The Hemp Connection:
strategies

I was standing at the grocery check out line last night, and my eyes unavoidably wandered to the magazine rack as I waited my turn. The weight-loss headlines on all those health and fitness magazines seem to scream, competing for my attention!

“The only workout you’ll ever need!”

“5 easy steps to a flat belly!”

“Lose 10 pounds this week without giving up dessert!”

“Get back into those skinny jeans with these three easy moves!”
I can’t help but roll my eyes and wonder if anyone who writes these really cares what happens beyond the purchase of the magazine. Most of those types of articles tend to recommend crash diets disguised as sound nutrition plans, and play to readers’ desires of maximum return on minimum investment with regard to exercise. But none of these things will set you up for long-term success.

If I could rewrite some of those headlines, they might look more like this:

“Get back to basics to get back in shape!”

“Lose the ‘extras’ and shed the extra weight!”

“Move it to lose it!”

“Get SMART about your goals!”

Those are my go-to tips for realistic weight management. There is such a focus on the “losing” part, and not much talk about what happens afterward! It’s easy to forget the work isn’t done after you’ve lost the weight. The ultimate goal then, isn’t just to lose the weight, it’s to maintain your new, healthier weight and the habits that got you there.

Get back to basics. In the kitchen, that means get back to fresh food, things that don’t tend to come in boxes and bags or are delivered through a drive-thru window. In life, that means, go outside and take a walk. Or, step away from the computer once in a while and walk over to your coworker’s desk to talk (instead of emailing) about that project you’re working on.

Lose the extras, like soda, excessive alcohol and mindless snacks. Ask yourself: Do I really need to sip on Mountain Dew all day while I work? And do I have to get the cookie with that salad I ordered just because it’s free? One beer or one glass of wine to unwind or enjoy with dinner is nice… but do I really need more than that? And when I’m at the movies… seriously. Is it that hard to watch a whole movie without a vat of popcorn or a suitcase-sized box of M&Ms on my lap?

Move more! It doesn’t matter if the perfect conditions for a regular workout routine are not in place. That should eliminate excuses like “I have no time.” And “I can’t afford a gym membership.” Just do something – NOW. Just make the commitment to moving more than you currently do.
Not starting, or giving up simply because things aren’t going perfectly are the complete opposite of jump starting anything. I choose instead to aim for progress, not perfection.

Get SMART about your goals! SMART goals are specific and measureable, attainlable and realistic, with a time-sensitive deadline. One of my clients set great SMART goal this year: “I will train to complete the Pat Tillman Run on April 16th in under 40 minutes by running three times a week for the next three months, building up my endurance and distance until I can run 4.2 miles within my goal time.”

How about you? What have you found to work best, what real-world tips would you offer to someone who wants to get their health and their weight under control?

“Gretchen, oh Gretchen! It’s Halloween, come on, I’m so tiny, just eat me. You deserve a treat. I’m only here once a year.” Sound familiar when you substitute your own name?

A few M&Ms, an itty-bitty Butterfinger, those adorable little packets of candy corn, or whatever form of cheap sugar it is that you favor are probably calling your name – LOUDLY – right about now. If you haven’t already succumbed repeatedly to the bowls scattered throughout many offices, or sneaking some out of the stash you intend to distribute tonight, or if you didn’t full-on snag an entire bag of your favorites for yourself, which is even now lurking in your desk drawer. I know the drill. You’ve got that guilty laugh, don’t you?

It’s darn near impossible to be perfect around the issue of refined sugar. It’s in everything from the obvious baked goods and candy to the less obvious prepared salad dressings and sauces – even a Chinese stir-fry or some other meat dishes. Many of us set abstinence from sugars as a goal, and/or adhering to a low-glycemic diet. This is a great idea generally speaking. But we’re entering the time of year when treats abound (I’d say treat season pretty well spans Halloween through Valentine’s Day, which is a long time to be totally out of control), and it’s time to get a grip on yourself, and implement a strategy that works. Here are some of my favorite self-protection strategies:

• Don’t buy the stuff – DUH!? If you don’t have it in your house, you can’t eat it. Or at least you’d have to go make a special trip to buy it, which gives you enough time to re-think that idea. Refusal to participate in self-destruction is empowering.

• If you must buy it, buy something you don’t like – personally, there’s no way on earth I’m going to eat gumballs, Twizzlers, or Skittles. If that’s what I’m handing out, it’s ALL leaving the house. Saved!

• Turn down offers quickly – when you’re standing at the receptionist’s counter staring at that giant bowl of toxic sugar, and she pushes some on you like a perfect hostess, quickly excuse yourself by saying you’re diabetic, you’re allergic to chocolate, or whatever else you need to say. This is one occasion where you should feel free to lie. It’s highly likely the embarrassment and potential questioning (“Um, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but didn’t you say you were diabetic?!) will prevent you from sticking your hand in that very public bowl.

• Buy yourself a real treat – if I’m going to do chocolate, I want it to be European, very dark, very smooth, and preferably kind of expensive. That doesn’t sound like any of the usual Halloween treats, does it? Better yet, buy yourself a non-food item as a reward for your good behavior. Make your calories and your glycemic bumps meaningful, for cryin’ out loud!

I’m all for self-indulgence, but I believe it is best practiced with thoughtfulness and, frankly, dedication. We should PLAN for indulgence, actually. It shouldn’t be random, stupid, or designed to give you a sugar rush followed by a sugar crash, wildly fluctuating insulin levels, and a bad mood (because yes, the sugar crash causes headaches, stomach aches, insomnia, and contributes to anxiety and depression).

In the world of PCOS, you need to make smart choices. I don’t think choosing cheap Halloween candy is a good choice for your mind or your body because it doesn’t make you feel better, bottom line, and I’m all about feeling better, not throwing things out of balance.

Gretchen Kubacky, Psy.D. is a Health Psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles, California. She specializes in counseling women and couples who are coping with infertility, PCOS, and related endocrine disorders and chronic illnesses.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. HOUSE or her practice, or obtain referrals in the Los Angeles area, please visit her website at www.drhousemd.com, or e-mail her at Gretchen@drhousemd.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @askdrhousemd.