by OneMoreBite | Dec 16, 2003 | Habits
Scarcity and Deprivation: Ugly Twin Sisters of Fear Based Living
What if you’re the type that cannot just “cut back?” You go crazy if you see your favorites, or even think about your favorites? Sometimes it does take the “cold turkey” approach and here’s why.
Get a New Attitude
Sometimes what it takes is a new attitude towards the whole thing. Eating, after all, is something you need on an ongoing basis, day in and day out, you must eat to survive. So, it comes down to better choices, but how do you make better choices when you are constantly facing the same enticements to eat? You fight back, that’s how. You use any tool you have. You get mad. This isn’t about ice cream with a cherry on top, it’s about your life. You choose.
The First Step Is Get Angry
Get mad at the companies constantly trying to sell you more, bigger, better. There’s nothing wrong with designing a better product, but the food products are not better, only more fattening and more expensive. Fake foods are a good example of a junky product that we’re being told is good for us. That’s a lie–those products, including the low fat lies are highly responsible for the sorry state of our health, but it’s our own fault for believing the advertising. Now low carb foods are being introduced. Just say no with your pocketbook and refuse to buy them.
Take Back Control of Your Eating
Today, decide you are mad, and you are going to do something about it. Taking action is the only way you’ll get to your destination. You take action by doing EFT – right now, while you’re thinking about it. I saw a TV program where the actress was having a stressful moment and she started tapping her eyebrow point. That was an eye opener because I believe the time will come when the EFT technique will be an accepted practice for every person. It’s an easy way to relax yourself, and reduce stress right in that moment. It’s also an easy way to get past limiting beliefs that keep you stuck.
If you have foods in your house that cause you grief, get rid of them. This will be a winter clean-up, get the old, stale chips out of the house. Throw out leftovers, unless you plan to use them the next day. It’s not wasted food to throw excess away. It makes good sense. Stop thinking of yourself as a garbage can. If you paid for something and ate it all, it cost you that much money. If you paid for something and ate half, it still cost you that much money. No difference in how much that item cost – so it’s not a better or worse value whether you eat it at all. It’s money already spent.
Choose one thing you get often, but that you wish you wouldn’t and decide to not get this product today. Just take it one day at a time – “Today I will not purchase X.” Make a vow to yourself, that for today, you will not get this food, eat this thing, do this deed, whatever you choose. Do a round of EFT on your craving or desire for it, and start now. This isn’t a good idea for sometime, but an exercise to do right now. No matter where you are, no matter what time zone, do it now. (Print this out though to keep for the future – you’ll want it).
Do EFT for this particular food or drink when you awaken in the morning, when you get in your car, and at meals everyday for the next week – 7 full days. Mark it on the calendar, today you started, put a mark for every time you do the EFT and keep track until you’ve got seven days straight with at least three marks on each day. Take this one simple action and you’re life could change for the better.
This cold turkey approach works well for things you purchase habitually, but wish you wouldn’t. It could be your habit of checking out the bakery section – you can still grab bread without looking at the pastries, trust me. The aisle where they sell candy bars can be skipped without too much trauma. The act of obtaining your treats is half the allure.
Think about it – you decide to get something to eat, you think ahead to how much you’ll enjoy having it, you see yourself eating it, you get in your car, you head to the store, it’s an “event” in itself. You choose your food, you carry it to the checkout, you get out your coins and you make your purchase. Only when you are safely outside the store can you actually “have” what you bought. Up until then, it’s not really yours at all. No small wonder we’re all so wrapped up in the process of getting food and eating it. Is this true for you?
You can start now, and even though during the holidays you may find you have to go into the bakery (or wherever), that’s okay. The idea is to get past the notion that you are powerless over your urge to purchase something. Give it a trial run now. It may end up being the best thing you do for yourself this whole year.
EFT suggestions
“Even though I want to look at donuts, I choose to walk on by.”
“Even though I can hardly stand not going in the bakery, I choose to say no, today.”
“Even though I want to look at candy bars, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I can’t stand it if I don’t …”
Do a round of EFT and know this is a decision you are making for today only. Tomorrow you can do as you choose. That takes off the edge of feeling like it’s forever. Anyone can make a 24-hour commitment to change, and each day stands alone. You’ll never reach the point where you’re saying, it’s been 365 days since … because it’s always just 24 hours. That also keeps you from suddenly thinking, “Hey, it’s been too long. I don’t want to go forever without …”
I’m going to get healthier and leaner in the upcoming months and I invite you to join me.
by OneMoreBite | Dec 9, 2003 | Weight Loss Tips
Do you take the time to periodically chart your eating habits? If you don’t know what you do now, how are you going to change your eating habits?
First, try to write a log of what you regularly eat from memory. Write down what you ate yesterday, for instance. You’ll be able to remember the highlights, but you’ll probably have more trouble remembering the little bits here and there. Yes, chewing gum counts, and so does anything that goes in your mouth. Just list the basic foods, meals, etc., as best you can recall. Put that list aside, and then today write down what you actually eat as soon as possible after you eat it. If you remember what you already had today, write those too, including that tiny nibble of cake as you walked past, and that little grab from the peanut dish. Everything you put in your mouth, including pure water, must be listed.
If you try to remember, you’ll capture the big items, but you’ll forget that taste here, that little lick there. Did you know you can easily eat an extra 250 or more calories just tasting as you cook? Diet tip: Stop licking the spoon! Especially this holiday season. Stop licking the beaters, taking your finger and scraping the bowl, etc. Stop it. If you want to eat some, wait until it is finished, then eat some. Put the spoons immediately under water, or give them to the kids (naturally, that teaches the kids to lick the spoon, but you could include the message that, “This is for you since you’re the kid.”)
Why A Food Diary Helps
The point of a food diary is to capture your regular eating patterns, then choose one thing you can change. Licking the spoon is a thing you can change. It doesn’t cause too much trauma to drop that from your usual habits, and no, since you don’t cook often, it’s not going to cause major weight gain all by itself, but listen, it is all these little things that add up to one big thing, your rear, sitting on the chair.
Kill the Licking the Spoon HabitÂ
Resolve now that you will drop the habit of licking the spoon, or tasting as you cook. Sure, I hear how you won’t know if it’s salty enough etc., unless you taste, but a teensy bit on the tip of a spoon or fork tine, is not the same as a big bite. Licking the entire contents of the chocolate chip bowl is not the same as a teensy taste. Better to just break the habit. Sure, it’s a holdover from when you were a kid. It was a treat to lick the spoon, but you’re not a kid anymore are you? Save that for your kids, or your grand kids, and drop it as a practice for you.
Remember, it’s these little changes that create real results. It’s a trick of those who stay slender. Likewise, when you discover your general eating habits, you can choose one thing to change, cut back, or discard entirely. Sometimes it’s best to just take it slowly as in weaning yourself from whole milk to skim. First try 4% and when that is okay, switch to 2%. After that, switch again to 1% or go straight to skim. Once you get used to it, you’ll think whole milk tastes like pure cream ? it’s much too thick and creamy for me to use now ? of course it tastes good, so do thousands of other things, but you must choose what you’ll regularly eat. Do you want to consume your day’s worth of fat and calories in your milk, or would you rather eat something more substantial with your milk?
What if there were a global energy failure and we no longer had fast food restaurants? Would you die of starvation or would you just learn to eat something else? I’d venture a guess that you’d adapt. I recently got a copy of Restaurant Confidential and if you want to be shocked, get a copy and check out the calorie counts of some of your favorite fast foods, then drop one night a week from the fast food plan – or add one night a week of home cooking. Yes, it means time in the kitchen.
Consider time in the kitchen used to be a pleasurable time. Think of the physical movement we used to get, kneading bread, chopping vegetables, bending over and reaching for the dishes? Get back into the frame of mind of enjoying physical movement for its own sake and you’ll find pleasure in these daily activities once again. It’s the little changes that add up to the big results.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 25, 2003 | EFT Weight Loss
Loosen the Noose
I read a lot – including diet, fitness, exercise, and weight related books and 9 times out of 10 I find myself disagreeing with the author. So often I read about how I “should” do this, and will never be allowed to eat that again. “Who says,” is what I think to myself. I don’t like being told what to do, even when I’m the one doing the telling. I think it’s ridiculous to live with such a restrictive noose around your neck. That’s why the so called “diet failure rate” is so high. Who can live without a slip now and then?
A diet is how you choose to eat – it doesn’t have to mean a reduction plan. We all have a diet. The word has come to be associated with reducing, but you can ask a person of average weight, “What diet are you on,” and they’ll likely give you an answer; i.e., low-fat, balanced, healthy or some other title, and you’d still be left wondering what they eat. A more accurate question would be, “What do you eat?”
We all slip and slide through life – sometimes doing well, sometimes falling down. I want to suggest you loosen the noose. Think about it: If you plan to eat a healthy diet by adding more fresh foods and breaking the fast food habit, and then you stop at McDonald’s one day (despite the plan), what has occurred? You’ve eaten better six days out of seven. You’ve made a 86% improvement.
Consist Change Equals Weight Loss Results
Another way to look at it: If you’ve decided that from now on you’ll eat healthy just on Mondays – one little day of the week – you’ve still made a 14% improvement. Won’t that affect your weight? It certainly will. Any tiny improvement you make, if it is consistent, will result in a long-term change. It may take longer to see results if it’s only a one day a week change, but the beauty is you aren’t restricting yourself so severely that you could never live with it.
Restrictive diets that you eventually plan to quit are good only for weekend pool parties or photo shoots. What’s the point? Sure you can reduce pounds and inches, but they just come back. Experts agree that yo-yo dieting is the worst overall for your health – frankly, you’re better off carrying 20 extra pounds full-time than dropping them and gaining them over and over. Start today to find one thing in your regular habits that you can change, and when you slip, just get right back up. Pretend you planned it – works for me.
EFT Suggestions for Getting Past Diet Lapses
- “Even though I ate _____, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
- “Even though I couldn’t help it, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
- “Even though I didn’t want to eat, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Give yourself credit for what you do right, and use EFT for weight loss whenever you find yourself berating yourself for some small lapse.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 24, 2003 | EFT Weight Loss
They’re starting early now – bringing out the holiday treats immediately after Halloween. Next thing you know they’ll leave the displays up all year-round. At least with all the colorful packaging staring at us now, weeks before Christmas, instead of the, “I gotta get some right now cause it won’t be here long” frame of mind. Now we can realize, “It’s not going anywhere. I can eat these foods any time I want.” They’re making all the goodies be not so special after all. That, for me, was part of the allure of the season – candies you don’t see the rest of the year, specially wrapped boxes and ribbons. Big deal. It’s just pretty paper, after all. The food’s the same.
Learn to Handle Seasonal Sugar Disorder
I went shopping yesterday for this Thursday’s Thanksgiving dinner, and realized, I didn’t want all those goodies in the house this soon. I don’t like to “wait,” so if I get cheese logs and goodies they’ll be beckoning me today, tonight, and all week until finally Thursday arrives and I can dive in. No, I know how I am – if I have it, I want it now. What generally happens, is I’ll start purchasing the goodies, and start chewing on one, here and there, until before you know it, I’ve got SSD, “Seasonal Sugar Disorder.”
So, how do I resolve this conflict? Obviously there are some things I’m going to have to purchase in advance. One thing that may seem silly but does work for me is simply out-of-sight out-of-mind. If I get something yummy and quickly put it in a drawer or cabinet, out of sight, then I forget about it. Sometimes I forget it so completely I don’t find it again until the next spring!
So, if you’re starting to bake cookies, freeze them. If you’re in charge of making candy or treats for Thanksgiving, package them up, wrap a nice bow, and put them in the closet. Keep your wits about you. Just because things look lovely, doesn’t mean we need to forget our resolve to eat when hungry, stop when satisfied. If you want a candy, have one, but eat it slowly and really taste it. See if you can tell the difference between cheap and expensive candy. Have a tasting party, if you want. Enjoy the treats. Make it special.
If holidays are a rough time, it could be the food, the allure, or it could be the memories of past holidays. Some people have family members they’d rather not visit, but here we are, it’s a holiday, so let’s all get together for some fun. Sure, great idea.
Here are some EFT ideas for Seasonal Sugar Disorder
“Even though I hate Thanksgiving, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I want to eat it all right now, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though Uncle Ralph humiliated me last year, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I don’t want to go to ___, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though my mother-in-law thinks I’m not good enough, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
There’s a whole line of work which gets into the reality of some of my suggested statements. In other words, how would I know what my mother-in-law thinks? I’m not concerned here with that – these statements are written as ideas, thoughts you might have. Don’t get hung-up if the statements aren’t right for you, just create statements in your own words.
Learn EFT for Weight Loss
Now is a great time to start the 8-Week Ending Emotional Eating Seminar or schedule a month of private sessions. Get past the holiday blues. Workshops are ongoing, so you can get started at any time.
You’ll get eight separate lesson plans, complete with all materials – send e-mail questions at any time during the entire workshop … For more details on what’s available or to get started: OneMoreBite’s Weight Loss Class
Go here for Instructions in EFT. I weave EFT and NLP throughout my work because they’ve worked for me in helping me lose 80 pounds and keep it off for over 17 years now (as of Nov 2003) and the techniques can work for you.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 22, 2003 | EFT Weight Loss
Big sandwich
Typical Weekly Diet Plan
- Sunday, Anything goes, because I’m starting a diet tomorrow
- Monday, Diet
- Tuesday, I think I can do this!
- Wednesday, It’s almost the weekend. This is easy …
- Thursday, Uh, okay, but just this once …
- Friday: Yah! It’s Friday. Let’s live a little
- Saturday: I’ve been so good all week
- Sunday: Blow-out! Eat everything, since Monday we start our diet
Is Sunday your “anything goes” day? Since so many people start diets on Monday’s, Sunday has come to be associated with cleaning the fridge. Eat it all, so there’s nothing left to tempt you come Monday. If you follow the BFL (Body for Life) program, it’s suggested to have one free day. A free day is similar to the Blowout Sunday day – eat whatever you want, as much as you want, with the idea being, you’ll get the desire out of your system.
Free Day Works for Some But Be Sure it Works for You
That’s a great theory, but won’t work if you’re highly sensitive to sugar for instance – by loading up on surgery treats on Sunday, you’ll create the hunger pangs for those same treats on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday when they are starting to abate, you’re already looking forward to having them again on the weekend – and the cycle never ends.
I’m all for having a treat, when you want one, but there’s no need to create a 24-hour window of opportunity for going crazy. Better to just go ahead and enjoy some cake at the birthday party, regardless of what day it is. If you ate well the rest of the day, you’re still okay.
If you eat well the majority of the time, you’ll be okay having a dessert, or a drink, or whatever, just don’t fall victim to the “cheat” mentality. You’re not cheating. This is not a test – it is your life. Calling it cheating is setting yourself up to think you are bad, and calling yourself bad or naughty, just gives more credence to the “I can’t do this, I’m not good enough” mentality.
Choose to Have More
You can do this – you can eat more slowly, enjoying it more. You can choose to have more vegetables (check their nutrients against their calories – very low calorie, very high nutrients), fruits (apples, grapes, bananas – have a couple of pieces every day). The fiber, and natural sugars are far better for you – trying to skip eating fruit because you believe it’s high in calories only sets you up to choose a candy bar later. Wouldn’t it have been better to have had that apple? Think about that next time you choose to skip a fruit snack.
Chewing Better than Drinking
If you like juice, dilute it with sparkling water and just give the slighest flavor essence to your drinks. Straight juice is yummy good but a lot of calories in a drink – better to eat the whole fruit – you get more bang for the buck.
You can choose to be a little less diligent on the weekends, or Sundays, but don’t give yourself license to “blow it” just because it’s a certain day of the week. Keep on the path, one day at a time, one bite at a time – remember One More Bite – would just one more bite be enough? Try it. I’m full, but there’s still some delicious food on my plate – I want it. What should I do? Have one more bite. Sit back. Listen to your body’s feedback. Is it your body wanting more, or just your mind? Your body should feel comfortable, safe, satisfied.
If You Can’t Seem to Stop Eating, Use EFT
“Even though I still want more food, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I cannot leave any of this pie, I deeply and completely accept myself”
“Even though I think I’m going to explode if I have one more bite, I still want one more bite, but I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.”
Do enough rounds to bring down the feeling of wanting so badly. Using the “I’ll start my diet on Monday” routine over and over does nothing but add pounds. Start thinking in terms of each meal standing alone so even if you overeat, the next meal you get right back on track. It’s not all-or-nothing.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 21, 2003 | Beliefs
Eating out of Fear of Not Having Enough
Have you ever finished a huge meal, like Thanksgiving dinner, where you couldn’t eat another bite, when suddenly someone showed up carrying another dessert? Did you suddenly find just a bit of space to eat a little more? That’s eating out of fear; the fear of missing out on something yummy, or the fear of not being part of the group – and it has nothing to do with hunger.
Beliefs Can Shift in an Instant
This same thing can happen with any feeling – you may feel exhausted. You had a rough day at work, a traffic jam on the way home, a flat tire, and now you have a headache. You are bone tired and want to do nothing but sleep, when suddenly the phone rings. It’s a call saying, “You’ve just won a $1 million. Can you come right down?,” and you’re rushing out the door with your coat half fastened, you’re so excited you can hardly wait to get down there. Wait a minute, what happened to your headache? Probably it’s gone or just a faint memory. What happened to your exhaustion? It’s long gone too – replaced by a new surge of energy because your beliefs about this moment in time just changed. All belief shifts happen that quickly.
It only takes a tiny shift in your beliefs. Say this: I can learn to recognize when I’ve had enough. Now, ask yourself, do you believe it?
At first, you must make a bigger effort at change. You’ll start to move toward the kitchen, even when you’re still full from dinner because you’ve done it a thousand times before. This time, you’ll stop and remember, you aren’t doing that right now. Sit down, take five minutes to get control of your breathing, relax, do a session of EFT, “Even though I want more to eat, but I’m not hungry, I’m okay with myself.” “Even though I can’t break this overeating habit, I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.” “Even though I can’t feel satisfied unless I’m stuffed, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Think about your belief in your ability to break this simple habit. If you’ve learned you must feel stuffed to be satisfied, then you’ll need to slowly break that pattern – first by simply stopping a little sooner. You may still have over eaten, but your level of stuffed can be qualified, and you know when you’ve had enough, too much, or way too much. You know, don’t you? Start by simply learning to leave one bite on your plate.
I know, that idea may seem radical, but it’s a great way to discover how you’ve eaten everything on your plate because it’s a habit to do so. Even if you only leave one pea, leave something on your plate. Secondly, just because there is more on the serving plate, don’t think you need to take more food. Wait a few minutes. Get in touch with your hunger levels.
I remember learning to recognize my hunger levels and the shock (and dismay) when I’d realize I’d had enough but half my food was still on my plate. I learned to ask for a doggy bag, take it home and eat in the next day. I learned to sometimes fix myself less food. I learned half a sandwich is sometimes enough. I learned a piece of fruit can satisfy my wildest hunger, for now, while I wait for dinner to cook. I learned, and so will you, when you just start to pay attention.
Small shifts in your beliefs about what you can accomplish may take a bit of time, but when you do make the shift it will be sudden and it will be permanent. Ask anyone who’s lost a lot of weight and kept it off, and they’ll tell you, “I don’t know, something just suddenly clicked,” and that’s what they’re talking about.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 18, 2003 | EFT Weight Loss
Most people start a new “plan” on a Monday. This is to give themselves the chance to get ready, as if they are starting a race. Think instead of starting a new eating plan as beginning a hike or climb – you are going to take one step. It can be today, it can be tomorrow, but it’s just one step.
Choose One Thing
That first step isn’t so difficult unless you’ve decided you are going to drastically change everything about yourself from now on. That kind of proclamation can be very difficult to carry out – and is why it can be so difficult to get started. Choose one habit you’d like to change, one food, one day of the week.
Are you sitting in the fence because the holidays are approaching? “I don’t want to be dieting at Thanksgiving.” I can’t diet now, I have cookies to bake.” Oh, the excuses. They run so fast this time of year, don’t they? Just chase them right out of the room – excuses are like our rears, we all have one, just some are bigger than others.
There’s no better time than right now to get started on the path to lifelong freedom from a weight problem. I enjoy the holidays, I love to bake, I eat all the goodies, and even if I gain a few pounds, it comes right off as soon as I get back to my usual routine. That’s the key: get back to your regular routine. Don’t let the overeating habit become the norm and your seasonal weight gain (or vacation weight gain) won’t be permanent.
The Thanksgiving Dinner that Changed my Life
If you’ve read my weight loss story, you’ve heard how I made a mind shift one year on Thanksgiving Day. I decided I was just going to eat until I was satisfied – not gorge, but eat all I wanted, eating slowly, enjoying every bite. The turkey wasn’t going to jump up and run away – I didn’t have to rush. I wanted to enjoy the meal and the company fully, instead of groaning in pain a half hour later. Have you ever been so full you thought you’d burst and just then you hear, “Who wants pie?” Well I sure do, but now, I haven’t stuffed myself silly first, so some pie feels just right, or I can wait a little while if necessary.
That one Thanksgiving dinner changed my life. I still remember how awe struck I was when I realized I felt wonderful, satisfied, full, and I’d eaten everything I wanted. I waited until I felt hungry again (hunger returns, yes it does), and then I ate again, and I’ve eaten tens of thousands of times since then including many more Thanksgiving dinners too.
The holidays are a great time of year – this year let’s enjoy them more fully.
EFT Suggestions for the Holidays
Holidays are also a time of year fraught with emotional ties. If family distresses you, start now to lessen the emotional intensity and you’ll breeze through the holidays this year.
“Even though I hate the holidays, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though my family makes me crazy, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though last year Aunt Edna said I looked fat and why didn’t I stop eating, I deeply and completely accept myself”
Don’t worry if you have tag-on thoughts while you are tapping. I often do. Things like, “Aunt Edna is a cow,” come to mind. Sometimes things you might think but would never say in polite company are quite appropriate while doing the tapping. These thoughts may make you smile, even laugh out loud, and that’s a good thing. It’s okay.
The main thing is keep your issue in mind while you tap (that’s why you keep repeating the reminder phrase). If the emotion is happening (even though its muted) while you are tapping, then you will release the intensity of the emotion and interrupt that well worn pathway. Don’t be afraid to bring up the issue you want to release. That’s how it works.
(These are general ideas – if you can plug in specific names, places, events, it works all the better.)
Now is the right time – start now and use EFT on your holiday issues. You might discover you enjoy the holidays more and don’t gain weight after all.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 13, 2003 | Diet Plans
Avoiding The Dreaded Plateau
We’ve all been there; that dreaded plateau, where despite our best efforts, nothing seems to be happening. That can be difficult to accept with our”instant breakfast” mentality, and it is exactly where many decide their efforts aren’t working. Wrong! That is exactly when things are working, inside, where they count. Think day-to-day, rather than minute-to-minute. Think long-term rather than short. Keep doing what you know is working, and you’ll reap the benefits.
Best Steps to Permanent Weight Loss
Keeping a tally or score on your weekly efforts is the best way to track your progress. Just like the stock market, the line will go down, then up, then down, then down, then up, while over time, if losing weight is your goal, then you will eventually reach your goal, if you are doing the things that support your efforts on a daily basis. Tracking daily may cause insanity due to the ups and down attributed to the foods you eat, the liquids you drink, whether you sweat, etc.
I don’t generally dictate what people should eat, but there are guidelines which depending on your size, if followed, will lead to less fat, more muscle, and better health overall.
Weight Loss Guidelines
Calories: How many? That depends on many variables including your muscle mass (requires more calories to be maintained) whether you exercise, and your basic resting metabolism. I eat close to 2,000 a day, so don’t think you have to eat 1,000 calories a day to drop weight. It’s simply not true. I’m active, and the more active I get, the more I can eat and still maintain my weight. I don’t count calories so much as I’m aware. If something I want to eat has a ton of calories (cheese fries?) then I’ll decide whether it’s worth it first.
Think of Day’s Calories as Bank Account
I won’t waste my calories on crummy food choices – such as I won’t nibble a stale cookie just because I see it sitting there as I walk by. I won’t grab a handful of peanuts out of the bowl that’s on the counter, even if it beckons because until I saw it, I didn’t want it. Stop mindlessly putting things in your mouth. Everything counts – make good choices. If you want it, have it, but make sure you want it, and there isn’t something else you’d rather have. My motto? I’d rather have cheesecake. If I see something, I first think, “Do I want it more than something else I could have” If yes, okay fine, I’ll have it. If not, I’ll wait for something better, go get something better, or just let it go, this time. There’s always a next time.
Eat Your Veggies
Three to four vegetable servings can be accomplished by eating a big salad with some non-fat dressing (Don’t waste your “fat” calories on salad dressings.) Frozen vegetables are great. Nature made them sweet, no need to add sauces, etc. Learn to eat a raw carrot, freshly pulled out of the ground is really great!
Eat Plenty Protein but Don’t go Overboard
Bacon is a treat, not a staple (way too fatty). Choose lean meats, and start eating wild fish. Tuna mixed with salsa, wrapped in a tortilla. Think outside the box.
Eat Fruit Everyday
. At least one piece, more is better. I know it’s got sugar. It’s supposed to be sweet. We crave sweet, nature set it up so we’d want to eat fruit – so surprise! We want to eat sweet. Big deal. Satisfy your sweet tooth naturally, and you’re less likely to be driven to eat junk.
Drink Plenty of Water
. Make an effort to drink six to eight glasses a day. Every day. Yes, that seems like a lot. Do you drink soft drinks? Start substituting water every few soft drinks. Consider how much money you’d save, if you need an incentive.
Movement and Exercise: Track your Movement
If you get five minutes of exercise, write that down. Five minutes every day is far better than no minutes every day. Start from the beginning and you can slowly build to more minutes. Find exercise you enjoy – it’s not supposed to be torture. If you don’t like it, you won’t continue.
Eat Frequently
More often is better than less, never less than three times a day, even six is fine. Every time you eat you stoke the metabolic fires – your furnace heats up, and you burn more calories just by being alive. Fuel the fire. If you are afraid to eat, that may be the biggest problem – you aren’t fueling your fire and so the fire is burning as little fuel as it can just to get by (slow calorie burn means sluggish metabolism). Hunger is not the enemy.
Don’t be afraid that if you eat more, or exercise more, that you’ll gain weight. That’s folly. Athletes tend to eat an enormous amount, but they only get fat when they stop exercising and don’t adjust their eating accordingly.
If you eat a clean diet (mostly), move your body (exercise), and get plenty of quality sleep, you’ll be healthy, happy, and your weight will fall in line with what is healthy for you. I know you want the end result now. We all want it now, but wouldn’t it be great if you could drop some weight and know it’s gone for good? Wouldn’t you like to stop the “losing it, only to gain it back” cycle?
Start Today: Notice Quantity Of What You Eat
I eat cereal most mornings, but now I measure it, because if I use my eye to judge, I’ll eat about twice as much. Why is that? I’ve grown accustom to a certain amount of food on my plate or in my bowl, and that plate is large. I’m used to the huge portions served in restaurants – I expect it. Some people actually share a dinner -would you consider doing that? Or take some home for tomorrow’s lunch. It makes the meal out a much better value too.
Remember, skip the bread unless it’s special. Dress your salads, don’t drown them, and don’t waste money and calories on beverages (drink water instead).
Just start noticing what you’re doing every day and you may find some places where small changes can produce the results you want. Don’t fear weight loss plateaus! Embrace them instead and enjoy the view. Give it a go and post me a comment to let me know what happens for you.
by OneMoreBite | Nov 5, 2003 | EFT Weight Loss
Always eating?
That doesn’t mean that at the first tiny hunger pang I go crazy looking for something to stuff in my mouth; just that I plan ahead, have healthy snacks close by, and know it’s likely I’ll get hungry every few hours. What’s interesting is that I don’t always get hungry at the same time each day, but when I do get hungry, I do eat.
My Typical Weekday Eating Routine
Breakfast 7:00 AM (I tend to wake up hungry) , usually I eat some whole grain cereal. I especially love hot cereal, or eggs with lots of whites and maybe one yolk.
Snack 10:00 AM (usually fruit, yogurt, bagel – I do make an effort to wait until 10:00 for my first snack, but some days if I’m really hungry, I’ll go ahead and eat as early as 9:00). I have cut back on the bagels. I was eating a giant bagel (over 300 calories) every day, and I was getting really sleeping every afternoon. I don’t know if there’s a connection, but whenever I notice sleepiness or other odd behavior, it pays to check what you’ve been eating.
Lunch 11:30 – 1:30 PM (depends on whether I get hungry) – Guess what? If I don’t get hungry until 3:00, then that’s when I eat. I like soups, tuna mixed with salsa, something wrapped in a tortilla – whatever I’ve brought. I sometimes go out, but not often.
Dinner 4:00 – 5:30 (same thing, I eat when I get hungry, so if I had more during the day, it’ll be longer before I’m hungry again.)
Evening – hardly ever get hungry, so rarely eat. During the week, if I think I’m hungry and it’s after 9:00 PM I’ll drink some water instead, cause it’s unlikely I’m really hungry then. That usually takes care of it. If I really can’t stand it, I’ll have an apple (nice and crispy this time of year), or a banana or other fruit. Yes, it’s high sugar. So what? People get so hung up on what they eat, that they don’t realize they’re choosing to skip real food. Fruit is not a bad thing, unless you are diabetic and must be very careful about your sugar levels. I don’t usually want anything between my lunch and dinner, but if I get hungry, I’ll eat. There’s no set plan.
Break the Nighttime Eating Habit
I broke the habit of eating most of my calories after 5:00 PM years ago. Now I eat all day, and hardly ever in the evening, even on weekends. It works for me, but I do eat a clean diet (more or less). Clean meaning little processed or fast foods, because if I start popping tiny candy bars, or eat french fries a few days in a row I’ll start craving them again. My theory is that if the food value (nutritional value) is low (as it tends to be in processed foods) my body still wants nutrients, even though it may have enough calories. This can explain why one can eat a lot and still feel hungry, or be hungry soon after eating a big meal. Think about it? Did you eat good quality, nutritious food, or did you eat something batter fried, dipped in sugary sauce, dripping with grease? Are there any nutrients? Not the kind they toss in to call it fortified either. I mean real food folks. Try it, you’ll like it.
You Decide on Treats: Is it Worth it? Is it Special?
If someone brings birthday cake, and it looks good, I’ll eat some at 10:30 or 11:00 or whenever it’s served, but then I’m hardly ever hungry for lunch until hours later. It varies every day. If someone brings treats, and they are the same thing I can get any day at the grocery store, I just don’t have any. It’s easy to pass up average foods. If someone brings something incredibly special, but I’m full from my breakfast, I might take some on a plate and leave it waiting until I’m hungry for it. Sometimes it might wait an hour, sometimes several. It’s not going anywhere. There’s no rush. I eat it very slowly, almost making a game out of it. How many tiny bites can I get out of this? It delays the enjoyment for a good long time, and after all, eating is enjoyable.
Track Uncontrollable Hungers
If you think you are always hungry (and believe me, I’ve been there), then keep a food diary for a few days to get a look at what you are eating. It may be there is a lack of nutrients, which explains why it’s possible to still be hungry even after eating a lot of food. Or, it’s psychological hunger, which is another story.
The most useful appetite suppressant is good food.
EFT Suggestions for Hunger or Cravings:
“Even though I’m still hungry, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I think I’m still hungry, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I’m craving donuts, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though these donuts are average, I still want them, and I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Try EFT on direct cravings, when they strike. It only delays your eating a few moments – try it, and see whether it reduces the desire, even a tiny bit. If it does, then eat slowly, enjoying what you’ve chosen. You might find you’re satisfied with less, and getting more enjoyment at the same time.
by OneMoreBite | Sep 7, 2003 | Health Concerns
So much in the news lately about weight loss surgery. The risks are downplayed while the celebrities who had a good result are paraded around like it’s easy. After all, what could be simpler?
Consider the facts: You will not be able to eat even a quarter of the quantity you now eat. “That’s okay,” they say. Are you kidding? Do you have any idea what that means?
If you’re a person who has difficulty limiting the amount of food you eat, just because you will now experience discomfort or a little nausea, what’s that compared to the fun you’ll have figuring out ways to circumvent the limitations of a tiny stomach?
You have to ask yourself, why you are simply unable to reduce the quantity you eat now, without surgery? Do you need something outside yourself to force you into submission? I think that is the “getting cracked over the skull approach to weight loss” and it seems a little drastic.
Do Mental Surgery First
Try it on for size. Be sure what you say you want, is what you want.
Wake up tomorrow morning and experience the world post-surgery (in your mind). You are hungry, but once you start to eat you nearly instantly feel full, because your stomach is teeny-tiny. To live with this you’ll need to give yourself much smaller portions, and you’ll have to be satisfied
with a meal that takes about two minutes to eat. If you use toothpicks as utensils, it might help prolong the experience but otherwise, you’ll be giving up eating as an enjoyable part of your day. Get used to it.
The people who end up with a good result from weight loss surgery are those that are able to mentally get over eating as their favorite activity. All the others, and there are thousands, simply return to their pre-surgery weight within two years – much the same result as any weight loss program.
