Atkins Diet: How should spouses / partners support weight loss activities?
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Show notes:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=df6bhmft_70f5rkwwx2
Why support?
* the obvious answer is because you love them
* however there is “something in it for you” as well
o a friend/spouse/partner with more energy
o a friend/spouse/partner potentially happier
o a friend/spouse/partner who is healthier and may go to the doctor less often
o a friend/spouse/partner who may want to engage in more activities with you
Examples of how to be supportive:
* Support their Food Choice
o Asking which foods they would like purchased or NOT purchased
o if you share the cooking duties, learn how to cook their plan
* Allowing time for exercise session and reasonably accommodating it
o If it takes taking on additional responsibilities (cooking, laundry, taking care of the children alone, grocery shopping), do it
o the time you give for success should reap you rewards
* Being interested but not intrusive on progress or the plan
o you are not the weight loss police
o don’t make the weight loss the only focus of the relationship
o don’t routinely ask “how much weight have you lost today?” — rely on them to tell you
* Understand the emotional side of weight loss – I’ve talked about this in my emotional or psychological aspects of weight loss video
o Theirs — perhaps more irritable, more tired, grouchy, depression, or really happy — in the words of Red Hot Chili Pepper, it’s a “Rollercoaster of Love”
o Yours- envy (focus elsewhere or of their success), feelings of loss (loss of old lifestyle or routines)
* Be an example
o eat the right foods yourself
o exercise – either together or by yourself
o don’t challenge them verbally with your example (like I said in my intro, be a silent example)
* Ultimate Don’ts
o nag – you should not ask “should you really eat that?”
o criticize – their body image or even potentially their manner of weight loss
o tempt – don’t offer them something that is not on their plan or say only one bite shouldn’t hurt you
o get jealous – as your spouse loses the weight, they may get additional attention.
+ Be aware that at their core, they remain the same person you married.
+ trust them
+ don’t feel challenged by the weight loss
o make fun activities – weight loss activities (time together should not only be workout sessions — sometimes biking or walking together can just be that)
* Finally, remember their success or failure ultimately is a personal thing.
o You can not make them succeed or fail.
o You can however set the stage for that success or failure. It is up to them to carry it through.
o The success is theirs alone.
Duration : 0:12:51





18 comments Click to reply »
Thank you for …
Thank you for making this video. I learned alot of what my spouce went through with my weightloss and how to help him with his this year.
Thanks. I really …
Thanks. I really had a good example on what to do and model myself after, so I am glad I could communicate it on to others.
Hey good stuff! I …
Hey good stuff! I like your “don’ts.” I learned some new info from this!
Thank you for …
Thank you for posting such a wonderful video, I played it for my husband with speaker blaring.. all he could gleam from it is that I MUST be frustrated. I realize now you get support where you can and ignore the people and events that become obsticles in my path to a healthier lifestyle.
Happy New Year to …
Happy New Year to you! This is a topic that I had such a great role model of support in my wife, and I am trying to be one to my kids. Thanks for noticing the passion, and I want to wish you a great 2009!
The good news about the holidays is you know exactly how to address the problem and already have the recipe. You can do this!
I can sense your …
God Bless ya Amy
I can sense your passion here. Kent thanks for the insight on this. My family & friends are really supportive and try to offer good options for me when..lets say.. a party comes up. Now..co-workers are the diet police for some reason ! LOL I just ignore them and keep going on for myself. ! Happy New Year ! I gained like 10 pounds over the holidays..I need to go back to Induction and get serious. I actaully miss eating low carb. That is a good sign.
You are very …
You are very welcome. I know from personal experience just how great that support can be, and unfortunately from my own actions how wrong it can be directed too. Just trying prevent others from making the same mistakes I have done or heard others making in the past.
Here’s to 2009 being a very successful year!
Thank you so much …
Thank you so much for this… this is so helpful. You touch on the real aspects of weightloss and how it affects not just the person but the other people in their lives..
Just terrific work. God bless in 2009. Please keep doing this. I totally rely on your vids to keep me on track
That was what I was …
That was what I was thinking. How do I get this video in front of those that really need to see it? Most of the time it is the weight loss person themselves browsing for videos, so I hope it does indeed reach those spouses or friends.
Thanks for watching!
This is a great …
This is a great video, NOT just for Atkins, but for weight loss of any kind including surgery!
Thanks so much for playing this! We should show all of our spouses this vid!
Then it’s a good …
Then it’s a good thing I changed it to Ustream. The link is in the video notes or in the twitter stream from earlier today.
Stikam make’s my PC …
Stikam make’s my PC Shut Down:/
Jimmy More used Skype to record his Pod-Cast’s, and I think they come out great!!
I decided to go …
I decided to go with Ustream rather than Stickam because Stickam seemed a bit too Myspace oriented. Ustream was more professional looking but had more ads. Check the video notes for the URL.
What I would like is to find out a common time that I could set up with weekly low carb QnA session. Tonight 9 pm CST will be my first episode.
Thanks for helping …
Thanks for helping me with the video, and sorry if I massacred your pseudonym in the video. You and your story were a big help and inspiration.
Thanks Yvette for …
Thanks Yvette for watching. I tell you effective support while perhaps not critical makes life so much easier. My wife has made my exercising and eliminated most of my excuses on why not to. I still had to do the work, but she made it possible. This video is my homage to her.
Excellent video as …
Excellent video as usual Kent!
Great Video:)
…
Great Video:)
Informative, Precise, and very Well rounded Information for MEN and WOMAN…!!!
SUPPORT is so important when it come’s to losing weight because overweight people are already in such a fragile state of mind.
Thanx for responding to my Vlog. It’s alway’s good to know that their are still a few Super Spouse’s in the world.-Nicsaprincess
My stickam is up …
My stickam is up tonight for awhile. I will be on and off though. If you want to chat I will be around.