WOOF: Thanks for joining us on WOOF, Carole. An on-going theme in From Fat To Fit is support during your "process." How important is it to have the support of friends and family?
CC: Support is not important. Rather, support is essential. It took me 40 years of trying (and failing) to lose weight before I realized that I couldn’t lose weight alone. (Talk about a slow learner!)
WOOF: You're not alone, Carole. Many of us suffer from SLS (slow learner syndrome).
You also go to great lengths to refer to this process NOT as a diet, but a life-style change. What knowledge did you gain from years of dieting?
CC: I learned that dieting doesn’t work. When I did manage to lose weight with a diet, when I went off it, I regained what I had lost and added a few pounds. Nonetheless, in desperation, I would try the next fad diet.
WOOF: Been there - done that! What would you consider your biggest challenge?
CC: My biggest challenge was (and is) managing the “exceptional child” who lives inside me. She is always coming up with reasons to make exceptions, and she is quite brilliant at it. For instance, she’ll say, “You walked 10,000 steps today, so you can make an exception tonight and have a big piece of chocolate cake and ice cream.” Or “You don’t have to exercise today because you are tired.” She is always coming up with reasons why I should make exceptions to my basic rules: 1,500 calories a day and at least 1 hour of exercise.
WOOF: I'm sure many of us rate ourselves as "exceptional" when it comes to managing our weight and our health! Maybe you could give a favorite WOOFer tip to our readers who need motivation to begin a healthier way of life?
CC: I’ll give 3 tips that are my mantra:
F:Fun. Keep everything fun. I have ways to exercise that make me feel like a kid again. I find food to eat that I thoroughly enjoy eating that won’t pack on pounds.
I: Individualized: Carve out a way to eat, exercise, work and rest that works for you. Forget the advice of experts. Trust your own instincts and your own body.
T: Together. Team up with others. It is too hard to lose weight and get fit on your own. We are social animals; we need each other.
WOOF: Finally, after achieving your weight-loss and fitness goals, what is your biggest reward?
CC: I love waking up in the morning full of energy and optimism, feeling good about myself and my body. Before I lost weight, I was in the 90th percentile of individuals at risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. I didn’t know it until later, but I saved my life when I lost weight and got fit. So you see--waking up in the morning is important to me!
Thanks for visiting the WOOFer's Club Blog, Carole, er...Hound Dog! You're a true inspiration!
For more From Fat To Fit tips and great resources, visit Carol Carson's Website
...and for a humorous view of weight loss,
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