Things That I Think That I Know

Day Five What I Think I Know About Food and Dieting:

1. For women, multiplying your present weight by 11 will give you a maintenance number.

2. If you create a deficit between actual calories consumed and the maintenance number, that deficit will result in a lb. of weight loss everytime it adds up to 3500 calories. As your maintenance number drops, it takes longer to lose weight. But if you add exercise to increase the calories consumed, you can continue to lose at a steady rate. My Food Diary will track all of that for you nicely for a small monthly fee.

3. Fructose Corn Syrup and concentrated sugars will cause a rise in insulin and blood sugar swings which are uncomfortable and promote overeating.

4. Nutritionally dense foods, high in fiber and protein, will control hunger.

5. Theoretically you can eat whatever you want and lose weight if you control your calories, but if you eat sweets and junky foods, you will be hungry and you will be inclined to out-of-control eating.

6. Striking a balance means at least 3 meals a day and probably 2-3 small meals so that you are never out of "fuel."

7. Lack of sleep and lots of stress increases a desire to overeat and eat sweets.

8. Drinking water really does help and I believe my reader who says to drink water right before a meal.

9. Feeling hungry may mean thirst. Drink water first.

10.All the "diets" and "programs" are popular and short-term. The need for a completely life overhaul -- the long haul -- is the only thing that creates long-term success. And it requires daily discipline and vigilance.

11. Exercise does help and it can be moderate.

12. It is hard to get all the way to goal -- because it takes less food and more exercise to lose lbs after the maintenance calories become low.

There are role models who are helping us understand the daily work that goes into this process. It is easy to quit and people who lose and maintain are breaking ground for the rest of us and giving us hope.

Old fashioned counting calories is really a good thing to do -- and weighing and measuring. Listening to our bodies is a critical part of this journey.

There is a certain level of discomfort in being thinner after years of obesity. It takes some time to adjust and to realize that it is about personal self-esteem; no one is really involved in the battle for good health and fitness but we ourselves. But what we do influences our family members. Sean Anderson, in his blog, Daily Diary of a Winning Loser, speaks honestly about his pain at realizing how he influenced his daughters with his own obesity and eating behaviors.

It takes an absolutely "do or die" attitude and a no compromises rule-book to manage day by day, but there are truly rewards: health, fitness, and the real enjoyment of food. I know I am doing better when I don't think about food and eating all the time. I used to work in an office where the discussion over what to have for lunch began every day at 11:00 a.m. The food was an obsession and was way-past just wondering what might be good to eat for lunch. I want to have a good relationship with food, not an obsession with it. I know that I can eat certain things that I like which are NOT good for me and I am sure that I will not eat them 99.8% of the time.

The rewards for giving up the comfort of feeling full, eating alot, the taste of sweets and ice cream and the whole self-indulgent syndrome of addictive eating are many and it takes a while to tune in to them. I am committed to getting a good night's sleep tonight and having a really perfect food day tomorrow. Today was fine, but I was tired and feeling hungry late in the day. I ate a pear -- one perfect pear and 5 almonds and the feeling went away. But I am tired tonight!

There is another part of my life which needs attention and that is time management; I can never seem to catch up and find it stressful to try. My friend who is a life coach tells me to "dance with time." I have experienced what she is talking about but can't sustain it yet for long periods oftime.

Thank you for reading. I love reading your comments. It's 8:38 at night and the rain has stopped. I like sleeping in Ct. and listening to the noises of the animals, insects, and birds in the forest behind my house. My children are eating with me; they absolutely loved the light tomato sauce last night. I will sleep well and start another day tomorrow. School starts next week and the rhythm of the days will change again. Time to start dancing! I bought a bag of fresh-picked apples and fresh pears yesterday and the children are enjoying them with me.