Weight Loss with Linda Lazarides

Weight Loss with Linda Lazarides

How to lose weight

You will lose weight if your energy output (exercise) is higher than your energy
consumption measured in calories. It seems such a simple matter to adjust the two so that you can be the weight you want to be. But the fact that millions of people are trying to lose weight and not succeeding, means that things are not really that simple at all. The problem is, although it sounds simple just to eat less and exercise more, it is really a massive psychological leap. For the reasons we shall see later, the leap is more massive for some people than for others. And the leap itself may not be so much of a problem as trying not to fall back down again.

Linda Lazarides'
ladder of
knowledge

Why try to leap when you can use a ladder to help you get up and stay up? Knowledge is
a powerful ladder. Greater awareness of the problems you are facing allows you to deal with them one by one, one step at a time. Knowledge also puts you in control. For instance, are you aware of the intimate partnership between willpower and self-esteem? Succumbing to a little temptation after a diet can lead to unconscious self-hatred at your failed willpower. Self-hatred is depressing and requires comfort. Soon, a little temptation can spiral out of all proportion, as your need for comfort expresses itself in surrender to all your old eating habits. On the other hand being in control means being conscious of everything. It allows you to say "I ate too much chocolate yesterday. I am not going to allow this to make me hate myself. Instead I will find new ways to avoid coming into contact with chocolate."
As far as weight loss is concerned, there are four main steps to deal with on the way up the ladder of knowledge:

Boredom, depression, lack of fulfilment (lack of food for the soul leads to craving food for the tummy, or comfort eating).
Food addictions (it's just too yummy!).
Metabolic problems (I just have to look at food to put on weight).
Problems with getting enough exercise (I hate it, no time, problems with pain, etc).

If, like many people, you suffer from all four of these, you have an extra-large leap to cope with. No wonder you feel depressed about your weight.
Each of these problems should be isolated and dealt with one at a time. If you can succeed in turning around just one, you will gain some control, improve your confidence and start to tackle the more difficult issues.

Stepping up the ladder	Psychological problems: Boredom, depression, food addiction etc. Take your mind off food! Serious binge-eating may need psychological counselling to find the root of the problem. But most people are probably just spiritually "stuck" and need to move on to a new home, new partner, new job, new hobby or even a new country. One of the best ways to get a more fulfilling life is to do volunteer work, perhaps with elderly people, animals or a campaigning organization. Food addictions can be as difficult to overcome as addictions to alcohol, tobacco and drugs. You feel pleasurable and comforting sensations when you eat the food in question - usually something sweet. More of this food is craved when the sensations wear off, and you can even begin to feel low or a bit nervy. The low feeling is probably due to the strong drop in blood sugar which occurs in some people a few hours after eating sugary foods. Eating or drinking something sweet provides an instant boost, but it starts off the vicious circle all over again. Keep away from the problem food and try eating something else which still makes you feel as if you have had a treat but is not quite as "more-ish". Metabolism problems There are three main metabolic problems which can make it hard to lose weight. Thyroid insufficiency Symptoms: Puffy face, hair loss, very slow metabolism Insulin excess Symptoms: Faintness, mood swings or sugar craving if you miss a meal. Weight gain mostly around middle Water retention Main symptom: Weight can fluctuate by several pounds within 24 hours. If you have one of these metabolic problems, you may find that you reach a plateau on a calorie-controlled diet, and are then unable to progress any further, even if your calories are severely restricted. Linda Lazarides has written books which can help you overcome these problems and continue on your way to your target weight. For thyroid and insulin problems, see Treat Yourself with Nutritional Therapy. For water retention, a very common but poorly understood cause of overweight, Linda's acclaimed Waterfall Diet gives you a special 3-stage program to help you permanently shed excess fluid. Exercise problems Exercise is important. If you do not exercise, you will lose lean tissue. Lean tissue is metabolically active. The less of it you have, the more slowly you burn calories, and the more quickly you put on weight. When you build up more lean tissue with strength-building exercises in a gym, you can eat more calories without putting on weight. Unfortunately depression can take away the desire for exercise. Arthritis can make it too painful. Chronic fatigue syndrome can make you too tired. A sedentary job with long hours can get you out of the habit. Each of these problems needs to be dealt with individually. It is possible to treat arthritis and chronic fatigue with the right nutritional strategies. See Treat Yourself with Nutritional Therapy. Ready to start a diet? Click on NEXT to get Linda Lazarides' basic calorie-controlled program for permanent weight loss. This is in two parts and incorporates the modern techniques of carbohydrate control and blood sugar (glycemic) balancing. Phase I is for reaching your target weight, and Phase II is for staying there. Click NEXT to get the basic diet. More information in Linda Lazarides' Treat Yourself with Nutritional Therapy and in the Waterfall Diet.

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