose. Remember,
there is no better fat burner than an active lifestyle!"
Let your summer diet work for you. 
To a large extent, the weather
outside determines what goes into our mouths. During the colder months, fresh
produce is more limited, and we instinctively gravitate toward more substantial
(and fattening!) comfort foods like casseroles and fried dishes to warm us from
the inside out. Simply because of the menu, starting a successful weight loss
program in the winter can be doubly difficult.
"However, the opposite tends to be true at this time of year," Rodriguez
explains. "It's hot outside, and there are so many delicious fruits and
vegetables available in the grocery store and at farmers' markets. I don't think
anyone believes that a slice of watermelon and chicken straight off the grill
will go to your hips and stay there—quite the opposite, in fact. And the best
news is, you've still got two or three months of summer eatin' left."
Wear those shorts anyway!
It might sound counter-intuitive at first,
but forcing yourself to wear weather-appropriate clothes in
public—regularly—will probably help your self-esteem, not hurt it. Chances are,
you're your own worst weight critic, and once you realize that your bare arms
and legs aren't causing strangers to gape, you'll realize that things aren't as
dire as you made them out to be after all.
"When you see yourself—and your weight loss—as an utter failure, it's much
harder to work up the motivation to try to turn things around," says Rodriguez.
"Admit it—you've probably had that 'What's the point?' moment, and decided to
throw in the towel. However, if you realize that you're normal, changing
your health habits isn't quite as daunting."
Acknowledge the flaws of fad diets.
Despite your initial impulses,
it's important to avoid the temptation of turning to fad diets. Be honest: if
you'd actually started Mission Swimsuit in March like you'd initially planned,
you'd have probably jumped on board with the latest miracle diet that promised
to melt the pounds. Maybe you're still tempted to do so. However, points out
Rodriguez, fad diets usually aren't healthy, and they're not a long-term
fix.
"The body can't lose fat as quickly as many people expect it to, so these
rigid diets actually promise something your body isn't built to deliver," she
explains. "Furthermore, they cause psychological deprivation: your mind
feels deprived and becomes preoccupied with the foods you're avoiding. So even
if you trick yourself into thinking that subsisting on celery and kale is a good
idea because there are still six weeks left in summer, you'll be back at the
drive-through window sooner or later—and any temporary success you experience
won't last."
Be aware of the dieting company you keep.
In many ways, our society
revolves around eating. We have working lunches, dinners with friends, and
coffee dates, just to name a few. And even if you don't realize it, chances are
you tend to mirror the eating habits of the people you spend the most time
around.
"I'm not saying you need to completely avoid folks who constantly have their
hands in a bag of chips," Rodriguez says. "Just be conscious of your
hands if they also start straying toward the snacks. Ideally, try to
schedule non-food-centric time with friends who tend to get you off track...or
offer to host and prepare the meal yourself! After all, the weather's perfect
for cookouts and dining al fresco."
Lose weight like you brush your teeth.
In order for weight loss to be
effective and lasting, it has to become a lifestyle, not a temporary task. (And
as we've already established, eating well and exercising are most easily
accomplished now!) Essentially, says Rodriguez, you've got to stop
worrying so much about the results and focus on the process.
"Losing weight ought to be like brushing your teeth," she explains. "You
don't get preoccupied by what the toothpaste and floss are actually doing to
your teeth. You just trust that if you perform healthy behaviors, you'll get the
desired results. It's the same with losing weight—if you focus on the behaviors
of eating well and being active, the body will take care of the rest."
Nix the "now or never" notion.
Yeah, the necessity of appearing
poolside in your bathing suit can definitely give you weight-loss tunnel vision.
However, it's important to remind yourself that getting fit is primarily
about long-term health, not about looking svelte in a bikini.
"No matter what season it is—or when the pounds actually start to drop
off—the bottom line is that you're doing yourself an immense favor by choosing
to change your lifestyle," Rodriguez asserts. "And look at it this way—even if
you've barely dropped one pant size by Labor Day, you'll continue to progress if
you stick with the habits you started earlier in the summer. Come next
June, you'll be thanking yourself for kick-starting new habits now."
"So you see, the
summer is not lost after all!" Rodriguez concludes. "You can start to look at
the big picture (the rest of your life) and take one step at a time toward
permanent weight loss and fitness. Remember, it doesn't matter how you do it
or how long it takes you to get to the finish line—as long as you do. So
get out there and start instituting a new set of fitness habits. This summer can
be the beginning of a leaner, healthier you!"
. . . . . . . . . . .
About the Author:
Dr. Lavinia Rodriguez is a clinical psychologist and an expert trained in
treating eating issues and weight problems. For more than 30 years, she has
observed how people set themselves up for failure through unrealistic diets and
exercise programs, as well as through buying into out-and-out scams designed to
take advantage of individuals who seriously want to improve their health and
lives. She is concerned about people being misled regarding the most effective
ways to lose and manage weight over a lifetime.
Over the years, Dr. Rodriguez has treated many people, has written articles
on the subjects of eating disorders in particular and weight loss in general,
and has written a book titled Mind Over Fat Matters: Conquering Psychological
Barriers to Weight Management.
For more
information, please visit www.fatmatters.com.
About the Book:
Mind Over Fat
Matters: Conquering Psychological Barriers to Weight Management (iUniverse, 2008, ISBN: 978-1-4401-0228-8, $14.95)
is available at bookstores nationwide and through major online
booksellers.
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