Category: Health

How to Change Your Defects: Renewing Your Mind and Retraining Your Brain

Are you ready to tackle the process of ridding yourself of pesky defects?

If you read last Monday’s post, you saw the series of questions I asked to focus for this week.

How did you do answering last week’s questions?

Were you able to:

  • Focus on your feelings, how you react emotionally to triggers or life events?
  • Make literal or mental notes on your typical behavior—your autopilot fallback response to feelings and triggers?
  • Identify whether your natural reaction is to yell, get angry, withdraw, self-harm, eat, avoid, give in, shame or shun?

 

As you can see from the list, our thoughts often determine our feelings and feelings determine our actions.

 

Training your brain to develop healthful habits—

I’m reading a great professional manual right now that delves into the reaction-changing process. It’s called Training Your Brain to Adopt Healthful Habits: Mastering the Five Brain Challenges. * Not only does it address habit changing, it addresses problems like addictions, eating disorders, and behavioral responses.

The sections have titles like:

“Learning to Highly Value Behaviors that Promote Wellness and Devalue Behaviors that Lead to Poor Health”

“Enriching Your Life to Tame the Need for Immediate Gratification”

“Enhancing Resiliency to New Threats and Chronic Stressors”

“Training Your Addiction Circuits to Make Healthy Behaviors Habitual”

“Making Flexible Decisions to Empower Your Brain to Make Healthful Choices”

 

If I were to give you a one-sentence overview of the book, I would say,

It’s all about being transformed by the renewing of your mind, so you do not let the world, or individuals, conform you. And it’s a secular book.

The Apostle Paul had it right when he said in Romans 12:2 that making your life the best life it can be—physically, emotionally and spiritually—starts with the renewing of your mind. Research supports his claims.

So what practical steps can we take to make that happen?

 

Think about a defect you have that’s causing you—and your life—trouble. You might want to start with something simple, so you can get some traction and success. That would give you the encouragement and momentum to move onto something more difficult.

But if it’s a serious addiction you need to confront, you would want to start there.

 

Steps to destroying your defects—

We’ll explore three of the six steps today.

 

  1. Focus on one defect at a time!

So many of us run around in a whirlwind, multitasking even our “must improve in this area” behavior. That’s a recipe for disaster. A behavior we might do to sabotage ourselves into failure. Change is hard work. It takes time and focus. Repetition. Our brains aren’t happy when we’re multitasking; and none of us—regardless of what someone brags about—do it well.

Focus, focus, focus. Like a laser beam. On one defect at a time. And make sure that defect is put out of business before moving on to another one.

 

  1. Focus on one defect change and one victory one day at a time!

Moment-by-moment, all of us need to take very thought—and behavior—captive to Christ, the One who created us and knows us intimately. Who better to go to for guidance and help than the One who created you?

This is where the concept of praying without ceasing also comes in, because when we’re hurting or struggling or sputtering along in life, sometimes it feels as though we’re weighed down by every—single—moment—of—every—day.

When life seems to be going well, we tend to slack off on the pray without ceasing admonition. We stand on the mountaintop, euphoric over what we’ve accomplished and conquered. Unfortunately, the descent into another valley can come fast and furiously. And then we wonder what happened, and we’re right back down in the dregs of life, clutching and clawing and moaning and groaning. Writhing around in our failures and pain.

Thankfully, God’s mercies are new every morning! So we can awaken each new day with the knowledge that we can re-boot. Focus, focus, focus and practice, practice, practice!

He won’t abandon us if we fall flat in our efforts; He knows our weaknesses, and He’s always available to give us the power and strength we need to succeed. To cover and protect us if we need rest.

But in order for that to happen, first we need to:

 

  1. Focus on God’s power, not your own willpower to make those life corrections.

Certainly we can struggle and fight and wrestle with ourselves, but until we acknowledge that we can do nothing without Jesus, our efforts will usually be ineffective and short-lived.

This is the most fundamental and important step to take to enjoy lasting change and victory.

 

But what about them?

But what about other people that trigger poor responses and behavior from you, the ones you think need fixing?

You still need to concentrate on how you behavior in response to their behavior. And sometimes that means stepping away from a certain person or group that weakens your defenses and pushes your buttons.

Setting boundaries with others can be an important part of changing your defective behaviors and responses. Protecting your heart while you’re learning new coping and life skills. Like an alcoholic that needs to stop meeting drinking buddies at the local watering hole on a Friday night; or an alcoholic who needs to get new friends altogether, which is the usual scenario.

That’s not an easy or comfortable proposition, but it’s one you may have to take if you are to enjoy victory.

NEXT WEEK we’ll look at three additional steps to help you succeed in demolishing strongholds and self-defects.

Until then, focus on one defect, focus on one victory, and focus on God’s power—the ingredient that will make all of this happen for you!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

* Authors:

  • Jodie A Trafton, Ph.D.
  • William P. Gordon, Ph.D.
  • Supriya Misra, M.A.

How Do Genes and Gut Bacteria Affect Weight Loss?

My ninety-seven year old mother is decidedly opinionated about seriously overweight people.

“How can they let themselves get like that?” she laments while shaking her head and cruising along with her walker.

 

Sounds terribly judgmental, doesn’t it?

Yet scientists are proving there is an undercurrent of truth to that sentiment. A strong undercurrent.

 

Research indicates that the majority of the obese people in our country—40% of us fall into that category—didn’t get there by having bad or “fat genes.” On the contrary, evidently genes account for only 3% of the differences in people’s sizes.

Most overweight strugglers got that way for a variety of other reasons than genes:

  1. Learning how to and eating the wrong foods. (Family habits.)
  2. Learning how to and eating too much food. (Family habits.)
  3. Not exercising enough.

 

And now scientists know other variables play into the problem. Things like:

  1. Not enough sleep.
  2. Too much stress.
  3. Wrong kind of stress.
  4. Socioeconomic status.
  5. Mental health.
  6. Daily responsibilities at work and home.
  7. The health of your microbiome—your gut bacteria.
  8. Kitchen smarts and comfort—knowing how to cook and being comfortable preparing meals.

 

And I would add another variable:

Spiritual health.

 

So the verdict is in:

Experts agree that genes alone do not explain the rapid rise in obesity we’re seeing today.

 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientist, Kevin Hall, laments the fact that scientists still don’t know why weight loss can vary so much from person-to-person when they’re all on the same diet. He says it’s the biggest open question in the field.

 

What if you do have a “fat gene”?

It might seem easy to fall back on the knowledge of having a “fat gene” as a good excuse for not being able to lose and maintain a healthy weight. But John Mathers, a professor of human nutrition at Newcastle University in England sites a study of 9,000 people that found that being a fat gene carrier had no influence on that person’s ability to lose weight. Mathers says,

“Carrying the high-risk form of the gene makes you more likely to be a bit heavier, but it shouldn’t prevent you from losing weight”

(Sifferlin, Alexandra. “Why Your Diet Isn’t Working and What to do What It” The Science of Weight Loss: Special Time Edition, 2019; page 16).

 

What about that microbiome—the gut bacteria?

Researchers for the Personalized Nutrition Project at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have been studying how gut bacteria may play a role in weight loss and maintenance. Their researchis fascinating.

In a nutshell, they found that blood sugar levels vary widely among people after they ate the exact same meal. That finding alone debunks the common and popular idea of everyone responding identically to the same diet recommendations.

And they were able to go further. They developed a mathematical algorithm for every person involved in the test trial, and that algorithm can accurately predict that person’s blood sugar response to a specific food just on the basis of their personal microbiome!

Knowing that could be the next frontier in weight loss prescription—your doctor being able to design a tailor-made diet plan, just for you and your body!

 

Another big contributor to weight gain and weight loss struggles are…

Chemicals.

Yup. Chemicals we’re exposed to in our daily lives. Chemicals like:

  • BPA found in canned goods lining
  • Cash-register receipts
  • Flame retardant material in sofas and mattresses and children’s clothing
  • Pesticide residue on our food
  • Phthalates in plastics (think water bottles and food storage containers) and the makeup we wear

 

What’s wrong with these chemicals and how do they factor into obesity?

These chemicals are able to mimic human hormones. And that leads scientists to believe they can, and are, wreaking havoc on our endocrine systems. They’ve been found in human breast milk. And some doctors believe it’s what contributing to children experiencing puberty at younger ages.

Some doctors are going so far as placing this chemical-endocrine danger as the third lynch pin—along with poor diet and lack of exercise—in the trilogy of weight loss obstructers and obesity epidemic contributors.

 

Case Study—

I’d like to pin my current overweightness (not yet in the obese category) on a lot of things, including my slowing hormones. But when I take an honest look at my current lifestyle, it’s a far cry from what it was even two years ago, when I exercised regularly and paid closer attention to what I ate.

Although I’m eating healthier now than I did then, I’m eating more and burning off less. I had started sitting at my computer too much and stopped going to the gym regularly, all while continuing to consume the same number of calories I did when much more active.

I’d like to blame it on my slowing hormones, too, but first I’m ramping up my exercise again, before rushing off to my doctor for a thyroid test. I want to see if increasing my muscle mass will improve my metabolism to a point where the weight loss is regular and a healthy weight obtainable and manageable.

And because I’m getting older, I know my daily calorie requirements are dropping, so I need to take an honest look at what I’m packing in and when. And I’ve been accumulating sleep data, courtesy of the cool fit watch my younger son gave me for Christmas. From that I’ve determined I do best with 8 ½ hours of sleep. And, surprisingly, I seem to get more and better sleep when I go to bed later and rise a little later than an early bird.

Maybe that’s how my clock is wired, to be a night owl, even though I do on occasion enjoy waking up early enough to see the sunrise. Maybe not on a regular basis, though. So, I adjust to my personal biorhythms. Thankfully, I can do that since I’m self-employed. My poor husband—who definitely leans toward night owlness—doesn’t have that luxury.

Another thing that helps me immensely in getting adequate, restful sleep is shutting down all of the tech appliances well before bedtime. An hour is best, but I’m aiming for longer time between computer/phone/tablet and lights out. I find my sleep switch starts kicking in earlier and gradually ramps up the melatonin production in preparation for bed.

And one last thing I watch is how much food I eat for dinner and what time my last meal is. If my last meal is at 3-4 hours prior to bedtime, I sleep better. And if I consume my last glass of water 3 hours before going to bed, I’m less likely to be awakened by bladder pressure screaming its needs in the middle of a good dream!

 

As the long-living Seventh Day Adventists say, “Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch, and a pauper for dinner. It’s great advice!

NEXT WEEK, we’ll take a closer look at this Keto diet craze and the benefits of food restriction or fasting a couple of days a week.

Until then, take heart! You don’t have to be stuck in your unhealthy weight mode. Perseverance and consistency can get you where you want to be—healthy!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

How to Conquer Your Personal Defects

Do you have any nagging bad habits—character defects—you just can’t seem to get a handle on or conquer, in spite of all your efforts?

Maybe they’re defects (imperfections, sins, weaknesses, faults, flaws, deficiencies, shortcomings, inadequacies) you’ve decided to blame on your genes or behaviors your parents or parents’ parents have passed down to you.

Or perhaps you point your finger at your present or past circumstances—poor home nurturing while you were growing up, bad marriage, or just bad luck.

 

But what about those choices we make that undermine our physical, emotional and spiritual health? How do those fit into the puzzle, and what can we do about them?

 

Why are defects so hard to get ride of or conquer?

We moan and groan and cry out to God—sometimes repeatedly—to fix us, for Him to snap His mighty fingers and make all of the problems and issues go away.

But it often doesn’t happen. Why is that? Why do our defects seem to cling to us like sticky paper clings to our fingers? Several reasons come to mind:

  1. We have the defects so long that they’ve become a part of us and morphed into nearly unbreakable habits.

 

  1. Defects are also hard to conquer because we’ve learned to identify with them, and they’ve become comfortable parts of us.

“Oh, no, Andrea,” you say. “I don’t want it to be part of me!”

But maybe you do.

Think about how often you use your defect to define yourself. You say to yourself Well, that’s just the way I am. Or you talk about yourself as being an impatient or anxious person; a partier that loves to socialize and have fun with the crowd. Or you mask your controlling nature by saying you’re organized and just want to make sure things get done the right way.

You see an 80-hour workweek as a badge of productivity, although, if you’re honest, you were really pretty busy but not very productive.

How much do you identify with your defect? The more you identify with it, the more likely it is that your life becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You’ve conditioned your brain, and your behavior, to automatically default to the defect because it’s comfortable and familiar. It’s easier to go along than it is to combat it.

 

  1. Sometimes we hang onto our defects because they give us big payoffs.

One benefit of leaning on your defect may be that you can use it to avoid responsibility. For example, procrastination allows us to get out of things we didn’t want to do in the first place.

Defects can also get us the attention we desire. Having temper tantrums that make others walk around on eggshells gets attention. People will tend to try to placate you rather than go to battle with you.

What’s the down side to that? Those people don’t want to spend time with you, so they do everything they can to make sure they avoid you or make minimal contact with you.

They can also get us sympathy. Know anyone that likes to brag about their problems, the load they continue to carry around with them you know they could drop if they wanted to?

 

  1. Another benefit of a defect is using it as an excuse to fail.

I remember when I was in 7th grade, struggling in a math class. I got a C one quarter and went to my mom to break the bad news. (I’d always managed to do fairly well in math up until that point.) I was fearful she’d reprimand me. But that didn’t happen. Instead, she gave me a response that would plague me the rest of my life:

“Oh, that’s okay. I wasn’t very good in math either.”

And that was it—a “fact” I glommed onto as my own fate. After all, I was born with “bad math” genes, so why work harder or expect more from myself? The instant relief I felt was wonderful. The long-range results, not so good.

Years later, in late high school and college, I learned that my “bad math” genes could be rectified with harder, more concentrated labor and maybe some tutoring. But by then the damage had been done. I still told myself I just wasn’t very good at math. And I t stifled my career choices and academic success.

That doesn’t mean I could have been an engineer or physicist. But who knows? If I had been given a more positive, constructive response, I might have overcome and excelled in math.

 

  1. Another problem we have shedding our defects is that we buy into the accusations the Deceiver whispers in our ears.

We just know we’re failures; that we can’t be helped; that we’ll never change, in spite of God saying that we can. And then we wallow around in grief over our plight and failures.

 

So who do you think is right? Who are you willing to put your trust in on this one?

 

Solutions to conquering our defects—

There are ways to combat our defects. Successful ways. And in the six weeks we’re going to look at ways to combat and conquer! Ways that will remake and reshape us. Ways that will renew our minds and behaviors.

Fair warning: some of the ways might be tough. But be assured, God is in the change and makeover business, and He stands by willing and able to help us succeed.

 

Preparing for next week—

As you look forward to next week’s blog post, I encourage you to take inventory on your defects, the things you’d like to change. The things you’re ready to change. Pray for God to reveal them to you. Write them down. Pray over them. And prepare for the work we’ll be doing this month.

Until then,

decide in your heart, and with your actions and words, that you’re going to stop making excuses for yourself or your family or circumstances and head out on the path of change. The path that will give you a more abundant and satisfying life!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

How to Maximize Weight Loss Success

What would you say the distinguishing factor is between your ability to lose weight and successfully keeping it off?

Genes? Family food heritage? Type of diet? Amount of exercise?

Well, according to the researchers at the National Weight Loss Registry (NWLR), the answer is…

 

Motivation.

 

Yup. It’s not genes or family food heritage or just exercise or the type of diet. It’s sheer motivation. Hard work.

And another important factor the researchers have learned?

 

 That no 2 people lose weight the same way!

 

So what does that last finding have to do with you?

It means that in order to lose weight and successfully keep it off, you need to play around with ANY diet and exercise plan you follow, to see what works and what doesn’t.

 

Some of the things you can play with as variables:
  • Times of day you eat.
  • Amount of food you eat at one meal.
  • The times of day you exercise.
  • The types of exercise you engage in.
  • What food you actually eat.

 

Other things to keep in mind while designing a health and fitness program:
  • Understand yourself and where you personally struggle.
  • Don’t be discouraged if you need to try several different plans or programs before hitting on what’s right for you.
  • It may take about a month for a new habit or lifestyle to take hold. Keep at it and eventually the brain—and body—will respond.
  • Trying to lose weight can seem overwhelming. Having an accountability partner or motivating fitness coach can help.
  • Aiming for a health lifestyle change rather than just a weight scale number will provide you the most success.
  • Slow and steady, rather than fast and dangerous, wins the prize!
  • Write down all meals and food eaten throughout your day.
  • You may find eating more frequent, smaller meals is best.
  • When selecting an exercise program, choose to do something you love. You’ll be more likely to stick with it.
  • Don’t allow yourself to be pigeonholed into a specific diet.
  • Be determined to persevere and push through the tough days.
  • If at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again!
  • Remember, as you age, you’ll likely need to tweak your diet and exercise program again as your flexibility, metabolism and muscle mass change.
  • And in some cases, mental health must be addressed and successfully managed before you can find dieting success.
Some specific weight loss success tips:
  • Pay attention to your portion sizes. Most of us eat way too many monster meals, especially at restaurants or all-you-can-eat buffets.
  • If necessary, purchase smaller plates and fill them up. It will give you the impression you’re eating more.
  • Sit down to eat and slow down to eat. It takes a while (about 15-20 minutes) for your brain to get the notice that you’re full. Scarfing food usually means too much food intake. And then that stuffed feeling.
  • Don’t allow yourself to eat on the run, in the car, or while standing in the kitchen.
  • Keep a food journal. In it keep track of everything you eat and how you feel after eating it, even into the next day. If you do that for 30 days, you’ll start getting an idea about what foods may be causing you problems, from allergies to bloating to indigestion and sluggishness.
  • Also keep track of your food-eating triggers, like stress, lack of sleep, late night eating, etc.

 

Moving forward—

Losing weight can, and does, change your life!

If you’re already on a diet plan and haven’t seen much success with it in, say, a month, try tweaking it a bit. Change the food portions; change the time of day you eat the prescribed meals. Exercise more; sit less. And make sure you’re getting enough replenishing water. Believe it or not, many times we think we’re hungry when it’s really our thirst mechanism kicking in. First take a drink and then wait to see if the hunger pangs continue.

Understanding and taking into account all of these factors is known as the “whole body approach” to health and fitness. It’s not a one-size-fits-all undertaking. You’re unique, and you need a unique—or tweaked—health and fitness plan!

NEXT WEEK, we’ll talk a little about the genetic factor, and the newest research on the importance of healthy gut bacteria. Can anyone say “probiotics?”

Until then, don’t throw in the towel. Keep at it until you find your sweet spot. Your health will appreciate you for it!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

Is Exercising More or Reducing Calories the Answer to Successful Weight Management? What You Need to Know About the Science of Weight Loss

Which of these statements have you heard?

“To lose weight, all you need to do is eat less and exercise more!”

“Losing weight is all about calories in and calories out.”

“All calories are the same—a calorie is a calorie is a calorie.”

 

For years this is what we were taught in nutrition and exercise physiology classes, and it’s what we told our patients.

Recent research is showing that these statements don’t paint the whole, complex weight loss picture. But before we dig deeper into what we’re learning now, let’s get an overview of the ugly reality of weight and fatness in the United States.

 

The discouraging facts—

  • In 1990, 15% of adults were classified as obese.
  • Now, at least 71% of Americans are considered to be overweight; nearly 40% are clinically obese.
  • Sadder still is that 17% of kids and teens are obese. When I was a kid it was rare to have a fat kid in your class. (I know that blunt statement sounds mean, but we need to start calling it like it is: these kids are in serious danger of having premature health problems and living burdened lives saddled with chronic health issues.)
  • Excess body fat dramatically increases the risk of serious health problems, like:
  1. Type II Diabetes
  2. Heart Disease
  3. Depression
  4. Respiratory problems
  5. Major cancers
  6. Fertility problems
  • Millions and millions and millions of us spend billions on diet pills, special meal plans and group weight loss programs, and gym memberships.
  • The National Institute of Health considers the problem to be so dire that the organization provided 931 million dollars in 2018 to research the problem.

 

What does the recent research show?

So what has all of that money and research shown us? The answer is both complex, and a relief.

Scientists have concluded that a calorie is not always a calorie, and that it’s not as easy as calories in and calories out.

What they have found is: it’s the composition of the food you eat rather than how much of it you can burn off exercising that allows you to sustain, and maintain, weight loss.

And these scientists know something else: the diet that’s best for your friend is probably NOT the best one for you!

Evidently people’s individual responses to diets vary enormously. But what they’re not absolutely sure about is why that’s true.

 

So what’s a dieter to do?

Apply yourself to finding out what works for you! And that may require some trial-and-error time.

 

A story of the dreaded calorie and counting it—

Before WWI, scientists throughout Europe had been focusing on and studying the concept of a calorie being a unit of energy. In college, that concept was hammered into my head, and into my nutrition calculations. We studied bomb calorimeters— wonderful devices you put food into and burned so you could determine just how much energy was released during the destruction process. That gave you the calorie count for that particular food item.

But in WWI, in the midst of a global food shortage, the United States wanted a way to prompt people to reduce their food intake. So the government devised its first-ever “scientific diet” for Americans to follow. At its core was the concept and practice of counting calories.

The following decades saw bone-thin bodies as the ideal body structure, so dieting plans were developed along the idea of eating low-calorie meals. One example of this is the still–popular grapefruit diet, where you consume half a grapefruit at every meal. People believed the grapefruit enzymes were natural fat burners. Then the cabbage-soup-every-day diet appeared. I’m not sure what they thought the cabbage might contribute, except to enhance digestion and whisk the fat away.

Then in the 1960s, a woman named Jean Nidetch and her co-founders became insta-millionaires with their Weight Watchers meetings program. She turned a small, weekly encouragement meeting she held in her living room into a billion dollar (today) business.

Her idea promoted that if you ate less fattening food, then the weight would disappear. That helped propel the late 70s idea that if you just eat less fat, you’ll be less fat. I remember promoting that erroneous idea in the 80s. Based on what I’d learned in school, it seemed to make sense—fat gets stored in the body as fat, so if you consume less of it, then you should wear less of it.

How did that work out?

Not well. Not only did people not lose weight, they actually gained weight!

 

The metabolism factor—

Something else scientists have found contributes to what’s been a frustrating mystery.

When you lose weight, your resting metabolism (the energy your body burns while at rest, just to keep the system going) actually slows down. And when you gain back some of the weight, that metabolism doesn’t speed up. It remains stubbornly entrenched in slow mode. And the number of calories a day it doesn’t burn can be startlingly high.

For some contestants on the reality show The Biggest Loser, their metabolisms registered at burning around 700 fewer calories per day than they did prior to their fat burning journey on the show!

But my question is: could that result be due to the fact that contestants lost a huge amount of weight in a very short period of time, something doctors do not encourage, for a variety of reasons, including heart health.

 

Regardless of the answer, the sad truth is that most people replenish their lost weight at two to four pounds per year.

On the surface, this finding seems to support the idea that the body undermines your efforts to take away what it wants to keep.

 

More of the weight loss story—

Some people—and you probably know one—seem to succeed in losing weight with any diet approach.

Yet there is a bright side to the story.

Take a group of people eating a low-carb diet and compare them to a group following a low-fat plan, and you see almost no overall difference in the weight loss results.

What you do see, however, are three types of people: those who lose a lot of weight on the plan they’re following; those that stay stagnant, with no weight loss; and those that actually gain weight.

Do scientists understand why that happens? Unfortunately, not yet, but they are making inroads to cracking the secret.

 

Rena Wong, a Brown University professor of psychiatry and human behavior has been tracking dieters for 23 years through the National Weight Loss Control Registry (NWCR). What she and her colleagues have found is that most of the people on the list have lost significant amounts of weight—a minimum of 30 pounds—and been able to keep it off for several years by varying means.

The significant finding? Most of these people had to try more than one diet before landing one that worked for them.

 

How did these dieters keep their lost weight off?

It turns out that the most successful dieters have some similar characteristics:

  • Most modified their diet in some way.
  • Most reduced how much food they ate in a day.
  • 94% increased their physical activity.
  • The most popular exercise among them was walking.
  • Most ate breakfast on a daily basis.
  • Most weigh themselves weekly, in order to keep an eye on weight creep.
  • Most watch less than 10 hours of television weekly.
  • Most exercise a minimum of an hour every day.

 

And they also have similar attitudes and behaviors:

  • Most do not consider themselves to be hard-charging, super-performer Type A’s.
  • Most are self-described morning people.
  • Most were motivated by a health scare; a desire to live a longer, healthier life; and to be able to spend more time with their loved ones.
  • And they were highly motivated to find what worked for them and to persevere.

 

Take-home lessons for us:

This information can be disheartening and encouraging.

It tells us that we can lose weight, if we diligently try to find the method that works for us, stay determined and positive, and persevere in best diet practices for our body, at any age.

It’s nice to know that there’s more to the story. It gives many of us a sense of relief and re-invigoration of determination and hope.

And I think it’s important for us to always remember that a loving God fearfully and wonderfully makes all of us. He starts knitting us together in our mother’s womb.

 

I know only too well how easy it is to throw up your hands in frustration when the one-size-fits-all plan fails you. But I invite you to rejoice over your uniqueness, knowing that you will find something that gives you success, if you want it badly enough and are willing to stick with it.

NEXT WEEK: How to find what diet and exercise regimen works for you.

Until then, take heart, you can find success if you know the science of weight loss!

Blessings,

Andrea

“Certainly there was an Eden….We all long for it, and we are constantly glimpsing it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien

For more information on this particular research, see the article “Why Tour Diet Isn’t Working and What to Do About It by Alexandra Sifferlin in Time magazine’s special edition publication The Science of Weight Loss, 2019.