Credit: idemidem

After World War II, a group of scientists wanted to figure out the best way to feed concentration camp survivors.  They took a group of American men and decreased their food intake to what they guessed was daily intake for camp survivors.  The men’s typical diet was about 3,500 calories and was reduced to 1,570 (We now know that’s a high estimate of what concentration camp survivors ate per day, but it is also a typical number of calories for a man on a diet today.)

Guess what happened to these men on a restricted diet?  Among other results, the men became obsessed with food, their metabolic rates decreased by 40 percent, their personalities changed and they became irritable, depressed and moody.  Sounds like being on a diet, huh?  These men went on weekend eating binges of 8,000 to 10,000 calories and after the restricted eating period, it took the majority of men “an average of five months to normalize their eating.”  (pg. 60)

Why talk about that study?  Because it’s typical of what our bodies and minds do when we restrict food by being on a diet.  Eating is primal.  We need food to survive and it is frightening to have food taken away or withheld.

After a lifetime of dieting and forcing our bodies to adhere to a restricted calorie/carbohydrate/fat diet, many people find that they don’t know what their bodies need or want.  I talk to some people who say that they “crave” carbohydrates and just can’t get enough at the end of the day.  What these people don’t know is that our bodies need carbohydrate to function.  Their bodies aren’t lying to them, their bodies are screaming for fuel!

Not only do our bodies want and need carbohydrates for fuel, but cravings for them will increase when they’re denied.  Our brains produce a chemical called Neuropeptide Y (NPY).  When we don’t get enough carbohydrate, this chemical will do what it can to make sure your body is craving carbs so that its need will be satisfied.

Let me get a little “science-y.”  Our bodies’ primary fuel source is carbohydrate (bread, pasta, starchy vegetables, fruit, milk, yogurt, sugar).  If our bodies are not getting carbohydrate from food, it will get it from our muscles.  WHAT?  Yes. We can use a little bit of our fat stores as fuel (and this is how real weight loss occurs), but our bodies are really good at turning muscle into the fuel our brains and bodies need to function.  (In total starvation, our brains can function on ketosis, but right now I’m talking about a restricted diet, not a starvation diet.)  When we use our muscles as fuel, the scale shows a really fast weight loss because as muscle is destroyed, water is released and that shows a huge change on the scale. And, no, eating a high protein diet won’t stop that muscle dismantling from occurring. The authors describe it like this, “…protein is used as an expensive source of fuel, rather than for its intended use in the body.  It’s like having a building supplier provide lots of wood to rebuild your house.  If you are constantly using that wood pile to make bonfires instead of to repair your home, you are still left with a weak structure.”  (pg. 65)

When you’re hungry, starving, ravenous and craving carbohydrates at the end of the day (or at the beginning of the day), there’s a good chance it’s because you’re biologically hungry and your body needs carbohydrates.  If you’ve been “dieting” or restricting food all day long, your body is going to do everything it can to get the fuel it needs to function.  It’s common that people who think they’re emotional eaters because they’re bingeing at the end of the day are actually biologically hungry at the end of the day.

What do you do?  HONOR YOUR HUNGER.  Eat when your body says it needs food and don’t disregard its need for carbohydrates.  I chuckle when people say they’re “addicted to carbs.”  Yes, I too am addicted to carbs because it’s what allows me to do laundry, go for a walk, lift weights and live my life.  I often suggest to people that when they’re having a craving for cookies or candy to take note and see if they’re just hungry for food.  Sugar (as found in cookies, ice cream and candy) is an immediate fuel source for our bodies.  A bowl of whole grain cereal will provide those carbs that your body is screaming for.  See if that will take care of what you feel is a craving but may actually be biological hunger and need for carbohydrates.

Make an effort to learn your body’s natural hunger signals.  Ideally you’ll notice your gentle hunger and be able to start looking for food so that it’s in front of you when you’re ready to eat.  If you start looking for food when you’re really, really hungry, you’ll end up eating anything and everything.

Learning your body’s signals for hunger may be difficult, especially if you’ve been turning those signals off by drinking caffeine, smoking cigarettes, fasting or chewing gum.  Also, if you are never gently hungry because you keep yourself in a constant “fed” state, learning to feel your body’s signals may be new too.

Be kind and patient with yourself.  Make sure you have access to food and trust yourself. Don’t second guess by saying, “But I had such a big breakfast/lunch/dinner.”  Your body knows what it’s doing, trust it.

May you be happy, healthy and well fed,

Regan

The only thing wackier than the content in many women’s magazines are the advertisements.  While on the treadclimber at the gym this morning, I came across a doozy.  At first it seems rather innocuous.  It’s not telling you to DIET, I mean, we all know that’s a load of malarkey at this point, right?  It’s a plan.  A plan of yucky, processed, sweetened “food,” if I do say so myself, but it never, ever claims to be a diet.  It just promises “a healthier you” by helping you lose up to 6 pounds in 2 weeks.  So, in Being Victorious and Taking the Special K Challenge, what does it promise you?

What it promises:  Triumphing over my sweet tooth

What it implies: If you embark on their challenge, you will no longer want food that is sweet.  You will no longer enjoy a cupcake and chocolate will be a thing of the past.  Once you have conquered that bad, bad sugar demon, your weight loss issues will be a thing of the past.

What I say: Did you know that we are born liking two tastes?  Salty and sweet. Think about it, mother’s milk is, well, milk.  And milk has sugar.  The other thing is that our bodies use the flavor “sweet” to tell us something is safe to eat.  (Red berries, sweet? Safe.  Red berries, bitter?  Unsafe.)  Your preference for sweet tasting food will never go away.  You may develop an affinity for berries, oranges and peaches as you choose more fruit to incorporate into your diet.  You may even prefer those flavors.  But you’ll never lose your sweet tooth.

What else I say: You will overcome your “sweet tooth” by, wait, no, it can’t be, BY EATING THEIR SWEET FOOD.  Fine, next…

What else it promises:  Banishing my sweatpants

What it implies: That you shouldn’t own comfortable clothing that is both attractive and well fitting.  And also that only “fat” people wear sweatpants.

What I say: Don’t wait to be your “perfect” weight to own clothes that are attractive and fit you.  You’ll be miserable, uncomfortable and you’ll look like you’re stuck in a sausage casing.  (An unattractive look if you’re a size 6 or a size 18.)  You don’t need to buy a whole new wardrobe, but invest in a couple of nice outfits that, even if you don’t feel pretty or “hot,” you still feel comfortable at a business meeting, going out to dinner or going to church.

What else I say: It’s OK to own sweatpants.  I find them much more comfortable to walk four miles in than say, four inch heels and a pencil skirt.  I know, now I just sound ludicrous.

What else they promise:  Celebrating me

What it implies:  You’re not worth celebrating if you’re not a size 2 like the model named Zoe from Austin.  Yes, she is a size two.  And she’s also 16 years old, is really named Svetlana and is from Ukraine, has had no children, has been made up, posed, airbrushed and told to “Hold it riiiiiight there, suck in just a tad, lean over to make your waist look smaller, ok, now SMILE!”

What I say:  Your weight is not who you are.  It is one small part of how you look.  You may have a disproportionate fat to lean ratio, but you also have pretty blue eyes, wonderful hair, legs that carry you, a belly that carried your children, fantastic hands, sexy calves, a spectacular sense of humor and kindness that warms everyone around you.

You’re still worthy of everything this world has to offer even if you’re not your ideal weight.

This company, and many others like it, makes money by making you feel bad (you must be bad if you like sweet food and wear sweatpants) and then selling you something to fix that badness in you.  It breaks my heart and makes me angry.  You must also understand that these companies survive because they have repeat customers.  That means that their products don’t work.  I understand that it may be a bad business model, but I want my clients to be successful!

You will find your path to successful weight loss, but it won’t be because of the Special K Challenge.  You’ll find it as you achieve goals, make peace with yourself and find ways to make healthy eating and physical activity a regular part of your life.

May you be happy, healthy and able to see through the baloney,

Regan

Portion Sizes Maybe this is one reason that Mickey-D’s gets such a bad rap.  I remember going to McDonald’s when there were two sizes of fries:   small, which is now “kid sized” and is served in Happy Meals, and large, which is now called, “medium.”  I also remember that the largest drink is was a 20 ounce cup, and there were no refills.  Adults ate a cheeseburger.  With a small fry.  And that was their meal,  and it was reasonable.

But McDonald’s (poor McDonald’s, it’s not as if Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Wendy’s haven’t done the same thing to pad their bottom lines all the while padding ours)  isn’t the only “portion distorter” out there.  Blame it on dish makers!  You think I’m kidding?  Plates, bowls, glasses have all gotten bigger.  I remember not being able to fit a whole 12 ounce soda in a glass when I was a kid, these days I can fit a whole Diet Coke,  ice and maybe even some rum.  I bought a set of dishes and had to seek out smaller bowls to use for cereal (though the manufacturer called them “ice cream bowls” and they’re still too big for either ice cream or cereal) because the bowls that came with the set hold 4 cups!  (I just measured.)  Four cups!  That’s an enormous portion of chili, cereal or ice cream.

Snacking These days food is everywhere!  People often wonder how the French can eat high fat food and still stay slim.  This is one thing that separates the U.S. from the French; they don’t snack.  How many of you out there are over 40?  Except in childhood, do you remember snacking before the mid-1980’s?  For children, and especially teenagers, it’s sometimes necessary for them to get snacks because if they’re eating healthy, normal meals, it’s difficult for them to get all the calories they need from three meals per day.  For the rest of us, there’s no reason to eat snacks.  (It works if you eat less at meal time, but usually meals don’t change.)  It’s OK to be hungry before lunch.  It’s OK to be hungry before dinner.  That’s our bodies’ way of letting us know it’s time for food.

Less Moving It’s not huge changes, but lots and lots of little ones.  Do you ever roll down a car window?  Probably not, you push a button.  Have you been using the manual ringer on your washing machine?  (Sorry, if you’re under 40 you have no idea what I’m talking about.  I only vaguely remember them.)  Do you hang your clothes on a clothesline?  How about the last time you kneaded bread dough?  Maybe you used your Kitchenaid or bread maker, but more likely you just bought bread like I do.  Heck, cars are even easier to drive–there are rarely standard transmissions and everyone has power steering.  And when was the last time you walked to work, church, school, your friend’s house?  Think back to the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  I’ll bet you walked a lot more.

“Special Foods” became common food My husband and I laugh about how getting soda pop was a special occasion when we were kids.  Even “fast food” type food was a rarity.  Having French fries and hamburgers for school lunch happened once a week, not every day.  There are foods that used to be staples and other “special” foods were offered occasionally.  Now those “special” foods such as pizza, chicken nuggets, soda pop and candy are all too common and have even replaced those staples of milk, bread, fruits and vegetables.  (Remember when celery with peanut butter was a yummy treat or that little red box of raisins was a perfect snack?)

Easy Access to Food Do you remember when gas stations just sold gas, motor oil, windshield wiper blades and anti-freeze?  Now they have fried chicken, burritos, two aisles of candy bars, fountain drinks, bottled drinks, nachos.  And lots of times they even have a drive through window.

People Don’t Cook Everyone (well, OK, at least all girls) used to know how to prepare a roast, mash potatoes, scramble eggs, create a meatloaf and grill a cheese sandwich.  I do see that there are a lot of people who love to cook and seek out knowledge about how to do it better, tastier and healthier, but there are many people who simply never learned how to throw together a vegetable omelette (a healthy, quick, inexpensive meal).  If people don’t know how to make a tuna casserole, they probably don’t know the best way to tweak it so it’s healthier.  By cooking at home, we can save money, control what we put in our bodies and spend more time eating around a table, sharing time with family and friends.

I’m not about to trade my internet and cell phone for the way things used to be, but there are certain things from “days of yore” that we could incorporate into our lives so that we’re healthier and slimmer.  Eating smaller portions, snacking less, eating more fruits and vegetables, finding ways to move more and eating less of “special” food such as candy and fried foods are all ways that we can change our lifestyles so we can be normal weight and healthier.

May you be happy, healthy and a little “retro” in your eating,

Regan

Are you berating yourself that you’re a failure, that you’ll never lose weight and you’re doomed to keep making bad choices?  Have you decided that it just doesn’t matter what you do until New Year’s?  Turn off that critical, all-or-nothing voice in your head and get back on track.

I’m not going to tell you to use the last week as a learning experience.  And I’m sure as heck not going to tell you to “make up” for the overindulgence of the past week either.  What I am going to do is tell you to get back on that horse.  If you’re trying to establish good life long habits, you need to start (restart) doing what you were doing before Thanksgiving.  Don’t double your exercise this week and don’t go on some crazy fad diet to make yourself “pay” for last week’s “sins.”  There will be bumps, there will be dips, but find the place that is your “normal” and get back to it.

May you be happy and healthy,

Regan

There’s all kinds of information about what works to keep weight in check from the middle of November until the first of January.  Here are some tips and why they might work for you and why they may not work for you.  You’ll have to figure out what is best for you.

Tip #1:  Bring your own healthy, “diet friendly” dish to dinner

It can work if you’re going to dinner where you can and will replace something else on the menu.  If you’re going to your sister’s for dinner and you know she’s going to make a fat drenched bean casserole and you’d rather eat steamed green beans with slivered almonds, then it will work great.   But if you take one look at her delicious bean casserole and know you’re going to eat it and leave your steamed veggies sitting by the dish drainer, then don’t bother.  If you’re not replacing something with your diet-friendly dish, you’re just bringing more food to eat.  Have a smaller than usual portion of what you WANT to eat and skip what you SHOULD eat.

Tip #2:  Have a healthy meal/snack before going to a dinner or buffet

This one can work too, if it means that by curbing your appetite you’re going to eat less at that dinner or buffet.  For many people at this time of year, they’re not eating out of hunger, they’re eating because the food is there, it is comforting, it is social and it is delicious.  If having a snack before you go have a big meal isn’t going to reduce the amount you’ll eat at the meal, don’t eat beforehand, you’ll just be eating more.

Tip #3:  Make healthier versions of the food you love

This will work, but only if the food still tastes good.  You use sugar free jello in your famous green jello salad and no one notices?  Fantastic!  No one can tell the difference between low fat ice cream and regular ice cream on the apple pie?  Go for it!  But if your family is used to buttery mashed potatoes and you decide to use only skim milk, you’ll all notice it.  Your family is used to candied yams and you make plain baked yams?  Maybe they’ll enjoy them, but maybe you’ll have a yam riot on your hands.

Tip #4:  Eat slowly

I know it’s Thanksgiving, but you don’t have to gobble, gobble, gobble!  Slow down, talk to people you haven’t seen in months.  I repeat, slow down, take breaths between scoops (I mean bites).  Stop and take the time to be thankful.

Tip #5:  Have smaller portions

There is usually so much food on the table during Thanksgiving that I can’t fit everything I want to taste on my plate.  Try this:  take even smaller portions than you think you would like to eat.  At this meal there is always plenty left so you can have seconds if you want.  But for now, try taking half of what you think you would like to eat.  Besides, if you only take half a serving and realize that it’s the worst stuffing you’ve ever tasted, it won’t be as obvious if you don’t finish it.

Tip #6:  Move

Chances are you won’t lose weight during the holiday season, but if you can manage to get some physical activity, you’ll probably be able to maintain your current weight.  Go for a walk with your sister you haven’t seen in ages, take your grandchildren to the park, play tag football with your cousins, park far, far away from the mall entrance when you go shopping.  Not only will exercise help keep the weight off, it can be a wonderful stress reliever during the holiday madness.

Tip #7:  Make less food

This one only works if you’re the cook.  But why are you making six pecan pies when you know you’ll have four leftover?  Make two pies, enjoy them and don’t worry about being tempted for the next week and a half.  Yes, leftovers are part of Thanksgiving, but the sooner the food is gone, the sooner you can go back to your regular lifestyle.

Tip #8:  Don’t drink your calories

This is one for all times of the year, but now is a good time to pay special attention.  Is punch or sparkling cider or wine being served with dinner?  Ask for a glass of water.  Is there a cooler full of sodas or beer handy?  Pick a diet soda instead.  Remember, water, coffee, tea, diet soda and Crystal Light are all calorie free.  Egg nog, rum punch, Pepsi and smoothies…not so much.

Tip #9:  Don’t make anything off limits

If you want a piece of pumpkin pie, have a piece of pumpkin pie.  If we say that something is forbidden, we want it even more, so let yourself eat the things that you like.  You can ask for half a piece (yes, you can).

Tip #10:  It’s OK to say, “No, thank you.”

That’s how polite people turn something down.  Too often we believe that we have to take everything that’s offered to us.  Here’s a practice script:

Grandma:  “Bob, I made your favorite cornbread stuffing.”

Bob:  (thinking to himself, Jim likes your cornbread stuffing, I just always eat it to be polite.)  “No thank you, Grandma.”

Yes, all you have to say is, “No, thank you.”  You don’t need a big explanation or apology, a simple, “No, thank you,” will suffice.

Tip #11:  Enjoy the food that that you do eat and eat only delicious foods

This is the time of year to savor the delicious foods.  It’s also the time of year when there are plates of cardboard-like sugar cookies and “what-in-the-world-is-this” bread.  If something isn’t delicious, don’t eat it.  If you can’t yet throw food away, be careful to take teeny-tiny portions to taste first so you don’t have to eat a lot of something you don’t enjoy.  You can always go back for more.

May you be happy, healthy and thankful,

Regan