The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (112 page)
1. Write down the life event leading to the setback.
This life event can take many forms — vacations, holidays, family, work stress, or even boredom.
2. Write down how this event affected your new diet and exercise habits.
As a result of the event, did you not have time to squeeze in exercise or plan your meals? Was all of your focus pointed elsewhere due to the event? How long and to what degree did this life event make you fall off track?
3. Think about ways you can work around this obstacle in the future.
If a vacation sent you for a tailspin, maybe on your next vacation you can balance your food choices and take advantage of fun exercise. If a life crisis hindered your efforts at change by leaving you unable to focus on anything but the situation, that's okay and entirely understandable. Just be mindful of how long you're off track and don't let that time extend more than a few days, if at all possible.
4. Ask yourself how quickly you can get back on track.
This is probably the most important step in dealing with setbacks. The quicker you can find a solution and get back on track, the less that setback will interfere with your progress.
To see these steps in action, pretend a major upheaval has occurred at work and you're the point person. You have people coming at you from all directions. Because you're constantly tied up in the office, you may find yourself eating pizza and burritos that the staff has picked up for you. Even though this situation may not be a long-term one, it's still a setback to your goal of following a low-glycemic diet. To get back on track in this scenario, you could tell the staff to pick up a fajita for you rather than a burrito, or you could pack up some low-glycemic frozen foods that you can pop in the microwave.
If you're unable to work around a particular setback and you get caught back up in your old habits, don't get angry with yourself. Instead, focus on getting back on track as soon as you can. That's the most important step in recovering from a setback. A few days of reverting to your old habits won't hurt you as much as a few weeks or months. Don't let guilt get the better of you and make you feel defeated.
Determining your personal stage of readiness
James O. Prochaska and his colleagues at the University of Rhode Island discovered that there are various stages of readiness for developing any kind of lifestyle change. According to their
transtheoretical model
(a model of behavior change that has been the basis for developing effective interventions to promote health behavior change), every person goes through each stage at one time or another when creating any kind of change in his or her life, and each stage is equally important.
To figure out which stage of readiness you're in right now and to discover some steps you can take during that stage, pick one of the following italicized statements that best describes you. Others (friends, family, doctors) want me to lose weight or make changes to my diet, but it isn't that important to me.
You're in the precontemplation stage.
You may not have any interest in making lifestyle changes at this time, but consider exploring why your friends and family have concerns about your health. Plan a time to get some feedback from a close friend or relative who can give you objective information about why she's concerned. When you're in this stage, ask yourself the following questions: Why do others want me to make changes? How will I know when it's the right time for me to make changes toward weight loss and better health?I want to lose weight, but my life is too busy right now to think about diet and exercise. I just don't have time to think about it.
You're in the contemplation stage.
You may be considering the possibility that you want to make changes but feel you can't right at this time. Stay proactive during this stage by continuing to absorb information about weight loss and nutrition. Ask yourself the following questions: What kind of information and support will I need to start making changes to lose weight? What are the risks and benefits of making lifestyle changes?I've taken steps such as buying a weight-loss book and/or joining a gym, but I haven't started yet.
You're in the preparation stage.
You're preparing to take action in the near future. You're ready to see all the options available so you can take the right steps toward change. When you're in this stage, ask yourself the following questions: What kind of support do I need to step into action? What types of obstacles are getting in my way?I've recently started taking some sort of action toward change such as walking, going to the gym, or changing my food choices.
You're in the action stage.
The action stage is a very fragile one. You need a great support team to help you through it. Make sure your family and friends are onboard with your weight-loss goals so they can provide you with support and motivation. Ask yourself the following questions: What do I need in place to keep up my new changes? What types of things motivate me now?I've recently incorporated new behaviors into my lifestyle yet occasionally I may have some setbacks.
You're in the maintenance stage.
You've made some permanent lifestyle changes that have already resulted in weight loss. You may feel from time to time that yoe experiencing some setbacks. Just remember that setbacks are normal and will happen occasionally. When they occur, take some time to figure out what has gotten in the way of your efforts to be consistent. Then ask yourself the following questions: What types of life events have led up to my setbacks? How can I make different choices in the future to keep me on track? What type of support do I need right now?
Making Change a Family Affair
If you have a family, trust me when I say that incorporating a low-glycemic diet into your life is far easier when you get yo
ur spouse and/or children involved. Getting good meals on the table is difficult enough. The last thing you need is your spouse and kids all wanting separate meals. That's a recipe for disaster that makes it much harder for you to successfully change your lifestyle.
Fortunately, the low-glycemic diet isn't drastic, which means your family members won't feel like they're on a "diet." In the sections that follow, I offer some advice for making your low-glycemic lifestyle something everyone in your family can support and follow — sometimes without them even realizing it!
Transitioning your family to a low-glycemic lifestyle
Lifestyle changes, such as following a low-glycemic diet, don't affect just you; they affect your whole family.
You may think "I don't want my family to have to make lifestyle changes just because I have to," but that's the wrong mentality. Think of your new low-glycemic diet as a way of life that involves moderation instead. A dietary plan that's moderate rather than strict is easier to incorporate into your family's life. In some cases, no one even notices the changes.
Case in point: As part of her new lifestyle, one of my clients cleaned up her countertops by getting rid of the cookies and chips that were lingering around and setting out a big bowl of fruit in their place. She said to herself, "This will never work. My kids are going to be screaming at me for the cookies." Instead, to her delight, her kids came home from school, picked through the fruit bowl, and didn't say a word about the lack of cookies.
Here are some tips for making your family's transition to a low-glycemic lifestyle go a little more smoothly:
Remember that moderation is key.
Your family members will most certainly resist your efforts at getting them to eat healthier if you force them to follow a strict diet.
Find low-glycemic snack foods that everyone enjoys.
Exchanging is always a better philosophy than eliminating, especially with kids. So instead of stockpiling cookies and potato chips, purchase yogurts, baked tortilla chips, or even popcorn and offer these lower-glycemic foods to your spouse and kids instead.