10 Ways to Lose Weight and Improve Your Self Esteem

It is true that a lot of people want to lose weight for health reasons, but it is also true that one of the primary reasons that makes people think of their weight is because they want to look good. This is certainly acceptable because what we look outside greatly affects how we feel about ourselves inside. People who are leaner receive compliments from family and friends and this improves their self-esteem in one way or another.

Fat (overweight) people on the other hand are even criticized for being fat and this has a negative impact on their self-esteem and sometimes it may even cause depression. An overweight or obese person could even hear hurtful words like “you are ugly”, “we don’t have your size”, and “you’ll die young” which could pull their self-esteem to the ground.

Experts say that people with low self-esteem tend to eat more; this is how their defense mechanism works and they do not have the willpower needed to exercise and lose the extra weight. This means, that if you are serious to shed the excess pounds, you should start in conditioning your mind first.

1. Convert negative thoughts to positive ones

Negativism prevents anyone from achieving their goals. A good dose of positive thought will greatly give you the drive to lose weight and be physically fit. This means that instead of saying “I CAN’T do it”, say “I CAN do it”, instead of saying “I DO NOT have the time for workouts”, say “I WILL find time to workout.”

2. Don’t linger in the past

“Past is past; it’s time to move on” as they always say. You may had the biggest butt in high school and your schoolmates make fun of you; NEVER let this past experience pull you down but instead see it as a motivation to prove to them (and yourself) that you CAN have a lean body. So, instead of saying “I am this way ever since and I’ll be this way forever”, tell your self “I may be like this ever since but I am bound to prove to them that I can do this.”

 3. Forgive yourself

Go easy on yourself because you are a work in progress. You have to know that losing weight healthy is a gradual process; from a pound of burger to half a pound to a quarter pound until you are satisfied in eating a healthy salad. So, if you are tempted to eat a piece of that blueberry cheesecake, go ahead and have a piece and learn to forgive yourself.

4. Don’t blame your genes

Your parents as well as all the people on top of your family tree are obese; does this give you an excuse for being obese? DEFINITELY NO! Though genes play a part in your body shape and your susceptibility to gain weight, it is still YOU who makes the decisions on what to eat and how much you workout. Don’t let the people around you stop your from being healthy. Be inspired by the sexy Jessica Alba who grew up with a “heavily overweight” family. She was determined to be in shape and she succeeded and now, she is one of the sexiest women in the world.

5. Keep track of your progress

To help you get motivated, keep a journal or a scrapbook where you can post your weight loss progress as well as how you feel about it. This will help you bring out your feelings and motivates you to continue eating healthy and exercise regularly. As you read back on the pages, you would appreciate your efforts and notice that you feel happier each day. Heidi Klum takes a picture of herself nude every week to track her progress in shedding off the post-pregnancy weight; this motivates her to exercise and caused her to lose 30 pounds in 6 months.

6. Praise your progress

If you notice that you lost a pound, give yourself a pat in the back and say “I DID GREAT!” Losing weight is definitely not as easy as it may sound so every progress (big or small) that you achieved should be recognized.

7. Compliment yourself regularly

To help keep you moving, you must constantly remind yourself that you are a beautiful person. You must learn to compliment yourself first before you expect others to compliment you. Personally, I face the mirror every morning and tell my reflection “Good Morning sunshine, you look stunning today!” These words are in my head all day and helps boost my self-esteem.

8. Treat yourself

You have been eating less than you usually do and completed your workout routine for the week; aside from complimenting your progress, you should also treat yourself. You could treat yourself with a day in the spa, a new dress that you have been eyeing for months, or even a bite-size of your favorite chocolate. You deserve it!

9. Have a BFF nearby or someone who can motivate you

Congratulating yourself can keep you motivated, but hearing somebody else’s compliments can greatly boost your self-esteem a gazillion percent. Human as we are, we love to hear that others tell us that we look good and this motivates us to look even better causing us to double our efforts to lose weight.

10. Be a happy person

Depressed persons tend to eat more and don’t have the drive to exercise causing them to gain even more weight and eventually become obese. On the other hand, happy persons have all the energy to workout and think before they eat, thus they are learner and healthier. By simply staying happy, you get to project a positive aura causing people to compliment you thus boosting your self-esteem and your desire to look better by losing weight.

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-ways-to-lose-weight-and-improve-your-self-esteem

Weight loss surgery 'reduces chance of Alzheimer's Disease'

Stomach stapling and gastric bands could reduce the chance of dementia, research sugggests

Previous research has found that obesity increases the risks of the condition by 35 per cent. Photo: PA

Weight loss surgery could reduce the risk of Alzheimers’ disease, a new study suggests.

Previous research has found that obesity increases the risks of the condition by 35 per cent.

The new study found that when obese women underwent bariatric surgery changes in their brain which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease were reversed.

Brain scans found that before the operations, the obese women had increased activity in a part of the brain – the posterior cingulate gyrus – which is connected to the development of dementia.

Six months after surgery, the activity levels in the same part of the brain were similar to those of lean women.

Separate neuropsychological tests found improvements in organisational and planning skills, after obese women underwent surgery.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, is the first to assess brain activity in women before and after bariatric surgery.

The brains of the obese women metabolised sugars at a higher rate than those among women of normal weight, the study found, leading to the changes in brain activity, researchers said.

Study co-author, Doctor Cintia Cercato, from the University of San Paolo, in Brazil, said: "When we studied obese women prior to bariatric surgery, we found some areas of their brains metabolised sugars at a higher rate than normal weight women.

"In particular, obesity led to altered activity in a part of the brain linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease - the posterior cingulate gyrus.

"Since bariatric surgery reversed this activity, we suspect the procedure may contribute to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia."

Dr Cercato said: "Our findings suggest the brain is another organ that benefits from weight loss induced by surgery.”

Health experts say obesity and dementia are two of the greatest challenges facing Britain.

Earlier this year the National Obesity Forum said forecasts that half of the country will be obese by 2050 underestimate the scale of the problem.

Meanwhile, the number suffering from dementia is expected to double within two decades, amid an ageing population.

Last month controversial draft guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggested that up to a million more people could be considered for gastric bands and stomach stapling.

Nice said the costs of surgery were worth it because obesity fuels so many other health problems, especially diabetes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11056689/Weight-loss-surgery-reduces-chance-of-Alzheimers-Disease.html

New Approach to Weight Loss

Most strategies to combat obesity have, until now, included dietary counseling and self-discipline and we know that obesity has been linked to depression.

Rush University Medical Centre has come up with a new approach which views obesity as a result of neurobehavioural processes.  This means that eating responses depend on how the brain responds to cues in the environment.

This new approach has been designed by preventive medicine and behavioural experts and is reviewed in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

 “Typically, overweight and obese patients receive education about dietary contributions to weight gain, and they are simply encouraged to fight the powerful urge to eat the delicious foods that are available almost everywhere in the environment, and instead, make dietary choices consistent with weight loss,” said Brad Appelhans, Ph.D., lead author of the article.

“Yet, we know this approach rarely works. Even highly motivated and nutritionally informed patients struggle to refrain from highly palatable foods that are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.”

People are less likely to feel motivated to lose weight if the perception is that you become or remain obese because of unhealthy personal choices or a lack of willpower.

Researchers believe that the new model clarifies how personal choice is affected by environmental  and biological factors.

Experts believe the three neurobehavioral processes consistently implicated in obesity and overeating are food reward, inhibitory control and time discounting.

• Food Reward – Food reward includes both the experience of pleasure one receives from eating and the motivational drive to obtain and consume highly palatable foods. Those with greater sensitivity to reward have stronger food cravings for sweet and fatty foods. This biologically-based sensitivity, coupled with easy access to delicious snacks and fast food outlets, makes one highly vulnerable to overeating and weight gain.
• Inhibitory Control – Beyond the intensity of food cravings is the ability to suppress urges to eat high-calorie foods. Controlling behavior despite a strong motivation to eat is largely influenced by the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is considered critical for self-control, planning and goal-directed behavior. The dorsolateral region of the prefrontal cortex is believed to be responsible for the decision to choose healthy food options over tastier options.
• Time Discounting – A third factor that likely contributes to the low success rates of dietary interventions for obesity is the human tendency to devalue delayed rewards.

“Most of us would rather receive $200 today rather than $300 a year from now,” said Appelhans.

Likewise, the instant pleasure of eating has a greater effect on decision making than the health benefits of weight loss which are experienced later.

 “Obesity is heavily influenced by genetic vulnerabilities and a toxic food environment,” said Appelhans. “However, counselors can help patients control their weight through strategies focused on the interaction between the brain and the environment, rather than the traditional approach of encouraging patients to simply ignore or fight food cravings and eat fewer calories than they expend.”

Some of the strategies that are recommended by the researchers are;

• In order to combat food reward, patients can remove high fat foods they crave from personal environments such as the home and workplace to prevent the activation of the reward circuitry;
• Limit the impact of reward on food choice by shopping with a grocery list or using online grocers;
• Practice stress management techniques since stress promotes overeating and obesity by enhancing food reward processing;
• Avoid situations such as buffets and restaurants that challenge inhibitory control;
• Focus on achieving short-term behavioral goals, such as cooking a healthy dinner on three nights of the week rather than focusing on long-term weight loss goals.

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/704-new-approach-to-weight-loss.html