Why Yo Yo Dieting Does Not Work

In today's society, the fad of yo yo dieting is a repeating issue. Women are hopping on the "diet" train in the hopes of losing pounds and inches. In the end we tend to give up the "diet" because we feel unsuccessful or maybe it has worked for a while but your body is no longer changing. What happens after the "diet" is over and you go back to your regular eating ways? Most of us gain the weight and inches back plus some which tends to cause a downward spiral in the way we see ourselves. Our self image may be even worse than before we began the "diet".
Obesity has become a major problem in America with the availability of prepackaged foods and fast food restaurants that make quick meals possible. These are not healthy for your body! The consumption of these items with the addition of lack of physical movement causes your body to store all of the added calories you consume but don't use.
The rule: I don't "diet"! First you must relearn what "diet" truly means. A diet by definition is not about deprivation or starvation. It is how and what you eat on a normal day to day basis. For example: if you are diabetic, you will follow a special diet in order to be healthy such as measuring your foods and watching your sugar intake along with counting your carbohydrate intake. A diet is a lifestyle change that you must be prepared to follow for life. It's about re-educating yourself in how and what to properly eat.
Dieting Pills don't work! Many make claims that are untrue. We try them with the hope to lose weight quickly to either satisfy ourselves or our partners. Healthy weight loss begins with a healthy self image and love for yourself. Losing weight should be about you not anyone else. It is a very personal and private voyage in which we learn to respect ourselves and accomplish our goals in life.
Losing weight should be done with small changes over a long period of time, not over night. In the past four years between the births of two children I am healthier than I have ever been. I don't deprive myself of fast food and chocolate. Instead, and learned to limit myself to how often I consume those items. Recently, a friend of mine that I have not seen in five years came to visit and she couldn't believe how great I looked. I was amazed! I see myself every day, so I was unaware of how far I have come in the past years.
Healthy self image is the key. Too often we see these women in magazines that are size 0 or we go shopping and nothing fits our frames correctly. You must learn to tell yourself that your body may not be made to be that size. Mine sure isn't. Get realistic with your goals and don't let anyone else's version of what you look like be what you guide yourself with. This should be about you not anyone else! www.Shape.com is a great place to get good recipes and weight loss tips. They also have a great work out goals worksheet and calendar that you can track your progress.

Exercise

As mom's and as women in general, most of us put ourselves last. But we must remember, in order to care for those around us, we must take care of ourselves first. If we want to be around for our kids and other loved ones for a while, we need to take care of our bodies.

As I said in my previous post, I have struggled with depression most of my life. One of the biggest things that has helped me has been regular exercise. When you exercise, your body releases the chemicals in your brain that make you happy. It also helps me get my mind off of all the things that are bothering me and puts things into a better perspective.

There are so many other benefits to exercise. I could go on and on. So what is the best way to start a program? I love researching online. Think about the areas of your body that you want to work on and research websites for free workouts. One of my favorite sites is www.fitnessmagazine.com. They also have tips for healthy eating. There are simple workouts that you can do at home that are free. You do not have to join a gym.

Another thing to remember when starting a program is to make it a priority. Do not let yourself get caught up in excuses!

Check out this blog for other tips and ideas written by the owner of a pilates studio:

http://www.5000moms.com/Body/?page_id=16

Depression

I read this post on one of my favorite blogs and thought that it correlated so well with LeeAnne's post on depression. I have struggled with depression most of my life and this article really rang true to me. As my dad always says "Keep on Keepin' on!"

http://www.5000moms.com/Soul/?p=169

Fighting the Separation Blues

As a military wife, separations from my spouse are a constant occurrence. I have been married for six years now to a man who plans to make a career of being in the military. In that time, I have had the opportunity to experience three deployments of varying lengths; and I must say they never get any easier.
All those people who say 'don't worry, the time will fly by and the next one will be a piece of cake' do not know what they are talking about! It never gets any easier to see your loved one leave for an undetermined length of time and to now be responsible for not only your own duties as wife and mother, but of father as well.
One thing that I have found that works for me during these stressful times is to keep as busy as possible. You may be thinking 'that's easy for you to say' when you work full time and are only home long enough to eat, get the children into bed and go to sleep yourself; but what about those women whose primary job is within the home in the traditional roles of mother and homemaker, such as myself? Time tends to creep by for those of us who have "nothing" to do except take care of the house and children.
I take up new hobbies during this time of stress and separation and try new things that I may not have done before. If you live near a military installation, there are so many free programs that you can take advantage of that will help you pass the time (IE. go the gym- its free!, use the bowling alley, connect with other women from your squadron or unit). Find a friend and go see a movie one day a week, or even a lunch day when you are connecting with someone else besides your children and you have a break, even if only for a few minutes. Read all of the books that you have been meaning to get around to! Or, you can be like me and begin to write one that may never be finished! (Laughing about that one!). The main point is to find things that you enjoy and do them. Above all, do not entertain feelings of guilt! There is no reason for it.
I also suggest that instead of a daily emailed letter to your spouse overseas that you create works of art on stationary and send it snail mail; at least once a week. During my husband's first deployment he carried no less than three letters at a time in his pockets every day. This is a way for them to be connected to us here at home. You can send your most intimate thoughts this way with the knowledge that only his eyes will see them.
Try getting into the habit of choosing an item a week from your child's artwork or work that has been sent home from school to send to daddy as a way of keeping him involved even though he is not present. You can always let your child or children pick out what items to share making it a fun game for them.
Over all, you must remember to LIVE! Your life does not end when he is away. It must in fact go on with as much normalcy as possible if only so that the transition is easier for your children. It is okay to cry and be sad, however I make it my own practice to not let my children see me break down. Let them see instead the inner strength pour out from you as you fulfill all your daily family business and needs. Before you know it, you will be standing in a crowd waving those flags and holding handmade signs while you wait with pent up breath for the first sight of him.
And much like the parting of the Red Sea, there he will be, striding towards you with just as much joy in his own steps.