actions DO speak louder than words ...

I'm a firm believer in the idea that you reap what you sow when it comes to working on your weight loss. That's not to say, of course, that it always shows up on the scale (wouldn't that be nice!), but, in general, if you're working hard, you'll see the benefit, and if you're having trouble or just plain slacking, you may be disappointed when you weigh in. Most people I talk to tend to agree that this is generally true.

So, that having been said, ask yourself this: What does your weight say about your priorities? I'm thinking that, if you're slimming down nicely, weight loss is probably pretty important to you. More important than, say, donuts or pizza or cookies or bread or hot dogs or whatever your weight-gain pals are. If the pounds aren't coming off as consistently or as quickly as you'd prefer, though, maybe it's time to check your priorities.

Let's get something straight - I'm not saying that losing that gut has to be the #1 most important thing in your life. It's not for most people, and although it was for me once, it sure isn't right now. But if you want to get top results, shouldn't this be a top (or top-ish) priority for you? I certainly think so.

This is what I'm getting at - too often, we demand and expect big, ongoing losses at the scale without having to "do the work." Our actions show us what's truly important to us. We can all make this happen for ourselves, but we've gotta be willing to sacrifice some bad decision-making and some bad habits in order to be successful.

If you really want it, be willing to work for it!



If you don't, it shows.

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.

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.