Weight Matters Week 10 - Overcoming Challenges

My Weight Matters Week ten: Overcoming challenges

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Before t r a t s u o y week ten Review your goals:

Did you achieve your goals?

Remember to treat yourself to a non-food reward each time you achieve your goal

If you did not manage to achieve your goals, were they realistic for you?

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This week we have a step-by-step process which you can follow when you are facing a challenge or are having problems reaching your goals.

Review your diaries

Are you eating regularly, making healthier choices, monitoring portions and drinking plenty?

Use the food diary on the back page to record what you eat and drink. It’s known to be helpful when on a weight loss programme.

Overcoming challenges When we try to lose weight, other things that are going on in our lives don’t just stop. Life often throws challenges at us and it is important that you learn how to overcome these challenges.

The first step is to recognise challenges when they arise. Sometimes we know situations are going to be difficult beforehand – for example going to a party. Here we can make plans to manage the situation in advance. On other occasions things happen unexpectedly and your healthy eating plan for the day could go off track – for example friends or family dropping round and deciding to order a takeaway. It is a good idea to reflect on what happened and perhaps make plans to help you in the future, if ever you find yourself in a similar situation.

If you are struggling to follow the programme perfectly, don’t worry. Consider the changes you have made and identify the areas that still need work.

Identify why the programme ‘isn’t fitting’

Make a plan and review how it goes

• Has anything been going on the past two/ three weeks which has made following the plan difficult?

• Try the programme for another week and assess how it goes. Identify areas where there are challenges and see if you can find solutions to these.

• Are you eating regularly? What about the balance of foods? What quantities are you eating? Have you made healthy choices within the food groups?

• How do you feel when you are around food? (is it difficult to resist food being around/ others eating etc?)

• What makes you want to eat?

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Identify the problem • Be really specific and choose a single time when you faced a tricky situation • This is particularly useful for situations that often happen or are likely to happen again

Think of possible solutions • Write them down • Think of as many as you can, whatever you think will help you specifically everyone is different!

Choose which to try • Weigh up the options you have and think which will work best for you (imagine yourself in that situation and think which would help at that specific time) • Choose 1-3 possible solutions and write them down so you can refer to it later • You could also make some ‘If, then’ plans to help you. e.g. ‘If I get bored, then I will call a friend’, or ‘If I’m upset, I will take a short walk, even around the house to distract myself’

Try it out • If you find yourself facing this tricky situation again, try your plan out • Did it work or do you need to change your plan for next time?

Identify the problem (choose a specific thought, feeling or situation)

Think of as many possible solutions as you can

Write down which you want to try (choose 1-3 possible solutions remember your ‘If, Then’ plans too) 1 2 3

How did it go (did it work or do you need to change your plan for next time)?

Use the AmaraHealth™ app to stay motivated and track your weight loss

Week 10 action check-list Now set yourself 1 or 2 goals for this week Please record these in your goal log Monitor what you eat and drink using a food diary Monitor your level of physical activity Monitor your sleep Think of challenges you have experienced and use the tool to find a way to overcome them

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Prefer to record your weight online?

Track your weight, set goals, and stay motivated with the AmaraHealth™ app

Food diary Day:

Time

Date:

Food/drink

Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbs

7 (Women) 8 (Men)

Fruit and vegetables

Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins

Dairy and alternatives

Oil and spreads

Other foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugars

At least 5

2

3

2

1 max

TOTAL number of portions: Recommended number of portions:

Physical activity log: Step count:

Initiative funded by

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