by patbarone
One year ago, I celebrated 10 years of sustained weight loss after losing 74 lbs. Even though permanent weight loss is measured at 5 years, and I had passed that milestone years before, I had not let the magnitude of what I had accomplished seep in.
When I set out to achieve permanent weight loss, I knew only 1% of people who lose more than 20 lbs. achieve it. Once I lost those 74 lbs. and started “the countdown”, I created a sort of tunnel vision.
Celebrate
Then, at a celebration last year, I was surprised at the emotion that hit me as I spoke to the group of well-wishers, friends and clients.
Claiming something is powerful. (more…)
by patbarone
Having traveled my own quite complicated journey out of body hatred and losing over 70 lbs permanently, I’ve come to believe every body is different and unique, though we’re led by society/culture to believe their is a “standard.” I’ve had the experience of coaching hundreds of women towards their own unique “optimal” weight, and discovered we all lose weight at different rates (and, yes, in different places!).
Loving and appreciating our own distinctiveness isn’t the easy road in our society, but it can be done.
I once had a client lose weight at a rate of a pound a month, and be upset (more…)
by patbarone
One of the very few advantages of having my long history with the diet world is that I can see the patterns perpetuated by the diet industry.
For instance, my first diet was Atkins but not the recent round of that high protein diet. I was on the original diet when I was 10 years old! (Looking back, I was not overweight but my mother was, and she put all of us on a diet to keep her company.)
I’ve lived through various rounds of low fat, high fiber, low calorie, high protein and high carb diets. Tried them all, and felt the impact as they all failed, time after time.
So, what’s next in diet world?
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by patbarone
The debate over yoga and weight loss persists today with “fitness experts” often arguing that yoga doesn’t burn enough calories to be considered “exercise” and yoga practitioners adamantly testifying to its benefits.
As a veteran of long-term sustained weight loss and a yoga devotee for eight years, here’s my perspective on yoga for weight loss.
There are many different types of yoga, all requiring different energy (calorie) quotients and physical capability. Some yogas (vinyasa and flow types) require students to move quite a lot throughout a yoga class; others increase demand through heat (Bikram, Forrest); and some are quite gentle and slow (yin, restorative).
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by patbarone
I’m just back from a conference focused on scientific studies about change where I heard a repetitive chant: “People Don’t Change.”
I’ll acknowledge there are studies that show most patients who encounter life threatening conditions return to old behaviors that caused the problem in the first place. Hence, the red meat seduces the heart patient. Nicotine lures the smoker. Permanent weight loss is rare as weight comes back to the dieter.
I know some people don’t care to change, or it is too threatening to them to do so. Yes, living without food as a soother, friend or emotional barrier can be scarier than death.
I fit that picture once.
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