Holly Wyatt, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine

Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes
Anschutz Health and Wellness Center

www.facebook.com/DrHollyWyatt
@drhollywyatt

TRANSFORMATIVE WEIGHT LOSS:
FINDING YOUR OWN STATE OF SLIM
GAME PLAN
How was the State of Slim
developed?
What Makes The State of Slim
different from other programs?
The Role of Purpose and Mindset








Blueprint
BIG Change
A National
Movement
to Change the Way
We Live
Transformative
Weight Loss
WHAT IS THE STATE OF SLIM?

BACKGROUND
Over 15 years battling and treating obesity
Studying NWCR- learning what to do
The why and the how
Colorado is the leanest state- sweet spot where
the what and the why and how merged
To reverse obesity we need a blueprint and BIG
change in our society


WHAT WE LEARNED FROM NWCR
Many diets work for weight loss
Weight loss maintenance is hard
Weight loss maintenance is different from weight loss and
involved different skills
Why physical activity is so important for weight loss
maintenance
Wellness is more than healthy weight
The importance of a life transformation- bigger than weight
loss
COLORADO
Lowest Obesity Rates in the Nation
20.5%
35.6%
WHY HAS COLORADO BUCKED THE
OBESITY TREND?
Colorado provides an opportunistic place
and supportive environment for people to
live a lean lifestyle naturally
Coloradoans follow many of the strategies
we see in the National Weight Control
Registry- intuitively




WHAT MAKES COLORADO SPECIAL?
6 REASONS WE ARE LEAN


We are consistently active- Mile High Metabolism
We are selective about our food
We live in a healthy environment- Social Circle Effect
We align our purpose and a healthy lifestyle
We have a positive mindset- Colorado Mindset
We make healthy living fun- We enjoy living the Colorado
Lifestyle




WHAT IS DIFFERENT?
Begins with the End in Mind
Matches Diet with Activity
Optimizes Your Metabolism
Works on the Body AND Mind
Gives you the WHAT AND the WHY?/HOW?
Makes it Easier- develops your environment and
routines to support your new lifestyle
TRANSFORMS YOUR LIFE
It spreads

ABCS EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS
The Role of Transformation
WHAT PEOPLE WANT
Image By Abraham Sanogo CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
WHAT PEOPLE NEED
Image by Andrew Brown CC BY 2.0

Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
Your Comfort Zone is all in your Mind.
You can do way more than you think you can.
COMFORT ZONE
Average is
enough
I will
Settle
FEAR
The Real Magic Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone
What if I Fail ?
The WHAT ?
YOUR BODY, THE BATHTUB ON PREVIOUS
DIETS
WEIGHT LOSS WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE
1. Turn faucet down
WEIGHT GAIN
2. Keep faucet low
YOUR BODY, THE BATHTUB WITH
WEIGHT LOSS WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE
1. Turn faucet down
temporarily
2. Unclog the drain
and increase its
diameter
3. Increase the
faucet to match
the drains
capacity and
keep the drain
large and open
WEIGHT GAIN
CREATING A MILE HIGH
METABOLISM
A metabolism that quickly adjusts to
calories your eat and how much you
move to prevent storage of calories as
fat.
Helps prevent weight regain!
Maximizes your metabolism
METABOLIC FLEXIBILITY
Ability to adjust to your
changing food intake and switch
between carbohydrates and fat
for energy
The Regulated Zone!
EXERCISE IS YOUR DRANO
It helps you keep from having to restrict your
calories forever
Not required to lose weight
The WHY ?
PREPARING FOR SUCCESS IN
WEIGHT LOSS
Failing to plan is planning to fail
Planning what you will eat
Grocery store
Gym
Shoes and equipment
Time in your planner
Identify support system
Check with your doctor
Is there a way to prepare your mind?




THE POWER OF THE MIND


WHAT IS A TRANSFORMATIVE
MINDSET ?
Optimistic attitude balanced with a realistic
understanding and plan of how to make specific
lifestyle changes long-term
Tool for success in creating and continuing
healthy behaviors
Important to prepare your mind just like you
prepare your body
Usually over looked in preparation

WHY IS A COLORADO MINDSET
IMPORTANT?
Associated with longer-term behavioral change
Effects how you deal with the set backs that will
occur in life
Makes it easier to bounce back
You control how you perceive reality
Power to change not a victim
Mind body connection
The Mind is powerful

4 STRATEGIES THAT HELP DEVELOP A
COLORADO MINDSET
Optimistic attitude balanced with a realistic understanding
and plan of how to make specific lifestyle changes long-
term
1. Find your motivation
2. Expect success
3. Make healthy decisions automatic
4. Create a supportive environment
1. FIND YOUR MOTIVATION
Spend some time exploringWhat is your
Why?
Write down your whys
Revisit and adjust your why
They change over time
Your whys are your motivation for sticking with
a new healthy behavior when things get tough

WHAT IS YOUR DEEPER WHY?
LETS PEEL THE ONION
What is one wellness behavior you would like to
accomplish over the next year?
Why do you want to accomplish that?
Why is that important to you?
Why?
How will you feel?


It has to be More than Just about
WEIGHT
CONNECT TO YOUR PURPOSE
What is most important in your life?
What are your deepest values and beliefs?
What do I hope to accomplish in the next 10 years?
What gives me true joy?
Who are you at your best?
What one sentence inscription would you like to
see on your tombstone that would capture who you
really were in your life?


2. EXPECT SUCCESS
Your mental approach to your new behavior is
important to your success
You have the power to make this the best experience or
a miserable one

If I see it--- I will believe it
If I believe it--- I will see it
POSITIVITY- WHAT IS IT?
Consists of a whole range of positive emotions
Appreciation, love, hope, joy, amusement,
gratitude
It includes the positive meanings and optimistic
attitudes that trigger positive emotions that in
turn bring in open minds and impact your
character, relationships, communities and
environments

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, Positivity, 2009.
THE POWER OF POSITIVITY
Positivity points to vital human moments that have now
captured the interest of science
These moments alter your mind and body in ways that help
you create your best life
Changes how your mind works- broadens the
possibilities you see, opens you
Makes you more emotionally resilient
Builds over time
Makes you the best version of yourself!!

Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, Positivity, 2009

POSITIVITY HELPS YOU BOUNCE BACK
WHAT IS EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY?


Not emotional disengagement
Resilience is marked by emotional agility
Worry less and rebound quicker
React to the moment
Appreciate they can cope with whatever comes there
way
Cut advance worry and afterglow obsessions


Positivity does not keep bad things from happening- Bend
without breaking



BUT .ITS NOT JUST HAVING A
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
The HOW ?
3. MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS
AUTOMATIC
In todays world healthy behaviors takes planning and
choices
Its not the default
Sticking to your intentions requires willpower


HABITS, RITUALS AND ROUTINES
Patterns of behavior that are subconscious
Regular courses of action
Routines that have a deeper meaning
HABITS, RITUALS AND ROUTINES
Use less willpower
Make it more likely a desired behavior will
occur
Need to be individualized
Think of your barriers and design a ritual or
routine that will help you


HEALTHY DIET
Never go down the chip aisle in the grocery store
Eat Starbucks oatmeal for breakfast when traveling
Only buy single serving snacks
Never bring ice cream home- always go out for it
Prepare food on Sunday afternoon for the week
Buy precut prewashed veggies
Always order Grilled Teriyaki chicken, sauce of the side, only half the brown
rice at my favorite Chinese restaurant
Decline bread basket
Always order dressing or sauce on the side
Start with a veggies at dinner




MOVE MORE
Only watch tv after exercise
Always stand or walk on the cell phone
Sleep by 10pm
Prepack Gym bag
Schedule working out on Sunday
Meet friends
Sign up for events
Walk for 10 minutes at noon



New Behaviors Become the Norm
4. CREATE A SUPPORTIVE
ENVIRONMENT
You want your relationships and surroundings to
work for you not against your efforts
Reengineer your environment
Physical
Social
Make healthy the default when possible
Push back against the environment



ENVIRONMENTAL
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR SOCIAL
NETWORK
The people you interact with at work, home and
in your community have a tremendous influence
over your behavior
Join a group or develop new circles of friends
that are doing the behavior you want to do
DO A SOCIAL AUDIT

BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIORS ARE CONTAGIOUS
SOS SPREADS!
Our Transformation Team
Thanks to
our
fantastic
faculty and
staff