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Top 10 Points of Encouragement for Weight Loss

- by Greg Landry, M.S.

On the road to weight loss, fitness,

and health, you can easily become

discouraged. In fact, discouragement

is what leads many people to give-up

when they may have been near a point

of significant progress and encouragement

in their program.

I've put together my "top 10" points of

encouragement to help keep your spirits

high on your road to weight loss,

fitness, and health..

1. It does get better - and often very

quickly! Many people that are

significantly overweight or that have

been sedentary for a long time, find any

activity, even walking a few hundred

feet, to be very difficult and

uncomfortable. Be encouraged, many

physiological changes happen very quickly

once you start moving. Walking, for

example, starts getting easier and more

comfortable within a couple of weeks.

Keep moving - every day will be a little

better! Be encouraged!

2. I love this lady's story. It just

makes you want to cheer for her while

sitting at your computer. Margie from

Madison, Wisconsin weighed 296 pounds

when she started walking in her

neighborhood. She says she started by

walking about half a block twice a day

and that it was incredibly difficult at

first.

After the second day she had decided to

quit but a neighbor encouraged her to

continue. Every day she walked the same

route but added a little distance each

week. She says there were many days when

she wanted to quit, but she wanted very

badly to lose weight and be healthy.

After several months the people in her

neighborhood started noticing her

consistency and her progress and started

giving her compliments and words of

encouragement. She said that after a

few months of walking, it went from

painful to enjoyable.

About ten months into her walking program,

she began her morning walk as usual, but

she noticed people out in their yards. As

she passed each yard they were clapping

and cheering for her, "go Margie", "we're

proud of you Margie", "congratulations

Margie!" She said tears of happiness

flowed through her entire walk that

morning as over a hundred people cheered

her on all along her route! Be encouraged!

3. The visible signs of progress in a

weight loss program are often very slow

to come. Healthy weight loss takes time,

but that can be very discouraging. Be

encouraged to know that for each day that

you exercise and eat healthy foods in

moderate quantities, you have made

progress. It might not be measurable that

day, but you have made progress and it

will be measurable over a period of weeks

and months. Be encouraged!

4. Katherine was 43 years-old and had

been sedentary for 20 years. The scale

had not changed in those 20 years - she

still weighed 136 pounds, but she knew

she had lost muscle and gained fat. Her

waist was bigger and she couldn't fit

into the same size clothes that she did

20 years earlier. What bothered her

most was that she was always tired and

never had energy.

She decided to start walking and weight

training but quit after a week. She said,

"it's too uncomfortable, I can't keep

doing this." I encouraged her to continue

and told her that it would get better.

She "quit" three times during the next

two weeks. We talked frequently.

Six weeks later she started to notice

some muscle tone and she noticed that

her endurance and energy level had

increased dramatically. She said,

"I'm very encouraged!"

Eight months later she had gained two

pounds on the scale but lost three

inches in her waist - and she walked

a marathon! Yeeeeeeesss! Be encouraged!

5. The whole idea behind physical

training is that you push your body to

do a little more than it's comfortable

with and it responds by making physical

and physiological changes. These changes

make you capable of doing a little more

with less discomfort. Be encouraged!

6. Gerald in New Orleans, Louisiana

lost 85 pounds after he started walking

and weight training. Once he had lost

the weight, he decided to do something

that would allow him to fully appreciate

his weight loss. For an entire day, he

carried around a sack that contained 85

pounds of metal weights.

Getting around during that day was a

struggle and very tiring. At the end of

the day he was exhausted! Life without

the weight is great! Be encouraged!

7. Keep records of your progress. Every

day write down the positive changes

you've noticed and also keep a record

of the exercise you do every day. Write

down what you did, how long you did it,

and any thoughts about your exercise

that day. Keep a running total of your

minutes. You can look back at what

you've done with a great sense of

accomplishment and you'll be motivated

to do more. Be encouraged!

8. Daily exercise will change your life!

I believe God designed humans to be

active on a daily basis. Why? because

when you are, lots of good things happen..

- you are healthier

- you feel better and have more energy

- you are less likely to develop cancer,

heart disease, stroke, etc.

- you sleep better

- you have a better outlook on life

- your relationships with people are

enhanced

- your skin looks healthier

- you are sick less often

- your immune system is stronger

- you lose fat

- you gain toned, lean muscle

- you look healthier

Be encouraged!

9. Betty Jo in Tuscaloosa, Alabama wrote

to me.. "Greg, After 24 years of being

married to a grouchy, pessimistic man

who didn't enjoy life, I saw all that

change over a period of about a year.

Harold was the classic 70 pound

overweight couch potato when he was

scared into exercising and healthier

eating habits by the death of his 46

year-old friend."

Harold's doctor recommended that he

start walking every morning and after

a couple of weeks Harold told Betty Jo

that he wanted to start eating better.

Harold really took-off with this "health

thing" and lost 72 pounds and become a

new man - inside and out. In Betty Jo's

words, "I have a new husband. He walks

for an hour every morning and he is a joy

to be around. His enthusiasm for life

makes our marriage fun." Be encouraged!

10. Progress and improvement generate

encouragement. YOU can progress and

improve and be encouraged to do more.

Tomorrow morning, put on your walking

shoes and take a walk, even if it's just

a few minutes. The next day, do it

again - progress and improve.

Be encouraged!

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,

offers a variety of unique weight loss and fitness

programs at his site, such as the "Weight Loss and

Fitness Insiders Club!" Visit his site at..

http://www.Landry.com

copyright 2001 by Greg Landry, M.S.

40-30-30 Fat Burning Nutrition: The Dietary Hormonal Connection to Permanent Weight Loss and Better Health

40-30-30 Fat Burning Nutrition: The Dietary Hormonal Connection to Permanent Weight Loss and Better Health • More than 400,000 copies in print
• Great supermarket shopping lists
• Guides for eating out, fast foods and prepared meals
• Vegetarian meals and recipes

Pioneering weight loss and sports nutritionists Joyce and Gene Daoust were part of the original team that worked with Dr. Barry Sears, developing and testing the "Zone Diet." You'll learn how to eat balanced meals: 40 percent of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from fat. You'll begin to burn fat, add muscle and increase your metabolism. Best of all, your body will keep the weight off once you reach your goal.
Customer Review: You Can't Pass This Up !!!
I have finally found a weight loss book that is simple to understand and easy to follow. What I found to be extremely helpful was the Meal Planner Conversion Chart. It's all figured out for you. You choose the plan that suits you best. Since I have been on this diet, all the cravings for junk food have gone. I was someone who lived for sugar and now I do not want any of it. I use to crave coffee in the morning as well but realized I didn't want that wired up feeling & acid stomach. I switched over to a caffeine-free coffee substitute made from soyabeans I found on the net at www. S o y c o f f e e.c om. It so easy for someone to tell you to eat less, but if you are craving bad foods, eventually you will fail. In the first five days I was on this diet all the craving ceased and I was already 8 lbs down. If you were like me and cannot wait for your next slice of cake and at the same time really want to change your lifestyle, Try this. I lost 9 pounds in three weeks. Went from a size 18 jeans to a size 16. This is the only way to go!!!
Customer Review: Zone made easy for regular people!
My doctor started me on this book in June 2004. I am 5'6" and was hitting the scales at my highest ever - 200 lbs. I was having trouble fitting in my size 14/16s and couldn't stand the thought of buying new, bigger clothes. I have always been a woman that "knew" what was good and bad in my refrigerator (I've read just about every article about dieting written), and had trouble fitting in exercise - especially after having two kids. The Zone was outrageously complicated, and so many other diets had huge restrictions on fruit and most veggies, and just didn't seem to make sense from a nutritional standpoint - I couldn't stick with them for long. My cravings, weird rules and the heavy restrictions on almost everything I loved was always a bomb ticking away inside. Then I found 40-30-30.

It is now six months later, I've lost 40 pounds and counting. I have a new way to eat for life! I lost 14 pounds the first month, then seven, then six and the rest has been consistently coming off ever since and - get this - I haven't managed to fit exercise in yet (still trying). I was very religious the first three months, then fell in to more of a settled routine where I am comfortable with the general parameters without refering to the book or my notes very often. And the beauty is, since you are changing the way you build your meals, I can "cheat" - I really consider it more like living your life, not cheating. I had chocolate cake at my son's & daughter's birthday parties one month in to the diet, had a glass of wine WITH my dinner during the second month but it was no big deal! My new way of eating wasn't disrupted, weight loss continued, and I very rarely have any cravings - I find that most of them are psychological anyway (a habitual reaction to stressful situations, etc.). Odd thing is that most of the things that I used to REALLY love (all carbs), don't return the same old satisfaction anymore - just not the same response from my body - that's definitely not something I expected.

I even managed to stay "even" during the difficult holiday weeks (Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's). I thought for sure that my excesses would tip the scale since I seemed to indulge in so much! But here I am, right on track! Looking back, I seem to make enough slightly different choices at all of these events to still maintain some balance (like eating shrimp cocktail along with some chip & dip instead of a plate of straight carbs).

Some of the key things for me were:
1) The ability to substitute my ZonePerfect bars (Fudge Graham are best) for up to two meals a day - really a lifesaver when you're on the go at work and with the family and it's critical that you not skip your meals.
2) There are really quick & easy meals that fit in to a life that was used to all of the convenience foods.
3) Please, those of you reading those "the cost of good food is so high!" reviews... have you added up the cost of all of your sodas, chips, ice cream, etc., lately? Even with the cost of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats, I'm still spending less.
4) New, clear approaches to fast food and restaurant eating is outlined - I even check the websites of different companies to makes sure my picks keep my carbs, protein & fat in balance - it would surprise you what some of the "healthy" items add up to!
5) I have almost completely eliminated hydrogenated oil and aspartame from my diet - not easy considering they're in darn near everything these days! (I'm not sure if that came from my doctor or the book.)
6) First meal within one hour of getting up, last one four hours before bed.

Good luck! It's a great book, clearly and simply written, and it's been a lifesaver for me!

Lean For Life: Phase One - Weight Loss

Lean For Life: Phase One - Weight Loss Lean for Life - Phase One is based on the clinically proven Lindora Medical Clinics weight-loss program. Now, thanks to author Cynthia Stamper Graff, readers will find losing weight, gaining control of the ability to look and feel better than ever, to be simple and inspirational. Its interactive format features quizzes, brief writing exercises, and provocative, psychologically-oriented sidebars to help readers stay focused and motivated.
Customer Review: Works if you follow directions
I lost 35 lbs on this diet and have kept it off for 3 years. The most important point is to follow the time limit - 4 weeks on the strict diet and 2 weeks on the metabolism speed up part. I was able to eat a lot of food without gaining weight after finishing the metabolic raising diet. It gave me more awareness to reach for something like yogurt, edamame, an egg, jerkey, protein bar, instead of pretzels and other low fat carb snacks. I've always have eaten a lot of veggies so I ate even more than the portion control recommended. I had trouble losing weight by cutting back because I always exercise and don't a lot of calories anyway. Making myself eat more often and eating more balanced meals gave me a lifetime way of eating. I would recommend that people try to eat more vegetarian protein. I can't eat large portions of meat and at first had stomach aches. I ate more veggie burgers, edamame, wheat gluten products, etc. and did much better. Like any diet you have to go through a difficult period of cutting out empty calories and reducing your portions. I'm now a size 4 and have a plan to keep the weight off for life.
Customer Review: One thing I can say about this program: IT WORKS!!!
Lean For Life is a weight loss program that truly works--I personally went from weighing almost 260 pounds down to a very healthy 180 pounds in approximately 6 to 7 months. Although it IS a high-protein,low-carb program it focuses on eating healthy, low-fat foods and allows greater flexibility and gives you a better variety of foods to choose from. The encouragement and support I received from my local Lindora clinic's staff was also crucial to my success. Take it from someone who spent many years struggling with obesity: If you do the Lean For Life program correctly, IT WORKS!!!

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