When The Weight Comes Back

Unexpected events

"You can't always control life - it'll always get in the way," says life coach, Domonique Bertolucci. "Life keeps on going so you have to keep on going. There will always be birthdays and dinners and other events that you have to learn to deal with."

If there is a special occasion coming up, Domonique suggests inviting people to your place so you can control the menu, rather than being at the mercy of a restaurant or someone else's cooking.

When more serious events happen, such as a death in the family or a relationship breakdown, Domonique suggests it can be very useful to keep a food diary - record your emotions as well as what you eat and when you eat it, so you can identify the problem areas.

If you've succumbed to a fad diet and the weight has returned, Domonique suggests re-starting your weight loss plan with a broader goal in mind than just dropping a dress size. Think in terms of looking after your health, rather than just losing weight, in order to meet your goals. "Like saving money, looking after your health is something we all feel we should do. But if you're saving money for a car, it is easier, just as looking after your health is easier if you have big goals in mind," says Domonique.

"Look for goals that will really benefit your life, rather than trying to fit into a dress in time for a party. I had a client who lost weight with the goal of joining a golf club and getting fit for life that way."

Any time you put weight back on, but especially if it has returned during a plateau phase, Domonique recommends "getting back to basics."

"Remember what you were doing right back when you started losing weight. It can be a wake-up call," she says. "Keep a food diary and start afresh."

"Getting back to basics also means reincorporating exercise into your day," says Domonique. "Get off the sofa and do something - doing 15 minutes of exercise a day is better than doing none. If you used to get up at 6.30 to exercise, but now you're sleeping until 7.30, start by getting up at 7.15 and doing 15 minutes of exercise, than gradually start getting up earlier and earlier. It'll become easier as you remember how good it made you feel."

Getting back to eating well again and doing regular exercise is important, but Domonique says not to forget the mental aspect of weight loss. "Often people find they are no longer engaged with the reason why they wanted to lose weight," Domonique explains. 'To get re-engaged, ask yourself what losing weight will mean to you. If you can remind yourself of this, it can help. For most people, they want the exterior to reflect the interior - if they are feeling confident and successful, they want this to be reflected in their body and their health and fitness."

Domonique's get back-on-track tips

1. Don't beat yourself up -feeding your self-esteem with negative messages will only make matters worse.
2. If you fall off the wagon, get back on...sensibly! Never resort to a crash diet. Make a sensible plan for what you need to change in order to get back on that track and follow that.
3. Focus on the reward - decide how you will reward yourself when your weight loss is back on track and focus on this, rather than obsessing over the fact that you have gained weight.
4. Be an inspiration to yourself. Remind yourself why you wanted to lose weight and how good you felt when you were on track.
5. Live and learn - look at the environment and events that lead up to your weight gain and put in place a strategy that makes sue the same factors don't get the chance to affect your progress ever again.

Georgia Lewis
Slimming Magazine, July 2004