How to Lose Weight - Essay Example

Outline of How to Lose Weight How to Lose Weight Specific purpose: To inform the audience about specific steps in losing weight and to destroy some myths about dieting. Central idea: Losing weight in a sustainable manner requires changing mindsets and lifestyles, as well as celebrating milestones. Introduction I. Many people often hear others saying that they are trying to lose weight, and yet all around them, numerous people are getting fatter. A. The society demands that people get thinner, but the media markets numerous high-fat and high-calorie junk and fast food. B. Overweight and obese people want to lose weight, but inner and outer obstacles prevent them from doing so. II. Losing the desired level of weight is not a goal that can be attained in a week, sometimes, not even months. III. Losing weight takes time and patience, especially if people need to lose ten or more pounds. IV. If it took years to gain the present weight, it might also take some years to lose them all. V. Today, I want to talk about losing weight; if people want to attain weight loss and to sustain it, it requires changing mindsets and lifestyles, as well as celebrating milestones. (Transition: Let’s start at the beginning, which is the need for changing mindsets.) Body I. In order to understand what losing weight means, people should know that it will take developing a whole new mindset to find what works for them. A. No one loses weight by believing that they cannot do it. 1. An interview with thirty-year-old, stay-at-home mom Sarah Weiss reveals that she tried dieting numerous times, but only when she developed the right mindset did she finally trim her body. 2. In the book, Refuse To Diet: Weight Loss Success Starts With Your Mind, Not Your Mouth, Tossy (2010) argues that “slenderness” is already inside people, and people only need to believe in this part of themselves, in order to start losing weight (p.57). 3. A personal experience with losing weight entails believing in oneself and seeing a vision of that new self in one’s mind. B. Losing weight depends on finding what motivates people, because motivation drives the mindset, and mindset drives people’s attitudes and behaviors. 1. Motivation is something personal and psychological, according to Weiss, and for her, she is motivated with the picture of a sexier and stronger body with her face on it. 2. Motivation should support the mindset in the short and long run, especially in following desired exercise and nutritional goals, said Fife (2005, p.194). C. The mindset that made people fat is not the same mindset that will make them thinner and healthier. 1. Weiss talked about changing the past drivers that disabled people from reaching their wellness goals, such as eating when depressed. 2. Tossy (2010) emphasized the importance of having a healthy relationship with food that many people on a diet forget to have (p.123). 3. This can involve tossing out myths about food and dieting, such as coconut oil is bad for the health (Holzapfel & Holzapfel, 2004, p.43) and that dieting only means eating low-carbohydrate foods. 4. Instead of eating when depressed, people should try exercising when depressed. (Transition: Now that people have developed the right mindset to jumpstart their weight loss, they should also align their new thinking with a new lifestyle.) II. A great mindset needs a practical lifestyle to go with it, and by practical, it means that people can reach them within a realistic timeframe and maximizing their resources and budget. A. In the book Eat Fat Look Thin: A Safe and Natural Way to Lose Weight Permanently, naturopathic doctor and certified nutritionist Bruce Fife offered a weight loss program that is focused on promoting a healthy and natural coconut diet, called “The Healthy Lifestyle Plan.” 1. His plan has nine requirements, which includes eating a low-refined-carbohydrate diet; eating three times a day; drinking lots of water; avoiding junk food; eating healthy foods; using coconut oil everyday; taking dietary supplements; doing regular exercise; and getting daily sunshine. 2. Coconut oil is an important part of his program, because it boosts digestion and helps the body absorb nutrients (Gursche, 2008, p.6). B. Weiss offers a five-step plan that focuses on changing an unhealthy lifestyle. 1. Her program involves setting goals, including finding motivation sources; developing a realistic exercise plan; planning meals ahead using Sparkpeople.com’s nutrition tracker system; measuring weight loss every week; and never letting go of the plan, especially during difficult times. 2. Being active all the time is critical, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and doing squats or jumping rope while watching TV. 3. Weiss believes that having an exercise buddy, or someone who shares the same goals, will improve people’s motivation to lose weight, especially when Bidgood and Buckroyd (2005) learned that having poor or no access to supportive social and professional groups deters weight loss. C. A new lifestyle must fit people’s budget, resources, and time. 1. People will find themselves having more money for healthy food, if they cut back on their fast food dining and buying junk food. 2. People do not need to enlist in expensive gym memberships, because walking or jogging at the park, or investing in a good piece of equipment that lets them walk indoors will do. 3. People can cut their exercise into 15-minute sets, if they have little spare time for hour-long walks and other extensive exercises. (Transition: Once people get their new mindset and lifestyle rolling, they must also celebrate their milestones. III. People who reward themselves for every goal they attain are more likely to sustain weight loss. A. Rewards are effective positive reinforcements of behavioral changes. 1. Food rewards occasionally are great motivators for any weight loss program, but people should avoid overdoing it, reminded Weiss. 2. Tossy (2010) added that non-food rewards will also work, such as getting a makeover or buying new clothing in smaller sizes. B. Rewards keep people going on and helps avoid weight regain. 1. After achieving the desired weight loss, the next challenge is retaining it, and it involves rewarding oneself continuously by setting new goals or just keeping existing ones. 2. Changing rewards now and then help inject excitement into weight loss programs. (Transition: To lose weight is not easy, especially for overweight and obese people, but this presentation proves that it is not an impossible process and outcome.) Conclusion I. Losing weight is a physical and psychological journey of finding the “fit” identity inside people. II. To lose weight requires several changes. A. People should change their mindset and be devoted to the new “self” that they want to achieve. B. They should find the best lifestyle for their own preferences, needs, and budgets. C. They should also reward themselves to sustain their efforts in losing weight. III. Losing weight is a life-changing adventure, and it will work only if people are prepared to make it work, especially when challenges obstruct them from reaching their goals. References Bidgood, J., & Buckroyd, J. (2005). An exploration of obese adults’ experience of attempting to lose weight and to maintain a reduced weight. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 5 (3), 221-229. Fife, B. (2005). Eat fat look thin: A safe and natural way to lose weight permanently. Colorado: Piccadilly Books. Gursche, S. (2008). Coconut oil: Discover the key to vibrant health. Tennessee: Books Alive. Holzapfel, C., & Holzapfel, L. (2004). Coconut oil: For health and beauty. Tennessee: Book Publishing. Tossy, L. (2010). Refuse to diet: Weight loss success starts with your mind, not your mouth. Colorado: Paid to Empower. Weiss, S. (2012, July 24). Personal interview. Read More