How to Lose Weight with a Stop Watch!

Once you have recognized that you have cravings and how they can sabotage your diet, it is time to get them under control. Time will be our ally in this task as we recognize the following simple fact: A craving generally lasts only 8 to 14 minutes.

Refusing to give in to a craving will feel somewhat uncomfortable but it will pass. We are not talking about days or hours, only minutes!

First, identify the time of day that you are experiencing cravings. This will allow you to prepare for them by having a healthful snack at hand.

The typical time span of most food cravings is 8 to 14 minutes. I know it feels longer, but as Einstein told us, "Time is relative." Knowing that a craving is limited in duration will give you the power to ride through it.

The Stop! Watch! Method
1. When a craving arises I ask my patients to set a stopwatch (which I provide) for fifteen minutes;

During this time they are advised to drink a large glass of water and eat a protein snack. This allows their blood glucose to become normalized (if it had dropped) and, by "waiting out" the urge, they gain control. It sounds simple but it does work. We have all experienced this phenomenon: on the treadmill, when we want to stop with ten minutes to go and we just count down the minutes; when sitting in a boring lecture and we watch the minutes tick away until the time that the class is over; or even when we give children a "time out" when they are having a tantrum.

Hold on until a specific amount of time elapses. A stopwatch quantifies the time that a craving lasts. And for a dieter to know that there are only a few minutes left is enormously helpful!

2. Drink a big glass of water.

Because our brain may misinterpret the signal for thirst as a signal for hunger, drinking water eliminates unrecognized thirst from the picture. You may just be thirsty, so go for the water first. Drinking a glass of water is filling and good for you, too.

3. Have a protein snack.

If the snack that you chose is in the form of a high-tryptophan source, which include turkey and dairy products, then so much the better.

Your snack should be a food that will benefit your body and that you find satisfying. By the latter, I mean there are times when you might want a food with a creamy consistency -- in such a case, low-fat yogurt is a great choice. At other times, you may desire a crunchy texture -- here I would suggest baby carrots or raw celery stalks. And don't forget to drink at least one 8-ounce glass of water; this assures that you are not misinterpreting the signal for thirst as a hunger signal.

Excerpted from the book: "How the Rich Get Thin" by Jana Klauer, M.D.
From the website: http://womenshealth.about.com/od/weightlossforwomen/a/stopwatchmethod.htm

Preventing Stress Eating in the Workplace

For working women, food can sometimes be the comforting buddy when one is stressed in the office. That is why women typing on their desktops, while munching on chips or cookies, or chocolates, or donuts (the fatty ones!) - are a common sight in the workplace. And does this make one fat?

Absolutely yes.

Studies show that eating due to stress can actually make one eat more. When there is a level of anxiety, the adrenalin push lets you do bolder actions, hence eating more heavily.

How can women prevent falling prey to this "stress-eating" drama? Check out our tips:

• Have a healthy lunch and breakfast just in the right amount. This will make you feel full in the stomach and should have conquered your appetite to eat more.


• Drink water instead of popping that bag of chips next to you. Drinking water relaxes and rejuvenates the senses.
  
• Pause for 5-10 minutes and try walking around or closing your eyes to relieve stress. Slowing down once in a while puts one in the right perspective (instead of overeating!)
  
• Get some air. Yup! You can go out, or open the windows to catch some fresh air. Oxygen fuels your blood, thus recharging your body systems.
  
• If you really can't help but eat, prepare a healthy snack in the morning before you go to the office. Make sure you pack them into portions so that when you feel like eating due to stress, you won't gobble up the whole thing. Sandwiches with lettuce, ham, and tomatoes (skip the mayo!), cut into quarters then packed individually are good for you.
  
• You can also replace thos junk foods with fruits, cereals, nuts, energy bars, or foods with plant components.