SAN DIEGO — A lot of people have experienced it. Working incredibly hard to drop some annoying extra weight only to stop dieting and gain all of the weight right back.
Dr. Candice Seti said she participated in yo-yo diets a few times before she became fed up and wanted to address the underlying issues, so she didn’t have to be a slave to her diet forever.
She put together an incredibly effective method in her book, Shatter the Yo-Yo.
Seti, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Weight Management Specialist, and Certified Expert Life Coach gave tips on how to get rid of the yo-yo diet forever.
The first and one of the most important factors to long-term weight management in sleep. Sleep helps keep your metabolism strong and your hunger and fullness hormones working in your favor. She says you should:
Exercise before bed
- Sleep in pitch black and silence
- Go to bed the same time every night
- Develop a pre-sleep routine, i.e., reading a book, sipping tea, meditating
- Maintain a temperature of 60 – 68 degrees
Next thing you should pay attention to is the amount of water you are drinking. Did you know that water is key to weight management because it keeps your system moving effectively and helps keep you from eating when you are actually thirsty!
- A glass when you wake in the morning
- A glass before meals
- Create water goals, i.e, number of glasses,
- Replace sugary drinks and sodas with water
- Go to the water fountain every hour at work
- Drink water with routine daily activities such as walking the dog
Another important thing to do is try and relieve chronic stress. Chronic stress is known to increase appetite and decrease metabolism.
- Nap
- Have a worry book (write down your worries and forget them until you have time to tackle them later)
- Phone a friend for support
- Exercise
- Create a Personal Proactive Stress Management Plan
Change your relationship with food
- Connect to your food to slow down your eating
- Experience it on all levels (smell, sight, taste texture)
- Be a mindful eater vs. mindless eater