A few blogger buddies are struggling with their health and/or with their weight. I join them in this common problem; I am upset with my body. Despite months (years?) of exercise my waistline is not getting any smaller. After a large meal I look like a pregnant woman.
It is not uncommon to feel bad about one’s body (I am too large, too fat, too big/small etc. etc.) Discouragement from effort without efficacy is also common.
Well, I have the exercise part going – my personal trainer has me doing plenty of abdominal exercises. I feel my abdomen has some strength and tightness now.
I suspect I am not doing the other side of the coin – diet and portion control.
Here are my basic stratagems -
1) It is time to set limits on the amount of food I eat. I don’t think I eat badly but I eat portions too large. Between now and Key West 2010 (mid-February) I am changing to frequent, small meals.
2) Starch. I don’t eat much if any sweets, but I love pasta and noodles and bread. Time to eliminate these nasty carbohydrates. My CHO needs to be nearly all in vegetable form.
3) No more late night snacks. If I must eat prior to bed time, it is going to be fruit – not cheese or crackers or other nasty nibbles.
4) Finally, if all else fails, I’ve learned a few things from the eating disorder patients. I will join the Karen Carpenter fan club and stop eating. There is nothing like bingeing and laxatives and diet pills to shed off those unwanted pounds.
Opps, sorry. I got carried away there.
Seriously now, sensible eating is the key.
Thanksgiving and Christmas times will be challenging, but I merely have to keep in mind running around shirt-less (and trouser-less) in Florida to be inspired.
21 comments
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November 9, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Robert
I have the same problem regarding portion control! ugh! Just remember: FISTFUL! Owait, that didn’t sound right did it?
November 9, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Ultra Dave
Good for you! You have to burn the same amount of calories you take in to maintain or more if you want to lose. Simiple but easier said than done! Good luck!
November 9, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Jim
Here are some tips I learned;
1. Eat slower! You will learn to tell when you’re full.
If you’re full then try trick #2, pour lots of salt on what is left on your plate (or you can use sugar, something to make it so you won’t touch the food again)! So you’re not tempted to keep eating when you know you’re already full!
This works well when eating out at a restaurant as eating and picking at your food goes along with visiting.
Try it sometimes, it really does work!
November 9, 2009 at 9:24 PM
jay Cole Simser
I have just given up I will die fat.
November 9, 2009 at 9:29 PM
Larry Ohio
May I give you my little bit of advice? I’ve lost 32 pounds since summer and I attribute it mostly to giving up restaurant food (the 20 hours a week I spend in the gym helped too). There is nothing worse than eating high fat, high calorie restaurant food. I know you like to cook. I just hope you are doing it for every meal.
And along the lines of what Jim is suggesting, drink a tall glass of water a few minutes before eating your meals.
November 10, 2009 at 3:01 AM
Rick
Eat, drink and be merry! Okay, in moderation.
November 10, 2009 at 4:50 AM
AjohnP
I’m pretty much doing all the same things you are….let’s hope it works for the both of us!!!
November 10, 2009 at 4:52 AM
RG
You’re sounding a little bit like a bride-to-be who is trying to get from a size 14 to a size 4 in time for her wedding day in two months.
Relax, take a deep breath, and don’t get frustrated. It just may take a little longer than you thought to get into the kind of shape you envision yourself to be in, in time for your trip to Key West. You’re on the right track, you’re adjusting, and I’m sure you’ll find the right diet/fitness routine to reach your goal.
And for the record, I think you’re sexy as all hell right now.
November 10, 2009 at 6:02 AM
Birdie
You and me, kiddo. I’ll be in the Keys in February too, but probably too early to rendezvous with you. (I’ll be taking my open water scuba tests Feb. 9-10, subject to change at this point.) But I want to be more willing to put on a bathing suit than I am right now, so: portion control! And no eating after 7 p.m.
November 10, 2009 at 6:49 AM
Chris (in Philly)
I have similar problems as well. I had a good routine going for a few years but got off track. Portion control and lack of exercise are the root causes for me. .
I hope your plan works for you.
November 10, 2009 at 7:07 AM
Raybob
Thinking of you running around shirtless abd trouserless inspires us all!
November 10, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Peter
Eat slowly and half what you would normally eat.
Better have 6 small meals instead of 3 full meals. Stop drinking diet soda, they make you hungry. And you still can eat pasta and potatoes but use a red sauce based on tomatoes.
Maybe the tips on http://tippinthescales.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/dietary-advice-for-a-lapband.pdf are a bit harsh and you don’t have a lapband [yet], it works.
BTW, you gain 1 Kg every year after 40!
November 10, 2009 at 11:29 AM
D. Dave
Look, do NOT get me wrong: pinups definitely have their place. But for me, hands down, a — How shall I put this? — realistic body wins the day.
November 10, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Greg
A few things which have helped me:
1) after putting a forkful or spoonful of food in my mouth, I set the fork/spoon down. (Rather than spear or scoop another load to shove in immediately after swallowing. okay, that does sound a bit….)
2) chew each mouthful 20 times. It may sound strange, but this gives you a chance to enjoy the flavor of the food and makes it easier to digest.
3) listen to your stomach. You’ll know when you’re full. So stop eating once your stomach tells you it’s full. ( Tip #2 also helps with this. )
November 10, 2009 at 1:48 PM
Raven~
I agree with Raybob, but of course, you knew I would ;-D
November 10, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Doug
At restaurants, my bf frequently gets a to-go box at the beginning of a meal and puts half of his meal in the box before he even starts eating. I frequently just get one of something when a platter is on the menu (e.g., Tonight we had dinner at a Mexican place that offered a “dos tacos” platter. I asked for and got just one taco.)
Cheese is actually better before bed than fruit. It takes much longer to digest the cheese, so your body will have a supply of calories throughout the night, reducing the time your body spends in starvation mode. Just limit the amount of cheese (200 calories-worth or so is probably okay). I eat low-fat cottage cheese before bed.
Same concept works if you eat carbs (like bread and pasta). Add protein/fat to the carbs and eat a smaller total portion. The protein and fat extend the digestion time, reducing your sugar spike and crash. The fat makes you feel fuller. Classic example is crackers: better to have crackers with cheese on them than just crackers. For bread, have 1 slice instead of 2 and add peanut butter or butter or something similar. With pasta, add meat sauce, but half the portion size (put the other half in a to-go container).
Absolute #1 best way to control your eating: keep a diet log. Write down everything you eat. Once you know exactly what you eat and when, you can see where you need to change. There are websites that can help (e.g., sparkpeople.com), but personally I prefer a small notebook I can carry with me. Start with just a few days and you’ll begin to see the pattern.
November 11, 2009 at 4:27 AM
tigeryogiji
“but I merely have to keep in mind running around shirt-less (and trouser-less) in Florida to be inspired.”
Oh, MY!!!
November 11, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Mark H
Ah! The beautiful description of getting past your 20’s, eh? They ALL lied when they said things get better when you get older. They get more complex as YOU see every day in your work…… I HATE portion control, but it’s all that works, when all’s said and done. Nicely written, Spo, thanks.
November 11, 2009 at 1:59 PM
Merri
The universal obsession with body image is very sad…
You are STILL the kind, caring, witty person that you have always been, and a few pounds more or less will not change this.
Everything in moderation!
But here are a few tips from my TCM doc…
# Diet, exercise and rest build healthy, strong Chi, help build disease resistance.
# Eat less in winter. Warm foods, root veggies, soups and stews suggested.
# Avoid dairy products.
# Sugar depletes minerals, especially calcium.
I find that sugar and dairy are the biggest culprits in causing unhealth and weight gain.
November 11, 2009 at 3:12 PM
spamwise
You can send the fat my way. I’ll be eternally thankful.
November 23, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Ab Workouts & Exercises
Don’t just think you have to do abdominal exercises to shrink your stomach region. When you workout you’re losing fat all around your body, not in one spot. Try to eat smaller meals every 2-3 hours, and don’t eat 1 big meal at a time.