I received quite a few e-mails in response to the "Quick Tips" series and some of you even shared your own tips. This installment includes some of the most practical and easy-to-use suggestions that were sent in. What advice could be better than the skills winning "losers" recommend? This is tried-and-trued advice that you can begin putting into practice right now!
- Family Foibles
Virginia Stanley wrote, "When I first began my weight loss program, my family couldn't get it through their heads that I had to eat differently than them. Whenever they would fix desserts or snacks for themselves they'd continuously offer them to me. No matter how many times I'd say no, they thought they were being polite to offer!"Needless to say, that's not the kind of kindness Virginia wanted. "Things came to a head one night when I finally said, 'Look, I know you don't understand, but I feel like you are sabotaging my diet!' When I told them that, it was like they realized what they had been doing. Now they eat their sweets in another room or sometimes they prepare me a low-fat treat and surprise me with it. Now that's polite!"
- Dreading Treading
Diana14 wrote: "I dread getting on my treadmill, but I love what it does for me. I have created mini-goals to keep myself motivated. I keep a chart and for every 50 miles I walk, I give myself a treat like a new bestseller or a new shade of lipstick. It sounds trivial, but it actually does work for me." - No Kidding!
An anonymous visitor said she has been on a weight loss program for some time and when she is dining out she has one rule: she can only order from the kids' menu. The smaller portions have been one of the tricks she has used to shed more than 25 pounds. "Most people don't think you can get away with it," she wrote. "But every time I explain to them [the server] that I am on Weight Watchers, they don't mind letting me do it. Plus, it makes me feel a little young at heart!" - The Young and the Breathless
Dana Williams of Virginia says walking on her treadmill and cutting back on portion sizes has led her to a weight loss of 35 pounds and she's still losing. But, she says walking on her treadmill has gotten very boring. How does she keep herself motivated? "I set my VCR to tape my favorite soap operas while I'm at work. Then, when I get home, I don't allow myself to pop the tape in until I have walked. Sometimes I will watch them while I walk. Then after I have walked my three miles, I sit on my comfy chair and sip my Gatorade while watching the rest of the show." - Refrigerator Rights
Another visitor expressed her problems with her family's eating habits. This time it was her teenagers who were stocking the fridge with fattening foods and high calorie sodas. "At first I just ignored everything else and I kept things in my own special section of the big fridge. Then, I could never find anything for all the junk! Finally I bought myself one of those little refrigerators like kids have in the college dorm rooms. All my healthy stuff is in there! I don't have to be tempted by the stuff in the big fridge. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess!"
