(coconut). From my perspective, it’s not surprising that liquids left
these participants wanting more; the crunchy and chewy and inde-
scribable textures of food are part of our eating enjoyment! Without
these amazing textures and without the relaxed savoring of our food
through chewing, we feel like we’ve been robbed.
It’s difficult to overstate the benefits of normal, everyday lifecir-
cumstances for healthy and successful weight loss. We’ve reviewed
studies that look at “the family index,” studies that examine social
support groups, and studies that focus on “flexibility in dietary
restraint.” All of these studies point to one inescapable conclusion:
the more we bring our everyday lives—including family, friends,
and social networks—into our weight loss strategy, the better our
chances of success. And when we give ourselves permission to be
human and to make some mistakes while enjoying the natural pleasures
of food, we optimize our weight loss chances.
There is actually one new approach to weight loss called the HAES
approach (Health at Every Size) that has evolved to capture some
aspects of the attitude described above. In the HAES approach to
weight loss, individuals become “health-centered” rather than
“weight-centered.” Instead of stepping out of their lives to follow
some temporary and unfamiliar diet plan, individuals step further
into their lives by focusing on long-term lifestyle habits. They also
insist on being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle regardless of
their body size on any given day. This is resonant with my perspectives
related to the Healthy Weight Loss – Without Dieting; it’s not a diet
but a way of life where you enjoy delicious tasting nutrient-rich
foods.
As you can see from all of the examples described above, our weight
loss attitudes are just as important as the foods we choose to eat.
While making a place for low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods in our
weight loss diet, we must also make room for ourselves!
Healthy Weight Loss Q&As