weight loss and the environment

Good morning ....first...thanks again for tall the GREAT comments on the blog...I encourage everyone to read these comments and get into the foray yourself as well! Great advice....fun to hear others insights....Yesterday there was a discussion about the "environment" and controlling this via ensuring that there are not challenging foods/snacks around to tempt you. I strongly encourage people to NOT have things around the house that will make it easy for you to derail your weight loss efforts. Face it..if there is ice cream in the freezer, Godiva chocolate in the cabinet, these will, in fact, calll out to you by your first name...if there is nothing like this in your house or desk at work, you would have to get up and actively search for it...."self control" is VERY difficult as this relates to fighting off immediate gratification behavior patterns. Food is a very inexpensive immediate gratification...massages, buying a new car, going on a vacation...all of these are "gratification" but they cost lots of money.....a food item? not lots of money at all. Battling instinctual behavior patterns is very difficult...but by controlling our own environments, we will be more successful. Once again gang, thanks for the comments and keep them coming! I am learning more every day because of your insights...it is helping me become a better physician for you all!

weight loss and controlling the environment

Good morning....

Many of our patients travel as past of their occupations making following our dietary plan very difficult...Being in airports, eating at hotels, and attending nighttime business meetings over cocktails are all challenges that derail our efforts to lose weight.

If these are cirumstances that occur rarely, then the battle that week is lost, we pick ourselves back up and make the next bunch of weeks more successful. However, if this is the "norm" and travel is frequent then a different attitude is needed: The environment will not change for you...YOU NEED TO ADAPT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Learnign how to aqttned business meetings and NOT do the alcohol and excessive carbs, planning meals around airport time etc are all things that need to be adapted to in order to achieve the weight loss success you are striving for.