Photo: Michelle May, M.D.

The trademarks of yo-yo dieting -- overeating, followed by deprivation in guilty repentance -- may seem like something a doctor would have the self-control and training to be above, but Michelle May, M.D., former yo-yo dieter and author of the new book "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat," explains that "health care professionals are people too," and that the restrictions of diets -- not the dieters -- are to blame for failed weight-loss plans.

The reason? In her book, she explains that the very basics of dieting -- the counting, planning and constant need to think and plan your eating based off of someone else's rules (often "before you're even out of bed!") is tiring. So much so, that any good aspect of the diet is essentially canceled out by the end result: "This constant effort and vigilance may wear you out and cause you to return to overeating to escape." Once Dr. May ditched diets, and adopted long-term successful strategies she describes below, the weight came off.

That's Fit: What do you think was most effective in helping you achieve a healthy weight?

Dr. Michelle May: I had to pay attention not just to what and how much I was eating, but why I was eating in the first place. I didn't have any deep, dark emotional issues, but I had certainly learned to comfort and entertain myself with food. Even when I was on a diet and following the rules about what to eat, I was still eating when I was bored, stressed or tired. When I felt too deprived of the foods I loved, I'd go off my diet. Nothing had fundamentally changed about my relationship with food so I just went back to overeating my favorites. This is what I called my eat-repent-repeat cycle.

I've since worked with thousands of people who are doing exactly the same thing, and the reason is that with yo-yo [dieting you don't] have any middle ground -- you are either on your diet or off. I kicked yo-yo dieting by changing the paradigm completely from a yo-yo to a pendulum. There is still the possibility of extremes but as you give overeating and dieting less of your energy, the pendulum settles into a smaller arc in the middle where you have the flexibility and the mindfulness to nourish your mind, body, heart and soul.

Prevention magazine offers kudos to NBC's Biggest Losers in this online article. Spotlighting three female contestants -- Kae Whang, Hollie Self, and Isabeau Miller -- the editors gathered up eight strategies these gals use as they strive to maintain their weight loss for the long run.

• Weighing in at spot number one: Believe you can do it. Nothing is impossible.
  
  

• Number two: Don't forget to eat. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger and overeating.
  
  

• Three: Do cardio you enjoy every day. Try for 60 to 90 minutes per day, sweat, and mix up your routine.
  
  

• Four: Weight-train at least twice a week. It will boost your metabolism and offer a mental lift too.
  
  

• Five: Take advantage of early momentum. Early results, like rapid weight loss, are common. When things taper off, stay tough.
  
  

• Six: Expect -- and push through -- plateaus. Be patient, stick to your plan, and the scale will move in your favor.
  
  

• Seven: Build a support team. Find a partner, a program, a health club that motivates you.
  
  

• And eight: Face emotional eating head-on. Write down everything you eat, ask yourself, "Is it worth it?," put your health first, and let your success inspire you.
  

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Ahhh. Just wanted to point you all in the right direction. This week I had the luxury of being a guest on Laura Lewis' That's Fit weekly podcast. Laura had the guts to ask me about my strategies for getting fitter and not fatter for the holidays. Not known for keeping my big mouth shut.......I let her have it.

Laura is the perfect radio host, and although I hate the sound of my own voice.........I encourage you to have a listen. It may just be the kick in the butt you need to survive this insane month of December.

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When running for endurance and exercise or getting ready for a big race, putting the right foods in your stomach is just as important as putting miles in your legs. Without a good nutrition to balance training, it can bog down the body and make a runner feel uneasy. That's why The Final Sprint has compiled this very thorough article on optimum nutrition for runners.

The great thing about this report is that it has good information for any level of runner. Whether you're an experienced morning athlete or a novice who gets a workout in after dinner, the nutritional advice can help shed light on the importance of eating the right foods at the right time. First off, don't make the mistake of not getting food before heading out. That's where lack of energy comes from and it can adversely affect performance.

In the morning, try consuming around 500 calories of a low-fat, high-carb food. Followed by half a pint of water, this combo can be all you need if taken two to three hours before working out. Don't forget a post-exercise meal either. Anything with high carbs and protein for muscle replenishment is ideal (pasta, chicken, protein shakes, etc). This is literally the tip of the iceberg, so don't forget to check out the rest of the article for more information!

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