Weight-Management Strategies Must Adapt with the Times

He who has the most flexibility of options wins. I'm not sure who said that, or even if it is accurately quoted, but it is the subject of this post. One of the things that anyone who has been dealing with weight issues knows, is that there is no 'ONE ANSWER' out there. What works for us at one stage of life, may not work at another. Therefore, it benefits us to continue to learn new approaches and try out new ideas when we find we are stuck. Einstein said that to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result is the definition of insanity.

We can often feel insane when it comes to dealing with weight issues. For example, in my own life, I have been dealing with this challenge since childhood. I have learned a lot, and applied a lot of this knowledge in my life. Through a combination of approaches, I felt that I had finally 'conquered' this challenge once and for all. Then, I found myself slipping once again.

So, I decided that spending so much time in the office with clients, and so much time in front of the computer writing had caused this dis-equilibrium. So, I went to the gym and began to exercise like crazy. Not much happened, except I was very tired. Since I had so many tools to work with, and I was working with them in a dedicated way, I wondered what in the world was going on? Why was this not working for me?

In frustration, I finally hired a Personal Trainer for a few sessions. One of the things she did was have me get a BodPod analysis of the lean/fat ratio of my body. I was shocked at the result. She then explained to me that sometimes as we get older, our hormonal shifts will affect how the body deals with fat and muscle. I had been working out in the wrong way! I had been burning my muscle, not my fat, which is why I was so completely exhausted after the work outs. She shifted my routine to re-build the muscle (which by the way, burns a great deal more calories than fat does, even at rest), and to get the fat metabolism back on line. She also had me increase the protein intake to fuel the muscle rebuilding.

The point is, even when we know a lot, we can still learn more. Many things can upset the equilibrium of the body, and sometimes strategies we used in the past may no longer work for us. If you are 'stuck' with your weight, examine where you are 'stuck' in your thinking. Resolve to try something new. Resolve to get some input from a coach or trainer. There is little point in resolving to lose weight using old techniques that are not working for you any longer.