Let's focus on the trend, not on the day

Or on the week, or maybe even the month. If our weight is trending down over time, does it really matter what we weigh today? A lot of people, myself included, can have a tendency to get hung up on that number on the scale. It's my belief that it's actually counterproductive to our success to focus on our exact weight day to day, for a few reasons.

First thing's first - you'll go crazy if you weigh daily. As a Weight Watcher, I'm a big fan of the weekly weigh-in, but I think jumping up on the scale once a week can benefit just about everyone. If you have a scale at home, you may have found (as I have) that it's not easy to avoid it throughout the week, but I promise it's worth it: as soon as your poundage becomes an obsession, you've begun moving away from healthy weight loss towards something a little darker. I think that once weekly is a magical interval - its often enough to keep track of your meaningful progress, and it's a little more removed from the craziness that can happen with our weight day-to-day.

That's another thing I realized about the number on the scale - I'm not sure it's the best representation of our weight from the perspective that we care about. There are lots of factors that can effect our weigh in - what we've eaten, what we're wearing, how much water we've had, what time of day it is, how much salt we've ingested, and whether we've exercised recently, just to name a few. Any or all of these factors and others can cover up a great weight loss, discouraging and disappointing us in the process. If a salty cup of soup can obscure success from the scale, then why place so much stock in it?

On my journey to a thinner me, I've found the scale to be one great way to keep an eye on my progress, but it's only one of many: how my clothes fit, how I look, and how I feel are much more important to me than some number on a dial or a screen.

Wait ... I didn't REALLY want that!

Have you ever fallen victim to the "allure of food?" If you struggle with your weight, I'm sure that you have - those delectables that you just can't keep your hands off can often seem too appealing to pass up. But what about when you're on track, trying to make good food choices - can we still get fooled by an outwardly glamorous, healthy sounding menu item?

Earlier today, I decided to eat lunch at my favorite grilled chicken place. Towards the end of my order, the cashier asked if I would like a whole wheat pita. Now, I usually pass on the regular pita. Today was different. "Ooh!" I thought to myself, "whole wheat huh? Sounds healthy and delicious." Famous last words.

What was I thinking? I know better than that. Your average whole wheat pita is only marginally healthier than your average white flour pita - slightly higher fiber, barely lower calories. And I know that whether I eat the pita or not doesn't really effect my satisfaction with my lunch. Those were empty calories that I jumped on because of two words that sometimes aren't easy for the calorie-conscious to pass up: whole wheat. I didn't REALLY want that pita, but, for some reason, I still said yes anyway!

One of the things that I love about maintaining my weight loss is that I'm constantly reminded of my fallibility. Just when I think I've mastered the whole "weight thing," something like a whole wheat pita reminds me that my ongoing vigilance is key to my ongoing success.

So this is what it boils down to: only when we are consistently present and aware in our decision making can we consistently make sound choices about what goes in our mouth!

when food becomes HUGE

No, I don't mean mega portions. Or tons of calories, loads of fat, or a giant mound of carbs. I'm talking about when we turn a piece of food into a virtual monument - when a cookie, or a slice of pizza, or anything goes from a want to a must have. Sometimes, those "must have" foods don't just loom large in our minds - they loom huge.

That can make it way more difficult up on that morsel, even if we know it's bad for us. What's worse, if too many treats turn into must haves, our weight can hang in the balance - we risk gaining weight instead of losing or maintaining it.

Ask yourself this: "How many times have I regretted NOT eating something?" Chances are, it hasn't happened too often. Maybe even never, in fact. People struggling with their size often feel bad about eating all kinds of things, but usually feel good about passing on a treat. And, take it from me, that pleasant sensation that comes from passing on an Oreo feels better than that Oreo would taste, and it lasts longer, too.

So how do we keep foods in perspective? For sure, it's easier said than done. But it helps to keep in mind that the satisfaction that we get from food never lasts as long as the happy feeling you get from being good to yourself. Knowing that truth makes it easier to pass up goodies for a mere momentary "food high."

The bottom line? If you want to avoid being huge yourself, you've got to keep your view on your favorite edibles in check.