Your Perfect Weight Week 36-39

Exercise goal: Walk seven days, three miles
per day in 45 minutes

If you haven't hit your weight-loss goal by now, you must be getting closer to it. Feels great, doesn't it? But with that excitement comes the sobering reality that soon you must face the looming specter of possible weight regain.

If you're like most folks, you've been on and off diets . . . and on and off . . . and on and off. It's time for you to say goodbye to that on again, off again merry-go-round. Your near-daily walking should be doing its bit to help you keep those pounds far, far away. But equally vital to successful weight loss and maintenance is trading off.

What do we mean? All of life is trading off--giving up this so we can get that. You've been living that principle for the past 36 weeks, yet every now and then you may have slipped a little, and maybe even seen your weight inch up a bit.

But if you continually practice the fine art of trading off, your weight will come off and stay off. Just ask Carole Livingston, author of I'll Never Be Fat Again! who has maintained a 40-pound weight loss for more than two decades.

"Let's say today is Monday, and there's a wedding coming up Saturday night," says Livingston. "Bank your food, eating very cautiously during the week so you can eat more, but not pig out, at the wedding. Or, if I know I'll be going out to eat this evening, then I'll eat a little bit less at breakfast and lunch. It's just common sense, but most people don't think about it."

Livingston is not advocating skipping meals. "The most dangerous thing for any dieter is being hungry. That's when you lose control," she says. "You may not even realize you're hungry; it may come out in crankiness or irritability, and you unconsciously start reaching for whatever you think will satisfy that hunger. But if you let yourself eat during the day, you won't have that uncontrollable hunger."

After a while, the whole routine becomes second nature. "So, if I want one chocolate chip cookie tonight with a cup of tea, I know I can't also have dessert for dinner. Or if I have a larger-than-usual business lunch, I may skip my after-dinner snack," she explains. "It's contantly trading one thing off against another. I don't believe you should miss out on something you enjoy, though, as long as it's within reason. For example, if you're going to a dinner party at the home of a wonderful cook, that's not the time to pass up dessert if you think you'll feel deprived. But what you can do to trade off is at lunchtime to cut your sandwich in half instead of eating the whole sandwich."

Simple? Absolutely. And yet it's a trick that successful weight maintainers like Livingston swear by. And it's also a nifty, calorie-saving habit to develop.

"The ultimate trade-off," adds Livingston, "is giving up some food now so you can slim down later."

Trading off, by the way, also applies to things like exercise. Walking for nearly an hour a day translates into an hour a day less of TV. Oh, but what a terrific body you're getting in return!

Date:

Weight:

Week 37: Try an exercise video

Exercise goal: Walk seven days, three miles
per day in 45 minutes

Your walking program is great, but for those days you feel like switching to some indoor exercise, nothing could be simpler than to roll out the exercise mat and pop a workout video in the VCR. But which video?

Everyone from Oscar-winner Jane Fonda to country singer Tanya Tucker to Golden Girl Estelle Getty wants to help get you in shape these days via their own personalized workout tapes. And there's no question about it: Exercise videos are a boon to those of us who have neither the time nor the inclination to expose our spandex-clad bodies to the harsh glare of an aerobics class. A workout tape helps you get your heart rate up and your body toned--at your own pace, at your own place.

But with literally thousands of exercise videos to choose from, how do you choose? After all, why plunk down $20 or $25 for a tape you might play once and never use again because it's too easy, too difficult, too boring--or because the instructor's voice just drives you crazy?

These tips from Liz George, former new-products editor at Weight Watchers Magazine, will help you get the most from an exercise video.

Borrow before you buy. Before you invest in a particular video, borrow several from the public library or rent a few from your local video store. It's a low- to no-cost way to preview a range of workout styles and instructors.

Get the right tape for your level. "If you're just starting out, the best thing is to look for something that incorporates both an aerobic workout and toning exercises," advises George. "By combining both, you'll see results quicker and you'll also get a better overall workout. If you're more experienced--let's say you're in pretty good shape and want to improve one particular area of your body--then you'll want a video that focuses on that. Look for buzzwords like beginners or advanced on the box."

The best videos include about ten minutes of warming up and cooling down, says George. If they're not on the tape, be sure to include them in your workout sessions anyway.

Check out the credentials. Someone might be a terrific actress, but does that make her a good workout instructor? Maybe . . . and maybe not. George suggests looking for a seal on the video box that indicates that the instructor is properly certified.

"Is she just the celebrity of the month or does she have a real background in fitness? Look for some kind of accreditation," she says. "Then you can trust the instructor."

Go slow. Some videos give guidelines for frequency, but regardless of the recommendation on the box, you should start out slow. "If you try to use it every day, you'll end up getting burned out," warns George. "If you're in good shape, it may be okay to do it every day, but if not it may discourage you. Instead, try for three times a week, 20 to 30 minutes per session. If you find you're getting too tired, don't push yourself. Find your level of comfort and try to build on it instead of trying to keep up with Jane Fonda right off the bat."

And don't ignore the video if it has stopping points along the way. Says George: "They're for you to check your pulse and to see how you're feeling. If it seems as though you're going beyond what you're comfortably capable of doing, these will remind you to assess the workout and maybe slow down."

Date:

Weight:

Week 38: Get a grip on those fantasies

Exercise goal: Walk seven days three miles
per day in 45 minutes

Will weight loss change your life? What a silly question. You've been on Your Perfect Weight 52-Week Plan long enough to know that the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Surely you've seen lots of changes--everything from the way the scale seems to moan a bit less when you get on it now to the thrilling bagginess of your clothes, from your extra energy to the compliments you've been hearing.

Why, then, with all that's different since launching your new eating and exercise plan, do you sometimes feel like nothing's changed? Can it be that, despite your trimmer body, you and your life are really very much the same as before?

Another resounding "Yes."

What happened, you may be wondering, to all those fantasies you had about your future once you were finally slim and svelte? You might be very close to your goal weight right now, and yet that pot of gold or that loving mate or that better job seems as elusive as ever.

"One of the things that happens with weight loss is that you lose a lot of your old fantasies," says Ronette Kolotkin, Ph.D., director of the behavioral program at Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina. "People have fantasies like: 'When I'm thin, my partner will treat me better,' or 'My sex life will improve,' or 'I'll make money because my weight won't hold me back any longer,' or 'I won't be shy anymore'--that's a common one. They run the gamut."

Checking In to Reality

The reality is that while being slim will probably make you happier, it's certainly no guarantee of a perfect, hassle-free existence. Getting what you want out of life takes action, whether you're fat, thin or in between, and who better than you knows the terrific rewards of taking action? It's what you've been doing for most of the past year!

Sure, you may be more confident going on a job interview today without that belly bulge, but your job skills probably aren't all that different now that you're slimmer.

"I always remind people of that old saying, 'Watch what you wish for--you might get it,'" says Dr. Kolotkin. "One woman I worked with wished that she'd have so many dates that the men would be breaking down her door. After she lost weight, it happened--she's very attractive. But suddenly she started wondering about these guys: 'Are they sincere? Do they like me just for my looks? Why weren't they here before, when I was the same person?' She isn't just dating now; now she has to deal with the challenges of dating, figuring out who's decent, how far she should go sexually. All the normal things everyone has to deal with, she was protected from before. So she traded one problem for another."

Get Ready for Action

Which isn't to say that you should abandon your weight-loss program--not at all. But now's an ideal time to start thinking ahead realistically to what you want your life to be like, now and when you're as thin as you want to be.

Itemize your expectations. Make a list of the changes you hope will happen once you reach your goal weight. One way of outlining those changes is to write a page or two describing "My Life Six Months (or one year, or whatever) from Now." What kind of work would you like to be doing? Where would you like to be living? What kind of relationship do you want to be in, or how would you like to see your current relationship change? Would you like to be pregnant by then, or growing roses, or traveling in the Orient? Whatever you hope to see happen, write it down.

Stop putting your life on hold. The longer you postpone making those wished-for changes and the more you attach them to a particular goal weight, the less your chances of seeing them happen. Ask yourself what you can do right now to start making your dreams reality.

If you want to switch careers, for example, begin by ordering some appropriate college catalogs and talking to people in the field you're considering. Tired of being so shy? Take an adult education course in public speaking, or make a lunch date with a friendly co-worker within the next couple of weeks. You don't have to wait till you reach your perfect weight to start improving your life.

Expect gradual, not radical, changes. Just as it's foolish to expect to lose weight overnight, it's equally silly to believe that a smaller number on the scale will instantly bring you a whole new personality or an exciting new life. All worthwhile change takes time.

Date:

Weight:

Week 39: Indulge in a massage

Exercise goal: Walk seven days, three miles per
day in 45 minutes

For many months now you've been treating your body with nothing but TLC. You've been feeding it the most healthful foods, taking it for walks just about every day, and making it strong through strength training. Want to do something extra special for it? Indulge in a soothing, spirit-lifting massage.

"Massage is important for everyone's well-being, both physical and emotional," says Betsy Bickel, a certified massage therapist and director of the massage therapy department at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina. It connects you to your body in ways that other activities don't. It makes you more conscious of where you're holding tension. If you're in deep stress, it can help you relax. It helps prevent injury by letting you know whether the amount of tension in your body is about to throw you over the pain threshold. It increases the blood flow and lymph flow, it stretches and relaxes muscles and releases toxins from muscles."

As if all that weren't enough, says Bickel, massage has all these benefits and more for dieters. "Massage is doubly important for people in the process of trying to change their weight and physical habits because it can help you get a truer body image," she says. "A lot of people have a distorted image. They see themselves as either much heavier or much thinner, and massage helps give you a reality check. My clients tell me that the tactile stimulation gives them a sense of coming back into their body. Many of us live so much in our head that having your skin touched draws you back into living in your body."

People who are starting to delight in seeing their body grow slimmer and stronger simply love having it pampered with soothing strokes and
fragrant oils, says Bickel. And a massage is a terrific reward for follow-
ing a sensible eating and exercise program, as well as a motivator to keep it going.

Not only does massage feel great after exercising, but for some people, massage has enabled them to exercise for the first time in a long time. "If you're in pain, you're not going to want to run or bicycle or lift your arm to throw a baseball," says Bickel. "But massage often relieves pain, and so it can free people up to do the physical activities they want to do." Keep this in mind if you haven't been exercising as much as you'd like to.

Massage also has the remarkable power to put you in greater touch with your feelings and emotions, says Bickel. "One thing I've been aware of is that people may overeat because they're not getting certain needs met," she says. "It's like with any addiction: If you can't have what you want, you try to use something else to fill that need.

"One basic need that often goes unfulfilled is human touch. We have to be touched to be healthy. For overweight people, that might be one of the needs they're trying to fill through eating, but massage may reduce their desire to eat. It can give them a deep sense of nourishment not related to food."

Reach Out and Touch

Nothing beats an hourlong massage at the hands of a trained massage therapist. But just because you don't have the time or the money to indulge on a regular basis doesn't mean you have to neglect the satisfaction that comes from a quick and simple at-home massage.

"I encourage people to work on each other. It's easy to give someone a nice touch and relieve their stress," says Bickel. "Family members can rub each other's shoulders or work on each other's neck, head and feet while watching TV at night. It's a way to connect with one another."

You can also give and get mini massages at work. Instead of eating a sugary snack during your coffee break, how much better to have your neck and shoulders rubbed for five or ten minutes!

In a pinch, you can even massage yourself, says Bickel. "I work on my shoulders all the time. It's good to combine massage with stretching; you'll find out what's tight as soon as you start stretching," she says. "You can work down your arms and legs, do your feet, your stomach. You can even do your own back! Place a couple of tennis balls on the floor. Then lie down on your back, with the balls on either side of your spine, and roll slowly against them."

Date:

Weight:

Quarterly Inventory

It's that time again. Here's your chance to review the progress you've made in the past four months. Your habits are no doubt in tip-top shape by now, but here's your chance to see where they might need a bit of sprucing up.

How'd you do? Did you get at least 16 "Yes!" or "Usually" answers? We hope you've been continuing to give yourself rewards as you've reached your minigoals over the past 13 weeks. By now, you're probably due for a fairly major reward! Don't deny yourself: It's a bigger motivation booster than you'll ever know. You've just read about the joys of massage, why not sign up for an hourlong soothing massage now? You'll love it. And, again, start thinking about what you'll plan for yourself during your next, and final, inventory just a short 13 weeks from today.