Attitude and Eating....

Being a Registered Dietitian has its challenges to say the least, in regards to working with clients and patients who are seeking quick results or in the search for that miracle slimming food or drug.  I find a great deal of people denying themselves the foods they love, and end up gaining most of their weight back… as they return to reality after their diet.   I HATE the word DIET… it should not exist… and I actually never tell people to diet.  I gear them more in the direction of a lifestyle change… and most importantly changing their attitudes toward food.  Women especially tend to form an antagonistic relationship with food more so than men. 

In Dr. Weil’s book “Spontaneous Healing”…he mentions that the body possesses an enormous capacity to take care of itself as long as one took care of it by feeding it well and by not putting toxins into it.  So with this.. by restricting calories so low in our (yours) diet we tend to wreak havoc on the body.. and send it into starvation mode.  We are also setting ourselves up for a nasty relationship with food and ultimately with a negative outcome.   Studies have repeatedly shown that people who skip breakfast tend to be overweight.  We need to face food ultimately with respect… also as a variable that will provide energy, joy, and nurture ourselves.  I sound like Deepak Chopra but come on.. you see where I am going with this.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD and several sports dietitian’s point out these steps to keep you on track with your weight and overall wellbeing.

1.       Don’t starve yourself!!   We all know what sending your body into negative caloric balance will do, especially if you are training or initiating a new exercise plan.  You will find yourself hurt for one thing, unmotivated, and exhausted.  The authors suggest that you first start your exercise routine.. then let your body get used to the changes.. then start to be more cognizant of your food intake.. and then make the changes. 

2.      Calories Count….this is not rocket science folks, we all know that in order to lose weight or maintain we need to stay in balance… I would suggest keeping a food journal.. or utilizing the online programs out there.. such as www.fitday.com which is free.. and easy to use. Also rank your hunger/attitude during the day (1-5) with "5" being HUNGRY   I did this for about a week just to see where I was at… I am not the best at recording food intake or my feelings.. but I recognized after day 2 where my pitfalls were… and they were at breakfast with juice, and at 5pm when I was snacking before dinner. 

3.      Make wise food choices…try to limit processed foods, and incorporate more whole grains,  fruits and vegetables.  I am a prime example of avoiding vegetables… I then started carrying around a little bit of hummus with carrots… then switched up it with peanut butter… and now my all time favorite are English Peas… (cannot get enough of these… a shade starchy… but better than a cookie).  I was eating rice cakes with peanut butter but found the rice cakes to be so crumbly and make such a mess.. I felt like a 3-year old at work someday with crumbs all over.  I will just eat those at home.. where it does not matter J 

4.      Eat out less often…. Start by taking your lunch to work, or if you have to eat out for business just start ordering from the heart healthy section of the menu. If you are just plain stinking lazy… then at least find a place to eat that will not clog your arteries and potentially give you food poisoning.  If you ever followed me to work and discovered what goes on in the kitchen.. believe me you would avoid eating out!!    P.s.  Did you know that it would take running 4 miles a day for 7 days straight to burn off 1 Fast Food Meal!!!  Hold the phone.. I probably don’t even run 4 miles in 1 week… J 

Yep.. keep running....you know it....

5.      Fuel yourself throughout the day… distribute your calories evenly.. like you were parceling out medication to keep a constant dosage in your body.. (I like this analogy taken from the book Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running)  The steady course of energy throughout the day will keep you from binging later in the day or setting yourself up for disaster after dinner. 

So let’s start with the 90/10 Rule… or 80/20… whatever floats your boat.   Make healthful choices 90 percent of the time, and allow yourself to splurge the remaining 10 percent.   Can we do it…. YES WE CAN!