Buns of Steel Or a 50 Pound Ass'et: Part Two

It's Your Choice

Ok, so you know what works and you are willing to give it a “try”. You are right, I did not say, “do”, so you are not really all that committed but it is a start…. And a start is all we need when we are looking at a “change”- a change in habit, a change in activity, a change in perception and a change in health… Yes, a LIFE STYLE change…

Last week we talked about “what works” and generally “how” to get there. We discussed portion size and concluded that “palm size” portions can be a good measurement when judging what to and what not to put into your stomach… Remember, when your stomach starts to tell you that you are hungry, less that a palm full is not enough and over a palm full is TOO much…

Below are some Examples of palm size portions: They are general so keep this in mind. You still need to use your judgment.

Example of palm size portions:

• Half a sandwich not a foot-long sub
• 10 chips not a 10 oz bag
• 1 cup of cooked pasta not a half of a 16 oz package
• A small burger not a big Mac or whooper
• Three heaping tablespoons of ice cream not a pint or even a cup.

General good rules:

• Eat often and early
• Don’t skip meals
• Exercise
• Limit snacks to 110 calories per day
• Take a multivitamin
• Give yourself permission to eat
• Don’t eat sugar by itself… slow the digestion and obsorbtion by drinking a glass of milk or eating a slice of cheese

To summarize, eat early and often. Don’t make the mistake of eating five course meals. Have cereal for breakfast, fruit, and yogurt for a mid morning snack, half a sandwich for lunch the other at mid afternoon and a modest size dinner. One that fits in your hand….

I know this may be difficult at first, as it does not seem to be that much food. What you are doing is cutting down on the amount you eat at one sitting, spreading the intake around so your system does not “crave” and feel “deprived”. You eat when your are hungry or to keep from getting “famished”. The result is you are satisfied and do not binge later, consuming all you see. You eat to LIVE not live to EAT. You change a focus…. A mental mind set… and yes, you can do it.

It is time to relax the “restriction” against certain off limit foods. Foods like fat. Your body needs and craves fat. And this is especially true for women. Studies find that women who cut their fat intake by half find their dispositions take a dive. They get angrier, moodier, and more hostile - instead of cutting out all fat, focus on the good fat, the monounsaturated type. As long as you do not eat over 30% of your caloric intake in fat you will be ok. If your concern is sugar, do not eat it by itself.

To avoid the roller coaster affect of a sugar surge, nibble on something that slows digestion such as a slice of cheese with an apple, drink glass milk with the cookie or a little yogurt with the raspberries… Stay away from diet drinks as they just make you crave sugar more, hence more pounds.

Give yourself permission to eat – The key here is moderation and by eating smarter, you will out smart your female fatigue and your fat cells. The key is to eat less more often and exercise more…. As for the handful measuring cups, there are exceptions… Three handful of lettuce equals one and a good size bowl of soup equals one.

Remember when your stomach is empty the primary directive is to eat. It is needed to fill your energy and refuel your body…. IF YOU DON’T REFUEL WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF THESE SIGNALS YOUR BOOLD-GLUCOSE LEVEL PLUMMETS. This can cause headaches, heartburn, nausea, and irritability. Consequently, when you do stop to eat you can’t help but to overdo it.

If you are one who keeps on a revolving diet, maybe what you need is a life style change not a diet. Studies find that any diet works if you stick with it and if you cut your caloric intake by 700 calories, you will more than likely lose 15 pounds in 6 month and be able to keep it off. The key is staying on it and that means a life style change…

Recent studies say the best way to lose weight is to cut your food intake… Next, they will be telling us that exercise builds muscle and stronger bones…. Go figure... I wonder what these studies will show us next?

As always, it’s a choice…. Are you willing to make yours…? If you are not satisfied with how you look. If you are not satisfied with how you feel. Maybe it’s time for a change. If you are willing to make a life style change, what better time is there than now? Taking control of your eating habits and your exercise habits is the first step on that journey towards living the life you want.

Now is the time to KISS, to Keep It Simple Stupid…. Over complicate things and it is just too hard to keep it going and a Life style change means KEEPING IT GOING. If you are like most people, the Stupid part is just an excuse… A reason to not START or a reason to not SUCCEED.

I believe you can succeed, if you want. You can change your life style, if you want. You can do about anything, if you want. The choice is yours… but with want comes responsibility and commitment… Are you prepared to make those to YOU...?

As for now, this reservation recluse is heading for a “palm” full of M&M’s… Ok, maybe it should be pistachios…. It is a choice… Maybe you had no choice in the hand you were dealt? Maybe genetics have taken you hostage, yet you do have choice about what you are going to do about it and how to play your hand…. You do have a choice in HOW you are going to LIVE your life. I did not say it was easy, just that you had a choice. And as you know, I am all about choice.

So until next time… Eat what you want, when you want, how much you want and become the person those three horseman lead you to become…. What, When and HOW is all in your vocabulary, in hands, and your ability… therefore, so are YOU.

Pay attention to the Trail, don’t ride the ridges, and keep a low profile on the horizon… It’s a dangerous world out there.