Tag: lose weight

You’re just over the first few weeks of the New Year. So, how has the "new you" been shaping up?

Most commonly, many have resolved to lose weight or exercise more. Sometimes we pledge to give up a chronic behavior that we know is not healthy, such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or over spending. The statistics vary, but no matter which reference you choose, the success rate of resolutions is dismal; ranging from approximately 8-45%. That means over half and probably closer to 90% of those who make a resolution will fail.

Are you stuck on what seems to be an everlasting plateau when it comes to fitness? Do you work out several times a week and eat a healthy diet but yet the scale just doesn’t seem to budge?

It’s highly frustrating, I know, because I used to be in the same boat until I discovered what was really keeping me from attaining my fitness goals and dreams. You may be surprised what is actually holding you back. If you think it’s because you’re not exercising hard enough or that you’re not eating clean enough, you’ll be happy to know that you’re likely way off tract; it could have nothing to do with your training or your diet.

The warm weather of summer is here, but you’re less thrilled about squeezing into a swimsuit (or even a pair of "mom" shorts!). As a woman of a certain age—say, somewhere between late 30s and early 60s—your bikini has had its last poolside outing. For the most part you’re fine with that—hey, Christie Brinkley and Jane Seymour are freaks of nature anyway!—but still, you’d love to drop a good 10 or 20 (or 30) pounds. Is that too much to ask?

Of course not. Not only can you get in shape this summer, you can look, and feel sexier than you ever thought possible. The great thing about being "middle aged"—whatever that means—is that you’re young enough to look fabulous yet old enough not to care that you don’t look perfect.

Regarding core values like religion, work ethic, money, raising children or not… birds of a feather should flock together according to most studies. What about the disparity in putting on the pounds? Is there a "more of you to love" or "you should be wearing a looser-fitting black outfit" mindset?

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, "Put a Stop to ‘Do I Look Fat?'" by Elizabeth Bernstein, if a woman outweighs her male counterpart there will most likely be tension in the relationship (in some cultures this is not the case).

It’s that time of the year where we set our good intentions for creating lasting New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you want to stop smoking, get out of a bad relationship, lose weight, or quit a dead-end job.

But why is it that New Year’s resolutions generally don’t work? Because they come from your head and not from your heart. What does that mean? Willing something to happen never works. Unless your internal message is loud and clear you're not going to respond with any real, effective behavior changes. And in order to facilitate change, the pain you’re suffering has to be greater than the pain of change.

People who are already battling the bulge seem to really pack on the pounds when they experience stress. Jason Block, MD, whose Harvard research was published in The American Journal of Epidemiology, implicates stress as a trigger for weight gain. Apparently the stress response is gender specific. Men get stressed over workplace hierarchy, difficulty paying the bills, the inability to learn new skills along with workplace demands.

However, women have broader categories when they experience stress; they are hit hard by strained relationships and feeling limited by life’s circumstances, according to Dr. Block.