By: Diana

Diana — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:47:11 +0000

I’ve been waiting for the Bittmann book to come into the library. I just discovered his How to Cook Everything and love it, him, his approach.

By: Karen Maezen Miller

Karen Maezen Miller — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:05:53 +0000

Timely and nutritional reminder. How often do we prod our children to eat so that WE will feel full? (Don’t ask.)

By: gerry rosser

gerry rosser — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:31:52 +0000

I never get into the “doing something everyday” thingies which whirl around.

I like tasty food.

I do not cook.

By: Mary Stebbins Taitt

Mary Stebbins Taitt — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:38:35 +0000

I love creative cooking and unfortunately, I love to eat what I cook and bake. I am looking for other creative outlets to help cut down on the eating of my creations. I seem to have difficulty with sensing satiation. Good post!

By: LKD

LKD — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:56:53 +0000

It sounds ridiculously simple, yet the idea is ultimately so complex that most people can’t wrap their minds around it when first confronted with the idea of eating only when one is really, physically hungry, ceasing eating when one is full, and treating food as what it really is, fuel. I know it changed my life and how I think about food when I finally accepted the fact that I was eating for every reason EXCEPT hunger. When I tell people now, thanks but no thanks when they offer me food, stating that I’m not hungry right now and only eat when I’m hungry, they look at me like I’m crazy. I made the mistake of saying this out loud at work and everyone said, well, I’d try that too, but I’d be hungry all the time. Of course, that’s just not true. But everyone’s so brainwashed into believing that they should eat because everyone else is eating, or because it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner time, or because mom made the cake especially for me, or because food obliterates anger and sadness, or because food is used as a means of celebration, that it’s hard to convince them otherwise.

Once I began eating only when I was hungry, stopped eating before I felt full (that’s the real trick–if you eat until you feel physically full, you’ve eaten too much), and began viewing food as the fuel that runs my body, I lost weight. 40 pounds. And I’ve kept it off, every last bit of it. For years. I eat whatever I want. If I want a piece of candy, I eat a piece of candy. If I want steak, I eat steak. But, I only eat those things when I’m genuinely hungry, and I try to eat only what I’m specifically hungry for.

It’s so simple, yet so complex. And it’s not easy. But once it becomes a part of your life, you can’t go back. It’s the same way with exercise. I actually feel guilty now when I miss a day of exercise, as I did today. The tooth extraction prevented any physical activity (yep, I had a tooth pulled) and it made me restless. But I’ll make up for it on the weekend.

So, hey, go you, K! The first step of this journey is the realization that you’re eating for all the wrong reasons. You’re there. You’ve had that epiphany. The next step is merely diving in and just doing it. Keep a food diary if you need to before you start. Write down all the food you’re eating, when you’re eating it, and if you can nail down the reason, WHY you’re eating it. You’ll be astonished at how much you’re eating, and all those reasons, other than hunger that are provoking over consumption.

It ain’t easy at first. But nothing is. Hell, I never thought I’d stick with the daily exercise thing when I started that 7 years ago. There were days I’d be walking in downpours or in sub-zero wind chills wondering why the fuck I was doing it, and then I’d remember: For me. I’m doing this for ME.

Happy healthy new year to you and yours, friend.

By: Kathryn - Collage Diva

Kathryn - Collage Diva — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:55:23 +0000