By By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
Dec. 29, 2001
Many resolutions to lose weight will be made on New Year's Day. Some people will succeed, most won't, but help is available.
Mary Gilmore, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, serves as secretary of the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Treatment. She began the Healthy Directions Weight Management program at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center five years ago.
Instead of saying, "I'll never eat … I must cut out …" or "I should avoid …" Gilmore suggests people tell themselves that they plan to make more appropriate food selections, to enjoy smaller portions of food, learn why they overeat and find activities to curb the urge.
Gilmore said when people choose to follow a very low calorie diet, they often find themselves heavier at the year's end, because severe deprivation leads to increased desire. She also said people should not immediately start a strenuous exercise plan, but work up to exercising five to six times a week for 30 minutes to an hour each session.
The Healthy Directions Weight Management program meets every Tuesday at noon and at 5:15 p.m. in the Jeff Anderson Health and Fitness Auditorium. For more information on the program, orientation sessions have been scheduled for Thursday and again on Monday, Jan. 7, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Steve Gillespie is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3233, or e-mail him at sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.
Weight loss strategies:
Some suggested strategies from Gilmore for making a New Year's resolution to lose weight and stick to it:
Write down your goals and be specific. A well-thought-out goal becomes a commitment.
Remember, making change is difficult. A lapse is simply a mistake. A lapse should be viewed as a stepping stone toward your long-term destination. Recovering from the lapse is the important step. Never view a lapse as a character flaw that will never be corrected.
Realize that anything in life that has value usually takes time and a great deal of effort. Making lifestyle changes is hard, but the more a healthy lifestyle is practiced, the more normal it will begin to feel.
Begin with the end in mind. See yourself as that person who prefers to eat healthy, appropriate amounts and loves to exercise.