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Kerryne: I’m a lifelong dieter with type 2 diabetes. Help!

Jess: Show me a healthy lifestyle I can stick with.

Ayleenne: I’ve lost weight before but it always comes back.

Change?

Natalie: I love food. I need help to stick to a diet.

Barbara: I really want to feel – and be – healthier.

Meredyth:How do I set a better example for my two daughters?

Maria: My weight’s crept up since I got married last year.

Melanie: My weakness is portion control.

Bronwyn: Good nutrition? Make it easy, please.

Geng: Three litres of cola a day? That’s me. I know it’s not healthy.

Yvonne: If I eat better, my kids will pick up better habits.

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When we go on a diet, most of us have great expectations. We plan to lose 15kg, drop two dress sizes, commit to a couple of hours of exercise every day – and we’ll do that by going cold turkey from day one.

What happens, inevitably, is that it’s tough and the results we see aren’t as grand as we’d hoped. If we’re really resolute we might lose a couple of kilos, and a few weeks later we might still be making it to the gym a couple of times a week – but sooner or later we’re wrestling with an unpleasant sense of failure. It all seems too damn hard. And that’s the cue for giving up.

Before you know it you’ve stacked on the weight again – and often it’s more than you lost. Sound familiar?

We can stick to an unnaturally harsh regime for only so long. More than 100 scientific studies confirm that self-control is a finite resource, which eventually runs out.

By contrast, when you ease yourself into new and better habits, the change is usually more sustainable. Gradual shifts in behaviour give you time and energy to get comfortable in your new routine, and even to celebrate each victory as you go along.

This is the reasoning behind the ChangeOne programme developed by Reader’s Digest and now one of the world’s most successful and widely used weight loss and fitness plans.

It shows you how to swap a single unhealthy habit for a healthier one, a week at a time, for 12 weeks. Says our nutritionist and Everyday Kitchen columnist Kathryn Elliott: “You develop new skills and take the time to

Remember that last miracle diet you tried? It started out with huge promise. “I’ll lose three, five… ten kilos,” you vowed, as you blithely tossed aside all your bad old ways. Hmmmm… a few months down the track, how did that work out for you? Thought so.

Week 1. breakfastThe first week of the ChangeOne programme is all about enjoying a good breakfast that sets you up for healthy eating throughout the day. People who skip this meal tend to make poor food choices as they get hungry mid-morning.

l you can’t become a new person overnight. Small steps can form lifelong healthy habits.

Week 2. LunchEven with a good breakfast, your energy levels will be waning by lunchtime – so it’s essential to top up with a healthy meal. In Week 2 the programme walks you through picking simple and nutritious lunch choices that are under 1500kJ.

l Focus on how much, rather than what you eat. nothing is off limits but portions really matter.

Week 3. SnacksWith breakfast and lunch under control. it’s easier to concentrate on introducing regular, planned, nutritious snacks that reduce hunger pangs – and stop the urge to binge on chocolate at 4pm.

l don’t let yourself feel deprived. Learn to recognise the physical feeling of real hunger and identify the cues that prompt your comfort or emotional eating.

Changeone is about learning

new habits.

Eager volunteers, 12 weeks, kilos to lose and better habits to learn – what could

be simpler? Reader’s Digest put the word out for a bunch of people to try ChangeOne, and then watched what happened as they journeyed through

the programme. Some wanted to drop a dress size, others had serious health

concerns such as diabetes, or had tried for many years to shed kilos, without

long-term success. Over the weeks, our nutritionist

Kathryn Elliott encouraged the group to meet up, discuss their progress and

to swap tips.

figure out what really works for you. At the end of the 12 weeks – or longer if you want to take it at your own pace and nail each change before you move on – you’ll be in a great position to continue these behaviours for a lifetime.”

Reader’s Digest launches a new edition of the ChangeOne Diet and Fitness Plan this month. But first we road-tested it on some willing vol-unteers for some real-life stories of real people wanting real results.

new edition out now. to order your copy for $39.99, call 1300 550 001, and quote ChangeOne. or go to readers digestdirect.com.au/changeone

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Week 4.

dinnerWith dinner, portion sizes are the key and careful planning is important – even though healthy choices can usually be prepared quickly. Adapt your favourite recipes to contain the right quantities, or source new ideas from the book.

l Slow down, relax and enjoy tasty meals with your family. by doing so, you’ll actually eat less.

Week 5. eating outIf you eat out only very occasionally, then eat and enjoy. But if it’s a regular part of your life, you’ll need to pre-plan and learn how to manage the pitfalls of a menu.

l as the customer, remember you’re in charge. ask for extra vegetables, the dressing on the side, or for food to be grilled – not fried. order a starter, not a main, or have a starter and a salad.

Week 6.Weekends and celebrationsFood and alcohol are a major part of most celebrations – so you need to know how to handle the temptations.

l pace yourself and have a plan. Skip the chips and dips so you can have birthday cake later. Watch the alcohol. and make time for more exercise to counter the extra kilojoules.

FoodOur eating decisions are driven by reward circuits in the middle of the brain harking back to a time when we needed to seek out food to survive.

The rational part of the brain developed much later. That’s why, when it comes to choosing a bar of chocolate over a bracing walk, you’re more than likely to end up with the chocolate. ChangeOne aims to make healthy food choices automatic.

Kathryn was prepared for the ma-jority of volunteers at the start being fixated on losing kilos. Goals ranged from “I want to be my slimmest ever” to “I’m in if it’s easy.” Says Kathryn: “It’s no surprise that those who signed up expecting a magic wand dropped out pretty early. Success at anything requires a level of commit-ment. So it’s probably best not to start a diet if your heart isn’t really in it – you’re almost certain to fail, and that doesn’t bode well for the next time.”

Our 11 stalwarts were those who cheered on the idea that ChangeOne is about making slow and cumulative changes for lifelong improvement in their health. Two of the participants, Meredyth and Yvonne, felt it was important to teach their young children good nutrition by being good role models themselves.

Geng, the brave lone male volun-teer, who confessed to a craving for around three litres of soft drink a day – admitted his knowledge of good nu-trition was very patchy but wanted to change. Says Kathryn, “I wasn’t sur-prised we had such a difficult time

ayLeenne wanted simple tactics

better planning

Ayleenne embarked on ChangeOne not to lose a lot of weight but to build healthier habits into her day: “Just to know the right foods and to develop

a better attitude to exercise.” She used what she learned on the

programme to sail through a series of family celebrations, preparing

meals for her family and eating out, and she lost three kilos. She also

doubled the amount of exercise she packs into a day. “Now I have a plan

in place. I think ahead.”

Changeone advice is realistic.

“Losing 200-500grams a week, and

some weeks not losing anything, is

normal,” says kathryn.

trying to find male volunteers to meet up and talk about their experiences. Men are generally not comfortable getting together for weight loss groups. But if it’s some-thing they can do at home alone or together with a partner, they will get results. ChangeOne can do that.”

Week One was full of excitement, weigh-ins and positive commitment to goals, if a little trepidation. Week Two was marked by quite a bit of impatience. “You hope to see a lot of quick results,” says Natalie, “so it takes quite a bit of time to realise that getting the basics right really matters. Once I realised that, it was a light bulb moment.”

By Week Three our group were swapping tips, and growing in confi-dence. As well as eating better, they felt a mood boost from more activity.

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Week 7. Fix your kitchenMake things easier by removing temptation. If there’s no ice-cream and the cookie jar is empty, it’ll be that much easier to resist when you’re at a low ebb. Be ruthless and throw out devilish foods you know you want to avoid.

l the single most important change you can make is learning to shop smart. make a list and stick to it.

Week 8. identify the trouble spotsFocus on the areas you’re struggling with and spend this week finding ways to get over or around stumbling blocks. It’s also time to reassess your goals. Are you being realistic?

l you’re well on your way for lifelong change to improve your health. if your energy is at a low ebb, make a list of the benefits you’ve already seen on Changeone. Celebrate what’s working.

Week 9. de-stress Stress can rob you of the energy you need to stay focused and motivated. If the pressure gets fierce enough you may be tempted to say “I can’t do this” and give up your best intentions to stick to a healthier diet.

l go easy on yourself. Some changes are simpler for you than others. Zero in on those with a big pay-off and concentrate on turning them into habits.

eXerCiSeChangeOne advocates a natural approach to exercise: have a stroll in the park on a sunny day, take the stairs rather than the lift, dig in the sand with the kids. Being active should not be about pain – it should be about pleasure.

Our volunteers began by work-ing out how much exercise they actually did. We gave each of them a basic pedometer, got them to write down their weekly move-ments, and to think about what’s stopping them from getting more active. For many, time was the excuse, followed by motivation.

Kathryn explained they should aim for a brisk, 20- to 30-minute walk every day. “To start, spend at least two hours every week outdoors. Even if you’re not exer-cising, just spend time in the fresh air. It’s hard then not to feel more invigorated, more alive.”

more action!Here’s what our volunteers came up with to build more activity into their day:don’t send an email to a colleague – get up and walk over. Walk don’t drive, and take the long way round every time. put away each piece of clothing after you iron it. Need the bathroom? Climb the stairs to the one on the next level.

muscles are better than fatFrom your mid-30s, your muscles lose size and strength. Since muscle tissue burns more kilojoules than fat, this has a direct impact on how much you can eat: every ten years you’ll lose about 1.9kg of muscle, so you’ll need to eat 620kJ less a day. It’s one of the reasons we gain kilos as we age. Strength training builds muscle, boosts metabolism, and sets you up for a healthier future.

kerryne and maria aimed for at least 10,000 steps a day

the walking group

Kerryne, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, had been struggling with her weight for as long as she could remember. Maria realised the

main exercise she had been getting recently involved walking from the car to her front

door. Determined to make a difference, they started a lunchtime walking group with colleagues. When one had a willpower

failure, the others would rally them. The daily walk was the kickstart to exercise at

other times of the day, too, and their goal of 10,000 steps a day soon looked easy. Says

Kerryne, “If I missed the lunchtime walk, I’d walk around the block when I got home.”

With several of our volun-teers admitting to joining gyms in the past and then giving up on expensive memberships, they cheered heartedly at the ChangeOne mantra: “Tradi-tional fitness is for fitness fanatics only… For most of us it’s beyond useless. It hurts, it’s boring and time-consuming.”

Instead the principles of ChangeOne were becoming familiar: start slowly, surround yourself with support, avoid boredom, celebrate success.

One volunteer had a modest goal: being able to walk to the top of a hill without getting so out of breath. Plenty wanted to feel less sluggish.

“ChangeOne made it so simple for all our volunteers to find something they could do,” says Kathryn. “And it quickly showed on their overall mood and glowing faces.”

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+ ChangeOne takes effort and commitment, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard work.+ A lot of small steps in the right direction really add up.+ What’s easy for one person might not be easy for another. + It’s easier to tackle one thing at a time – and you

get to celebrate more victories.+ Find people around you who’ll support and share your progress. + Make it fun, social or competitive… whatever keeps it interesting. + you should expect setbacks – so don’t beat yourself up for being human. Pick yourself up.

+ Nothing is off limits. Think of food as a pleasure, just not too much too often.+ Slow down and savour meals. It’s too easy to eat without realising.+ Diet and fitness are SO much easier when you start to feel in control. + Feeling great is the best motivation.

Week 10. real superfoodsCertain foods have super powers to trick you into feeling full; they don’t make you gain weight and they fine-tune your metabolism.

l Check these healthy foods are regular items on your menu: water, eggs, nuts, salad, seafood, soup, cereal, chicken, yoghurt and beans.

Week 11. keeping on trackIf you’ve slimmed down before, you know the real trick is maintaining weight loss. Sadly that’s where most diet plans falter. To counter weight creeping back, keep an eye on how your clothes are fitting, how you feel, how much exercise you’re getting and what’s on the menu.

l if you find yourself slipping, diagnose the problem and get back on track by changing just one thing every week. it works.

Week 12. Changeone – for lifeWrite a list of the positive changes you’ve made. Put a star beside the changes that have had the biggest impact on how you look and feel.

l you’ve done something really remarkable. you’ve redirected your life. that’s truly worth celebrating. Well done.

nataLie discovered her

food tastes changed]

“the only way you will fail is if

you decide you’ve failed. in the future, keep the Changeone

focus in your head. Little steps

have set you in the right

direction – you will get there.”

the star pupil

Natalie had some weight to lose. But she seriously worried whether her bad habits were too ingrained

and her willpower not strong enough. Support was vital. “At

work, if I was raiding the vending machine, people would give me an

evil look,” she says.During the 12 weeks, as she saw results from her effort, Natalie

surprised herself. She’d order hot chips, eat a couple, then realise

they weren’t really satisfying. She started walking and reading the labels on bought lunches. To her delight, she shed 7kg, dropped a

dress size, and has the glow of someone who is excited and

proud of what she has achieved. “I’m surprised how easy it was as the weeks progressed,” she says.

the FutureThrough the ups and downs of the 12 weeks, some pulled out, some lost weight, while others changed their lives in ways they’d never imagined.

Those who started a walking group are still heading out most days. And office snacks are now mostly healthier than cake, chocolate or chips.

At home, exercise has increased, portion sizes have dropped, and better food choices have become ingrained. Everyone feels great that they’ve kicked one bad habit or more. The future looks bright.

What we learned

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Natalie: My whole attitude towards eating has changed. Now I can look at foods I used to love and say ‘Not worth it!’ That’s powerful.

Geng: I cut down on my cola – I realised I don’t have to ban it. Now I actually enjoy it more!

Yvonne: I feel I’m turning over a new leaf. Changing a little bit at a time brings a whole lot of health benefits in the long run.

the outComeSKerryne: I lost a dress size. Now if I don’t exerciseduring the day, when I get home I want to go for a walk.

Melanie: I learnt I can say ‘No’ to my cravings. I eat more healthily and I’m sure my mood has improved.

Jess: Call this a diet? I don’t feel like I’m missing out. I really enjoy food again.

Bronwyn: I haven’t had a big bowl of pasta in ages. And I don’t miss it one bit.

Barbara: Being able to visualise portion sizes has totally changed the way I think about food.

Meredyth: I weighed myself on Friday and that stopped me from overeating at the weekend.

Maria: I get up and go for a walk in the morning and that’s 6000 steps before the day’s really started. I feel so much better.

Ayleenne: Now the kids are eating the snacks I want them to eat, and my pantry looks good.

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