Wacky Ways to Lose Weight

Good morning on a cold Monday!

I apologize for not sending this on Friday - I was struck with the cold that's been going around and apparently my head was in more of a fog than I thought! Have an excellent week!

Dr. Doug

WACKY WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT

Adapted from an article in the Ottawa Citizen – Jan/2011

This is the time of year when many of us are desperately trying to get back on track after a busy and indulgent holiday season. While most of us know "what we should be doing,” getting back on track is easier said than done. Sometimes switching our strategies can help us feel motivated and in control again.

Try focusing on a new strategy – something "unconventional” or off the wall can help with motivation, and therefore help maintain healthy efforts. The following are some strategies that might get you thinking outside the box:

1. Pay with cash. The Journal of Consumer Research found that people are more likely to buy unhealthy items on impulse when they pay using credit or debit cards.

2. Do the Hula (Hoop). Take a weighted fitness hoop for a spin and slim your whole body. It's fun and burns a lot of calories.

3. Fidget yourself thin. Take a cue from the toe-tappers, pencil-clickers and desk-drummers and wiggle your way to a healthy body weight. A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic found that the calories burned in everyday, non-exercise activities play a larger role in our weight.

4. Eat like it's the Stone Age. The popularly dubbed "Caveman Diet” has a host of followers that praise its effectiveness. Dieters eat lean protein, vegetable, fruit and nuts, and avoid all processed foods, as well as dairy and grains.

5. Clench your muscles. The next time you're tempted by a fattening treat, try clenching your muscles. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that tightening a muscle could help battle the urge to indulge.

6. Cook something complicated. It turns out that the harder you have to work for your food, the more you enjoy it – including low-calorie offerings. By manipulating the amount of work required to obtain a meal, dieters could alter their habits to find healthy and low-calorie foods more palatable.

7. Take a whiff. Our sense of smell's connection to eating is not surprising, but there are fragrances that fight cravings instead of inspiring them. Vanilla and cinnamon work best for men, while mint decreases cravings in women.

There are endless strategies that help us feel more in control. Try and think about which strategies allow you to feel the most empowered on this weight loss journey, and use them to your advantage. It doesn't matter if they seem trivial or strange – the point is that they prompt you to get on track. For more health and weight loss tips, visit www.fitbie.com (for example, using household objects to improve your fitness; burning calories without a gym; or ways to transform yourself in 2011).

Never give up on your goals, no matter what happens in day to day life. You CAN persevere and feel successful, even when the going gets tough.

Dr. Doug