Learning Another Life Skill: Weight Management

For the past 10 years, I've started every New Year with intentions of losing weight. And by mid-January, my old, unconscious eating habits have returned. But this year is already different for me.

A management coach has been helping me prioritize and expedite my professional responsibilities. She recently began coaching me on how to apply these principles to personal issues such as health. I want to share some of the guidelines I've been following to take better care of myself.

I eat only when I'm physically hungry. That means waiting until I've noticed several times that my body actually needs to be fed, rather than reaching for food out of habit, tension or boredom.

I eat only the foods my body loves. These might be different from the foods my tongue craves. For example, my tongue craves chocolate, which can be an enemy of my digestive system. I concentrate on the foods that will make me feel energetic and alert throughout the day, such as lean protein, fruits and vegetables, rather than breads, sugars and other foods that satisfy my tongue just for a moment.

When I eat, I don't do anything else. To savor each mouthful, I avoid distractions like reading the newspaper and watching television. I used to focus on the next bite rather than on what I was actually chewing. Before I knew it, my plate was empty and there was no next bite. This rule is easier to follow if you wait until you're calm and relaxed before eating.

I do physical activities that I enjoy regularly. I started out walking around the block every other day. Gradually I added another block, and then another. Now I'm jogging and walking up to two miles on most days and bike-riding with my kids on the weekends. And because now I really value being active, I find ways to make time for these activities.

I tackle problems such as stress or boredom head-on rather than trying to eat them away. I keep a journal and write down my thoughts and feelings.

Following these rules has made me feel better, which makes it easy to continue following them. I have found that I can incorporate a love of food into a healthy lifestyle. In the process, I've lost weight and feel great. I encourage you to make a commitment today to be mindful of yourself and your needs, and you too should be able to reap the same benefits. And your success won't just be internal. It will be noticeable on the outside, too!

The author is an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and principal investigator of the Women's Health Initiative.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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