When you’re trying to readjust your eating habits, think hard about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Too often, I have seen people who go on a DIET eat the very same thing for pretty much every meal. I’ve done it myself. Hell, I DO it myself. It seems so much easier when you know the POINTS® or calories or carb count (pick your poison) of what you’re eating.
Grilled chicken on mixed greens with oil and vinegar, or diet (ick!) Italian dressing. It gets old. The idea of eating like that for the rest of your life becomes depressing, and, bingo, you’re back to your bad eating habits again.
Can’t say this enough: you are learning to eat for the rest of your life! Toss out the diet, dammit!
Out of Control. I’ve lost control. “She lacks self-control.” No willpower, that one! If only I could control my eating!
All easy accusations to make – whether from yourself or from others – when you walk through the gateway to a binge. I think Al Roker calls it the “zone.”
The way I look at it: that on-a-binge, eating-until-you’re-sick-to-your-stomach, eating-more-than-you-can-stand, having-the-box-of-cereal-rather-than-the-piece-of-cake behavior is NOT! Out. Of. Control.
Hail, the mighty avocado. This one fruit singlehandedly saved me on my weight loss journey. Did you know that it is 7000 years old? Cultivated in Central America and brought to the New World in the 19th Century.
It’s true that avocados are high in fat — one reason they’ve earned the nickname “butter pear.” A medium-sized avocado contains 30 grams of fat, as much as a quarter-pound burger. That’s why diet experts have long urged Americans to go easy on avocados in favor of less fatty fruits and vegetables. But now nutritionists are taking another look. They’re finding that most of the fat in an avocado is monounsaturated — the “good” kind that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Thanks to this new understanding, the U.S. government recently revised its official nutrition guidelines to urge Americans to eat more avocados.
I almost started a riot at my Weight Watchers® meeting when I discussed my very own “avocado diet.”
On cold, frigid days like the one we’re experiencing right now in New York City, what a perfect day to stay inside, keep warm and cook up something in the trusty ol’ crock pot. They’ve modernized the name these days to slow cooker — maybe crock pot is just too Betty Crocker® for the manufacturers.
I have been using my slow cooker for quite awhile to prepare meals on a weekend. No effort, and they last me throughout the week. And, not necessarily just in these cold months. It works any time of the year.
There are many tools we can use on our weight loss journey. I don’t think any of us should overlook the power of the Divine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not preaching here. Nor, proselytizing. I’m just adding another layer to our shared challenge: to lose weight. To keep it off!
You hear it all the time when you are trying to lose weight: drink water. It amazes me how many people cite that as one of their greatest challenges in a new diet. But remember, we are, after all, made up of about 60-70 percent water. H20, baby!
Water fills you up, too. Right before a meal, I try to drink at least one, if not more, glasses of water. It really stems my appetite. And, it adds to my overall good health.
You know you don’t have to climb every mountain. Or, follow every rainbow. But, if you are trying to set yourself realistic goals, then you can probably should add ford every stream to your list: one stream at a time, anyway.
When you decide you want to make a change in your life that will really stick, keep it simple. Don’t go getting all grandiose about it. “I want to lose weight” is not a good goal.
Who knew, indeed? Turns out the truism that we gain about 5-10 pounds at holiday time is flawed. In fact, the average person gains about a pound. what we gain is about one pound.
According to the most reliable to-date study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average weight gain was a little less than one pound. The study participants who did have a major holiday weight gain, defined as 5 pounds or more, were more likely to be overweight than people who gained less.
One of my Weight Watchers® leaders, Michael, always uses the phrase “a close relationship with chicken, tuna and cottage cheese“. Of course, that is just a clever way of pointing out a common peril of DIET mentality. That you have to eat diet food. Only. All the time. Same time, same chicken/tuna/or cottage cheese.
So you made that resolution and the first day of your DIET– January 1st, year 2010 (010110) went swimmingly. The resolve of the resolution was strong.
Next day, or make that next night, Saturday night, you’re wondering “what the heck was I thinking?” And, then reality bites. You get hit with the NIGHT MUNCHIES!!
There are many theories of how to deal with that time at night, when you’ve pretty much eaten what you’ve determined would be a reasonable amount of food. Yet, you really want to eat that (fill in the blank).
Day One of the New Year. New beginnings, new starts. I share with you how I rang in my New Year – and maybe you’ll be inspired.
I built myself a visionboard. It seemed the best way to spend a contemplative evening, out of the din, by myself, in a calm and measured state. It was a beautiful evening.
Janet Eats 