Identify Your Weaknesses: A Quiz
by Maia Appleby
 People
have free will, as we all know, and that means
that tough issues like weight loss can become
very confusing. Thousands of books and videos
on the subject give more advice than we could
ever handle, but the real tools you need are
inside of you.
The little things that you do throughout the day,
the way you feel about things and the way you
see yourself all determine your weight. The
following questionnaire will help you point
out your strengths and weaknesses, possibly
shedding some light on your lifestyle. Whether
you're trying to lose weight or maintain your
current weight, behavior modification is vital.
Answer each of the questions to the right "true"
or "false" honestly. Wherever you answer "false,"
you may have a weakness that's holding you back
in your quest for weight management. Remember
to be completely honest with yourself.
In
general, I have a positive outlook. You
will get nowhere if you don't. If you're a "the
cup is half empty" person, you probably don't
realize it. Do you like most of the people you
encounter? Do you usually go to bed at night
with a positive feeling about your day? Do people
turn to you when they're down? If not, you may
need to work on your attitude before you can
go any further.
I
exercise at least three days a week. Your
diet isn't the only thing you should work on.
Exercise changes your body, to make it more
efficient at burning fat. If you don't do this,
the weight you lose will primarily be muscle
and bone mass - things you can't afford to lose.
If you exercise, the weight you lose will be
fat, and you'll look and feel much better.
I
set goals that are realistic and
attainable. Unfortunately, many companies
bank on convincing consumers that losing ten
pounds by Saturday can rally happen. You can
realistically lose a pound or two per week,
on the average. If you want to lose twenty pounds,
give yourself three or four months, and monitor
it weekly. Remember that the more gradual the
weight loss is, the more likely it is to stay
off.
I
follow a healthy, balanced diet. Don't be
fooled by the notion that avoiding one type
of food or gorging on another will help you
along the path to weight loss. Your diet should
contain a bit of everything nutritious. About
two thirds of your diet should come from complex
carbohydrates (whole grain breads, cereals,
rice, fruits and vegetables). You also need
two or three servings each of calcium-rich dairy
foods and protein items like meat, fish and
nuts.
I
set "mini-goals" to avoid being overwhelmed
by large ones. To a child in September,
the school year will never end, but holidays
and birthdays along the way make it much easier
to understand how long nine months is. The same
way, assign yourself weekly goals and assess
your progress that way while working toward
the biggie.
I
am always aware of how much fat and calories
are in the food I eat. Keep in mind that
each gram of fat has nine calories. Fat should
make up no more than twenty percent of your
total calories. This means that something with
"only" 100 calories is fattening if it has eight
grams of fat, since 72 of its 100 calories comes
from fat. Being mindful of this is a powerful
tool.
When
I have a craving, I can handle it without eating.
We all have our methods. Chewing gum can sometimes
ward off cravings, as can drinking a glass of
water. Some people even find that keeping their
hands busy helps. If you feel compelled to quench
that craving, you need a way to handle it.
I
reward myself for overcoming obstacles.
You are much more advanced than Fido, but isn't
it easier to shape his behavior using biscuits
as rewards? This works with people, too, and
not just children. When you've lost that first
five pounds, do something for yourself, even
if it's just saying, "Yeah, I'm good!"
I
don't eat anything unnecessary. When you
have pancakes, do you have to slap more butter
on them before smothering them in maple syrup?
Do you put mayonnaise or oil on your sandwiches?
These things aren't necessary. They're just
examples, but many people make simple foods
very fattening by adding the extras. Learn to
eat things without all the frills and you'll
avoid a lot of unwanted fat and calories.
I
spend less than one hour per day watching television.
It's definitely addictive, especially when a
great deal is going on in the world and the
news is intriguing. Keeping busy is probably
the best habit you can adapt, though. If you
have three or four hours of television to watch
every day, you're depriving your body of activity.
I
rarely eat at restaurants or buffets. When I
do, I'm careful. It's a well-accepted fact
that fat makes things taste better. Restaurants
want their food to taste good, so they use a
lot of fat. Even things that seem low in fat
probably have plenty of it. A good example of
this is fish served in a lemon-butter sauce.
A good salad can be ruined by ranch dressing.
It's really better to plan your meals ahead
of time and eat at home.
I
eat small amounts of food several times a day,
instead of two or three big meals. Doing this
gives your metabolism a big kick-start. When
you eat a large meal, then fast for several
hours, your body tends to hold onto the calories
from that meal, in case it has to wait a long
time for more nourishment. If you get your body
accustomed to eating in smaller intervals, you
burn calories much faster. This is a pretty
neat little phenomenon.
I
serve myself reasonable portions. One good
way to assure that you do this is by using a
smaller plate than usual. The appetite is rather
dependent on the mindset of the person eating.
If you're used to having huge portions of each
item at dinner, you'll want huge portions, no
matter how hungry you are. Train yourself to
be mentally satisfied with average-sized portions.
I
drink at least two liters of water every day.
Water curbs cravings, decreases bloating and
water retention and enhances your liver's fat
burning capability. You should never allow yourself
to get thirsty. Two liters of water isn't that
much. Just get into the habit of sipping it
all day long, and soon, you won't be able to
live without it.
I
manage my stress productively (without using
food). Many people eat when they encounter
stress. They tend to look for "comfort foods"
that remind them of a much easier, stress-free
childhood, opting for ice cream, meatloaf and
cookies. If this is you, find other, less destructive
ways to deal with stress. If you begin an exercise
program, this will help tremendously.
I eat slowly. Your
body doesn't realize that you've had enough
to eat until several minutes after you've had
it. If you eat too hastily, you'll fill yourself
up and possibly eat more on top of that. Studies
have also indicated that the body is accustomed
to an average numbers of chews per mouthful.
If you chew your food more than usual, not only
will you eat more slowly, but also you'll trick
your body into thinking it's had more to eat.
I
recognize my faults and take responsibility
for them. Some overeaters are like alcoholics,
in that they don't realize that they are abusing
food. A woman might get into a fight with her
husband, gorge on a half-gallon of ice cream
and the blame him for it. This is dangerous
behavior. Don't let anyone or anything distract
you from your goals. If you do, you must recognize
that you are the one at fault.
I only eat
at the table. Sitting on the sofa with munchies
is a bad idea for those who want to lose weight,
because it encourages passive eating. When you
confine yourself to the table for meals, you
won't be doing anything but eating, and therefore,
you won't eat quite as much.
I
don't indulge myself at social affairs.
This is terribly difficult for a lot of people.
Stuffed mushrooms and cocktail wieners seem
so small and harmless, but they contain more
calories and fat than they should. Birthday
cake is great, and a little piece probably won't
hurt you, but where do you draw the line? One
key to weight management is learning (or forcing
yourself) to control yourself in such a situation.
I
never eat anything within three hours of my
bedtime. Your metabolism slows down at night,
so if you go to bed with a full stomach, your
body won't deal with the calories as efficiently
as it would during the day. If you're used to
munching on chips or sweets during prime time,
you're putting weight on yourself. After dinner,
eat nothing else. Even if you think it will
kill you.
I
have made a real commitment to achieving or maintaining
a healthy weight. If you truly believe that you will
lose weight, you will. Unfortunately, it's hard for
overweight people to do that. They often cannot picture
themselves any thinner than they are. Even if you
can't picture it, commit yourself to it wholeheartedly.
Recognize that your belief in yourself is the number
one ingredient to leading a healthy, happy life.
Nobody can lose weight for you. No bars, shakes
or exercise gadgets can do it for you, either.
Only you can determine what happens to your
body. If you want to make an improvement, start
today, just by knowing in your heart that you
want to make an improvement. Go through this
list once a week until you can answer "true"
to everything. It's not impossible.
If you're committed, you're there.
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