Friday, December 28, 2012

Bagels

I bought bagels today.

That doesn't sound like much, does it? Many people buy bagels. The thing is I haven't eaten, let along bought,  a bagel in years.

In my nutrient-dense, whole foods, sugar shunning, world, bagels are seen as worse than useless. Nothing but a chewy round of insulin spiking white flour.

Personally, I don't care whether I eat bagels or not. I don't actually 'crave' them and I still think they are probably not particularly nutritious. That wasn't the point.

I realized the other day that I still make judgements about my food. I eat anything I want, but that doesn't mean I am not thinking that I should have chosen something else, even though I'm eating what my body asked for. In other words, I'm second guessing my body and I don't want to do that. I'd like to get to the point where I just get hungry ->decide what I want -> eat without the accompanying nagging thoughts of 'shouldn't you be eating something 'better?' If that's how it thinks, it's a wonder my brain ever lets me eat anything other than liver.

So no, it didn't ask for a bagel, but it's the closest thing to junk food I'm going to get. I don't know if it will help me stop judging what I'm eating, but it's a step.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Holiday Weight Gain

It's that time of year when people start talking about the dreaded 'Holiday Weight Gain'. That's how they say it, too - in verbal capital letters.

For a lot of people it starts with Halloween candy. First the candy bought a couple of weeks before that never makes it to Halloween, then the replacement candy, then the post Halloween candy and then the post-post Halloween candy from the sales.

About the time that is gone, it's Thanksgiving. Before the leftovers are even finished, it's on the the holiday parties, the Christmas cookies and other gifts of the baked or fermented kind.

For that most part, that's how it's gone in my house, too. Mostly. We still have loads of Halloween candy that remains untouched, I had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with two kids of pie, and in the past two weeks I've been gifted with multiple tins of candy, cookies and fudge. And I've eaten some of it all. Yet somehow, my weight is down a half pound.

It doesn't really surprise me. I've read many times that the actual gain during the holiday season is about 3/4 of a pound, though most people think it's about 5-10.  Maybe for some it is. 

I remember years, though, when I did gain weight. I think it's no coincidence that those were my 'dieting' years. The years of the all or nothing 'I'veblownitsoImayaswellwhateverIwanttogetitoutofmysystemandstartovertomorrow' thinking. Only there were usually a lot of tomorrows before I started over.

I have a vivid memory of one year when I was 'good' at Christmas, and ate nothing but plain turkey, and vegetables - no gravy, butter and certainly no cookies or pie. I remember feeling very virtuous. But afterwards I began to feel cheated - everyone else ate what they wanted and enjoyed their food...and in spite of it, I didn't even lose any weight. I wanted to make up for everything I missed out on, starting with the cookies and pie.

I won't go into detail. If you've been there, you know how it goes. If not, you probably already think it's nuts,  but when you're in the middle of it, it's tough to think straight.

Now that I don't diet, it's much simpler. I eat a bit of what appeals to me. If I really like it, I'll eat more. If not, I won't. If I really don't like it, I won't finish the first bit.

Choosing to eat what I like is easy. Stopping wasn't always so easy, and sometimes it's still difficult. But most of the time I'm able to stop when I feel full. Sometimes I get a little too full, but not painfully so.

It's a learning process, and it takes time. When ever I think I've got a long way to go, all I have to do is listen to the dieters talking this time of year. They dread all the gifts of cookies and fudge, fear the parties, groan at the expected weight gain and anticipate the microwaved diet meals with which they will welcome the new year.

And I realize I am no longer part of this, and it's then I realize how far I have really come. 

Friday, November 30, 2012

Podcasts

I heard about this podcast a few days ago and I've been listening to various episodes every day on my commute. The first episode I listened to was about weight loss. The woman in the interview has lost about 70 pounds without dieting or even 'diets in disguise', like portion control. I followed that one up with an interview with Elyse Resch, co-author of 'Intuitive Eating'. Now I've moved on to other topics, and so far they've all been good.

If you aren't sure what is meant by Intuitive Eating, or how it's possible to lose weight without dieting, I highly recommend these podcasts. You can find them on the website 'How She Really Does It'

Happy listening.


 


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

'Mean Eyes'

I saw this post recently and wanted to share.

'.....How confusing it must have been to have me say to them [my daughters], "You think I am beautiful, but you are wrong. You are small and you love me, so you're not smart enough to know how unattractive I am. I know I am ugly because I see myself with mean eyes. You are my child and I love you, but I will not allow myself to be pretty, for you. No matter how shining you are when you watch me brushing my hair and pulling my dress over my head. No matter how much you want to be just like me, I can't be beautiful for you and I don't know why.".....
http://offbeatmama.com/2012/11/telling-daughters-im-beautiful

That very day I had heard a woman speak of herself in mean words. Words she would never say to a friend. Words that took my breath away.

How many women see themselves with 'mean eyes'?

How few women don't?

Friday, November 16, 2012

The Least I Can Do for Me

I mentioned a few months ago that my life had undergone a major change. I made a career change that has thrown my professional and personal life into...well, not exactly chaos. But close. Months later  I'm adapting to it, but it's still taking up most of my time and energy.

One of the things that has changed though is the food landscape. Before this happened I lived in a pretty self-contained world. I didn't get out around other people much, especially at meal times. Now I am with people all day long. Lovely, wonderful, (honestly) generous people. And of course, there is a lot of food.

I have found myself eating food I don't want. Sometimes even food I don't enjoy. But worse than that, I have been eating food that makes me feel unwell. I can live with sometimes eating the don't want/enjoy food, but food that makes me feel ill, just to be 'polite'?

Most of the time, I don't want anything, so I don't eat it. Occasionally, however, I do. Usually nothing happens, but a few times I've begun to feel ill shortly afterwards. A few days ago it happened again. It got me thinking how whatever I ate was totally not worth how lousy I felt.

It's time to stop allowing food I don't even enjoy to interfere with something as important as my health and well-being. It's what I would do for someone else. It's the least I can do for myself.

Assumptions

Do you ever get tired of people making assumptions about you? I know I do. People take one look at me and decide what kind of life they think I lead.

Obviously I 'don't exercise'. Right? a) No one who exercises stays overweight and b) everyone who is thin, exercises. Only problem is, that's wrong. I know plenty of people who take up running thinking they'll lose weight, but they don't. They're always training for a Tough Mudder or a half marathon, or some other event. They do quite well, but they never get thin. I also know plenty of very thin people who hardly move off their behinds.

I fall somewhere in between the Tough Mudder and the couch potato. I am on my feet most of my work day and run up and down the stairs several times a day. I lift weights a couple of times a week, take long walks on mountain trails, and shorter walks close to home. I also like gardening -  and all the digging, raking, hoeing, clipping and sawing that comes with it. For fun I like to skate, swim and play tennis. 

Yeah. I really should start 'exercising'.


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Finding Balance

I don't need to tell you I've been pretty scarce around here for the last month or so. Life has just been incredibly busy lately and of course, something had to give.

It'll all balance out in time and I'll be around more often. It's already getting better - good enough for this brief post anyway.

Aside from no time for posting, things have been going well. But that's a whole, long story I'll have to save for another time. Hopefully that won't be as long next time. 


Thursday, August 30, 2012

You Might be an Ex-Dieter if...

You find 'diet talk' boring.

I remember when I used to get involved in conversations about diets. We would share tips and tricks, and talk about what we could/couldn't eat, how 'bad' we were, how hungry we were, our last binge, our trigger foods and our virtuous days when we stuck to the diet.

Now when these conversations come up, I no longer have anything to say.




Thursday, August 9, 2012

You Might be an Ex-Dieter if...

You can walk by the junk-food aisle in the store and not want anything

Okay, so maybe there is junk food in most aisles in the store - even the produce department -  but you know what I mean. You can easily pass up the donuts, pop-tarts, chips, candy - all those things that exerted a siren call back in your dieting days.

When I dieted all those foods were 'off limits', so naturally they were what I wanted most. Now that I can have any food, any time, those foods are back in their proper place. Most of them I have no desire to eat. Those things I do still enjoy - like chocolate - I am much choosier about. And sometimes, I don't even feel like eating chocolate.

Monday, August 6, 2012

We Have Normality

Not really, but I like that line. It's from one of my favorite books. I could say which, but I think it would be fun to see if anyone knows it. If you do, please comment :)

It's been a long and busy weekend. After a hot, lazy July, it seems like everyone is cramming as much fun as they can into August. I get that. In July, the long hot days of summer stretch out ahead of you. In August the days are noticeably shorter, somewhat cooler (95 is cooler than 105, right?) and the start of school is just days away.

This weekend we had three parties. There would have been four, but we couldn't fit it in. After three days of more food (and drink) and less sleep and activity than usual, I am feeling the need for some normality. What I want most is just the right amount of good, simple, nourishing food and a relaxing, evening walk followed up by a good night's sleep.

I love the fact that there is an gentle and natural balance to this area of my life now. There is no 'have to'. No good/bad, guilt or punishment. I don't have to 'work off' the excess, or starve myself to 'make up' for stuffing myself yesterday.

I don't have to tell myself that because my body is sending me messages loud and clear saying 'All full up here. Take a break. Some sleep and a walk would be nice, though.' and I don't have to keep track of anything. All I have to do is listen and trust.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

A Weigh-in I Can Live With

I really like my new method of dealing with the scale. As I mentioned way back (what, two whole months or something?) at the start of this blog, I was trying to stop weighing myself. Not just 'as often' but 'for always'. My 'plan' was to back away gradually, starting with weighing  twice a month, then once a month...then eventually not at all.

Sounds good doesn't it? Totally 'do-able'. Did I do it?

Nope. I did stop weighing multiple times a day, and I even managed to go a day or two before stepping on the scale, but I was not able to realize my goal of going two weeks between weighings.

At some point recently, I got busy (or maybe it was a combination of vacation and sharing the bathroom every morning with multiple house guests) but I started skipping the morning weigh-in. You know the one - after the bathroom, but before breakfast and of course, totally starkers.

Once or twice a week, though, totally at random, I'd step on the scale, fully clothed and with no regard to food or drink I might or might not have eaten. A number would appear on the scale a pound or two higher than my last morning weigh-in, but it had no effect one me one way or another. No matter what it said, I knew it wasn't 'real'.

This random, vague reading did  few positive things for me. First of all, it was enough to reassure me that I wasn't gaining weight. Not weighing at all can be scary to those used to keeping a close eye on the scale. There's always that fear that while you aren't looking, you'll gain a few pounds and by the time you do look - it will just be that much more you have to lose. But as long as I didn't see anything too out of line, I knew I was fine.

Secondly, I could be more relaxed about it. I'm one of those ones who, no matter what the scale says, is affected in a negative way. If it goes up, it's not good. If it goes down, that's initially good, but it ends up not good. I'm not sure how that happens, but it does.

However, with my random afternoon weighings, no matter what the scale says, the feelings I might have about it are tempered by the fact that it doesn't feel  'absolute'* the way an early morning weigh-in does. The high of a loss isn't so high, and the low of a gain doesn't feel so low.

Sometimes it even goes go down in the afternoon. But even though an afternoon, fully fed and clothed weight that is lower than a nakkie morning weight could indicate a loss,  even that doesn't affect me. Maybe I've lost weight, maybe I haven't. Either is possible. Either is acceptable.  I am perfectly content to wait for next months' morning weight-in to find out.

Content.

It's a nice word. And it's a very nice place to be.

*Yes, I'm fully aware there is no absolute and the scale, if it was a person, would require clothing manufactured from flameproof fabric.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

If Not That, This?

Today on Twitter, I saw a tweet that proclaimed 'is lack of sleep behind your weight gain' or something to that effect. If there wasn't one saying exactly that today, there was probably one last week or last month. If not about lack of sleep, it might have blamed soda, processed food, large portions, or just plain lack of exercise  - and if you 'just' eliminate 'X', ta dah! Problem solved.

I especially love the ones that tell me ' cut out one soda a day' and then they do the math based on calories  in the soda and calories per pound and then tell me I'll 'drop x pounds in a year'. As if our bodies work like a ledger sheet.

Don't get me wrong - I believe all these things can and do affect weight in individuals, but there is no one cause we can pin it on that fits every individual. And I believe it's vastly more complex than 'eat less/move more'. But in my case, none of the 'usual' advice fits.*

The fact is I get plenty of sleep. I have eaten a 'healthy, whole foods, mostly organic' diet for the past decade. I cook practically everything from scratch from the best ingredients I can afford. On the occasions we do go out to eat, we're picky so we're not talking the usual suspects here. I don't have a large appetite and I haven't had a 'soda' in years. As far as exercise goes, I do some strength training and love to hike, bike and play tennis. Lately I've taken up jumping rope. I'm no good at it, but I am adding more each week. I do have a desk job, but it's in a large building and involves up and down stairs and heavy lifting. I am careful not to 'overexercise' though. I used to do that but now I listen to my body as far as activity goes, too.

I don't have any answers and I'm not looking for a 'magic bullet'. I don't believe there is one. I'm certainly not jumping on the latest 'sure fire' diet craze. But I keep listening and learning. In the process I've learned that I stress seems to be a huge component for me. One of the few times in nearly a decade that my weight changed was when I was under a great deal of stress. Eliminating the stress, however, doesn't make it go down. My weight is now unchanged again, but just at a higher level.

I accept that this is how my body functions right now at this point in my life. It's just for some reason it has 'decided' to hang on to extra weight. Of course I don't like it, but that's just how it is. Maybe that will change. Maybe not. Maybe there are things I have control over that can alter it. Maybe not.

I just know there are no simple answers and no one answer that fits every one, and wasting time, energy, anger, guilt, frustration or whatever other negative emotions are tied up on excess weight would just be a waste of my life. Not to mention just plain no fun.

I'd rather just live in tune with my body - eat well, sleep well, participate in activities I enjoy and focus on good health and the 'moments' that bring joy to life, cuz whatever my weight, it's the only life I get.

*there are other less-usual explanations, like stress, that come closer but that's another post

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Discoveries

People who've never dieted would likely shake their head at the idea that some people actually don't know when they are hungry, what they want to eat when they are hungry, and when to stop. Okay, I know for sure some would shake their head. I've seen them do it.

I remember the days when I didn't know. I started letting other people (diets) tell me when/what/how much to eat when I was just a teenager. After a couple of decades, my head was so full of (often conflicting) rules, figuring out when/what to eat could be a real challenge.

Ditching diets changed all that and I've learned many things about myself. Some are important, some are merely interesting,  while others are (to me anyway), mildly amusing.

Take cottage cheese and candy for instance. According to most, if not all, diet 'food lists' cottage cheese = 'good' while candy = 'bad'. When I was dieting, I thought cottage cheese was awful stuff  but not nearly as awful as the cravings for a candy bar. Any candy bar.

Now that I have stopped dieting, I've learned that my dislike of cottage cheese  has nothing to do with it being 'diet food' or not. I just don't like it. But more surprisingly, I also don't like most types of candy. Halloween candy lasts forever in my house.

I have also learned I do not like bananas (not as fruit, bread, smoothies or even cake) or apple pie. I'm not crazy about salads - especially in the winter and while I really dislike all those snack foods that can turn your fingers orange, potato chips are something I can take or leave.

On the other hand I really like soups (even in summer); nearly all vegetables - especially brussels sprouts, artichokes, parsnips and beets; pate (liver) and various pickled vegetables and chutneys.

I've also learned I dislike the idea of 'grazing' or 'snacking'-  I don't even like the word. For one thing, I like food. Now I realize that's not exactly a surprise on a diet/non-diet blog that the author likes food. But I don't just mean, 'I like to eat', and anything will do (although there are times when everyone has to settle for what is available). For the most part,  if I'm going to eat something, I want it to be satisfying, enjoyable and totally worth it.  So, when meal time comes, I actually *want* to be hungry. I want to be able to sit down with my family and enjoy the meal I spent so much time, energy, money and (yes, cheesy as it sounds) love creating.

That can be a challenge, balancing 'eat when hungry' with 'being hungry at dinner time' and sometimes I don't get it right, but more often than not, it works out.  And when it doesn't, it's not like it's a big deal. And if nothing else, I've learned something else about myself that will make the next time easier.

Friday, July 13, 2012

You Might Be an Ex-Dieter if....

you eat the actual food you want, rather than a 'version' of it.

For breakfast today, I had french toast and sausage. Back in my dieting days it would have been a thin slice of bread soaked in a mixture of egg white or two egg whites and one yolk beaten with some skimmed milk and a dash of spices, and 'fried' with a non-stick spray. The sausage would have been more like 'sausage' - something low-fat,  or worse, fake. The syrup would undoubtedly been fake - (most are anyway) and probably low cal.

Today's breakfast resembles that one in name only. Thick slices of two day old artisan bread, soaked in a mixture of free range eggs and fresh cream spiced with homemade vanilla and fresh grated nutmeg, cooked in grass-fed butter and topped with (real) maple syrup. The sausage is locally produced without the usual suspects (nitrates/ites, msg, etc)

I used to always feel like a failure for not being able to stick to my 'sensible diet'. Looking at this, I find it very easy now to understand why.



Thursday, July 12, 2012

Savoring Summer

I think I've coped pretty well during the last hectic six weeks or so. However, I'm now in a period of relative quiet. Other than a few sports events for various members of the family each week, I have very little scheduled. For me it's a good time to really focus on some areas of my life that need attention.

I'm catching up on rest and relaxation; doing things I enjoy like reading, gardening and cooking; getting some sunshine and spending time making 'moments' with my family; and of course, listening to my body.

In the area of food/eating, I am taking advantage of the relative quiet to really listen to my body. To try out a variety of foods, in various amounts and different times and circumstances and paying attention to the results to find out what works best for me.

Listening to my body is about more than food, though. For instance, I am working to organize my home better - de-cluttering, reorganizing and making meals for the freezer, so that life goes more smoothly - and I'll be less stressed-  the next time things get hectic.

But above and through it all, it's summer where I live, and it will be over before we know it. I don't want to let it get by without making the most of it - getting out for bike rides, hikes and days at the pool, breakfasts on the patio in the cool morning air, BBQs with friends, camping, fishing and trips to new places.

I guess I'd better get started.


Thursday, July 5, 2012

Food Rules

I overheard a discussion recently about what and how people should eat. It was the usual 'conventional Wisdom' that gets repeated. The things everyone 'knows' that are taken as truth simply because they are repeated so often.

One comment was that someone should stop eating bread. Bread is the 'worst thing you can eat'. I expected the reason to be carbs - but nope. It's because it has so many calories that you can't burn off.

Yep, that's what he said. While I waited for someone at the table to challenge this 'fact' I went through a list in my head of foods with more calories than a slice of bread. Yet mixed up as this statement was,  no one argued with it.

Next, the conversation moved on to when and how much one should eat. Of course, all heads nodded at the 'eat a large breakfast, the largest meal at lunch, and basically a snack for dinner'. All agreed that while this is the 'healthiest way to eat', not that they knew of anyone who ate this way, nor had they ever been able to do it themselves. Whether it was work schedules, or physical reasons, none of them explained why they couldn't do it.

Then there are those who eat by the clock. They decide what to eat or not eat based on what time it is. They prefer to go hungry rather than eat out of sync with the clock. And let's not even mention the idea of a non-traditional breakfast food at 8 am.

I don't want to debate whether this is a good way to eat or not. It was the nodding and acceptance without question that got me. No one asked 'why is this so?'. No one said 'Everyone is different. That may work for someone else, but it I tried it and it made me feel lousy'. No one said 'I eat when my body says, not when the clock says'.

I, however, can tell you why I eat the way I do. I don't follow anyone else's rules but my own, and my only rule is to listen to my body. I do what I do because it works *for me*, and I try to stay flexible. If my body tells me it's hungry I don't ignore it because it's not 'time to be hungry'.  If dinner leftovers sounds good to me at 8 am, I don't decide that's not appropriate breakfast food, and have an egg instead. And I know from experience if I eat too little at dinner I sleep badly and when I do sleep, I have nightmares, so none of that 'eat dinner like a pauper' thing for me.

I have to wonder what would happen if heads nodded in agreement at the idea of trusting our bodies instead of the latest diet advice. 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sticking to a Diet When Life is...

....busy, difficult, chaotic, unpredictable.....

All of the above?

I remember those days. I should, since I spent so many years of my life dieting.  How the lack of any semblance of a regular schedule or routine, like vacation, added stress that I really didn't need and took some of the enjoyment out of the experience. The eating at odd hours and the logistics of coordinating 'my' food and 'their' food, or worrying that a restaurant won't have food I'm 'allowed' to eat

Then there were the times I decided to put the diet 'on hold' of the duration. If anything, this was worse.  I would end up eating much more than normal - even more than I wanted to,  because of course, this was the only time I was going to allow myself to eat like this. And if I thought I was strict before - that was nothing compared to how strict I was going to be once I got home and found out how much weight I'd gained after a week or more of vacation eating. 

Our recent vacation was, at times, all the things I mentioned above. We traveled with a family quite different from ours, with different eating styles and habits, and we were often in isolated areas as well. Everyone had to adapt and compromise - and at times food choices were extremely limited.

More than once I thought about how stressful the experience would have been if I was trying to stick to a diet (and/or exercise program) in addition to everything else that was going on. Instead I was able to just go with it. Dinner at 11? Not ideal, but sure. Ice cream anyone? No problem ( and it was excellent ice cream, too). Spending hours (days?)  in the car? It will all balance out.

And it will.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

July First Check-in

My weight is still holding steady. It hasn't gone up or down at all this past month, which is actually quite a good result. Between visitors and a family vacation, it's been a crazy few weeks  - including spending several days in the car all day, eating out every day, dinners at odd hours - as late as 11 pm, lack of sleep, lots of stress and some darn good ice cream.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

Non-Diet Nutshell

Here's a short and sweet outline of Intuitive Eating:

http://fitnutconsulting.com/resources/newsletters/may12/IntuitiveEating.htm

What do you think?

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Body Image

Someone shared this article with me recently. There is much in it I can relate to. Can you?

http://tinyurl.com/84ue3sf

Monday, June 18, 2012

Moments

It occurred to me the other day, that it had been years since I last flew a kite. So I went out and bought one. I had to wait a while for the right day, but it was well worth the wait. It's amazing the feeling that come from launching a colorful shape up in the air and standing holding onto the string as it flutters overhead, tail streaming in the breeze.

When you look around, you notice everyone is smiling.

When's the last time you flew a kite?

Thursday, June 14, 2012

What She Said

I recently overheard a conversation between a couple of women discussing how much they 'hate' their thighs or some other part of their body. Usually it's thighs, but other parts figure in as well.

I remember the days when I said things like that. I'm not sure if I ever really meant what I said back then. I do know I don't think or talk about hating parts of myself anymore. There are unfortunately a few messages on this scale that hit too close to home.

http://quirkyblogger.com/2012/02/16/it-just-never-stops/

There's always something to work on. 




Monday, June 11, 2012

Moments

You know those things you put off until ____? Many of us have them. The places you'll go, the things you'll do...

The clothes you'll buy.

Like many women, I've put off buying myself any new clothes. The other day I decided I deserved better than to go around wearing the same few things day after day, or worse, things that didn't fit well so made me feel particularly frumpy.

So, I went out and bought a few things. Not a lot. Just a couple of things I really needed that I'd been putting off.

And then I promised myself I wouldn't put it off so long next time.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Other People's Food

Just when I think I'm doing well with my efforts to eat within hunger/fullness; not eating when I'm not hungry, and stopping when I'm full, regardless of how much food is left on my plate, a variation from my usual routine demonstrates to me that I still have considerable work to do when eating 'Other People's Food', hereafter to be known as 'OPF'. 

At home, it's fairly easy. I cook and serve the food. It's food I'm familiar with and I can judge fairly accurately how much food I require and an serve myself that much. If I need a bit more, I can get it. If I need a bit less, I leave some. On the rare occasions when we go out, that's also not a problem. We either share a meal, or I take part of mine home.

Not so easy for me is OPF. I don't know if it's the need to be 'polite' or what, but I take too much to begin with and then once it's on my plate, I feel like I 'have' to eat it. I had dinner at a friend's recently when this happened. Even though I was full by the time I finished half of it, I continued eating until it was gone.

How do you handle OPF?


Monday, June 4, 2012

A Weekend of Moments

Just remembering the wonderful weekend I had recently. There was a bit of everything - 'play'-time (tennis), a BBQ with good friends, breakfast on the patio on a sunny morning, a pool party - even some rain.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Good Morning, June

We have a busy day ahead. Gardening, swimming and a BBQ at the park with friends. But for now, I'm enjoying the early morning peace before the day begins. The sun is warm and there is a slight cooling breeze. The neighborhood is quiet - or at least as quiet as it gets. Just the sounds of the wind in the trees, the trickling fountain, and of course, lots of twittery birds.

Today was my weigh-in day - until the day I can back away from the scale for good, that is. I've felt like I've lost a bit of weight, and it turns out I'm down almost two pounds. Not bad for two weeks of not dieting.


Thursday, May 31, 2012

Maybe It's Time - and Not Just for Me

Is it just me, or are there more non-diet blogs every day? It's been a couple of months since I decided to stop dieting and nearly a month since I started this blog. At the time, I felt like a very small voice. I gradually found a few of the 'names' in the diet-free world. I started reading their blogs and following them on Twitter.

The last couple of weeks, though, I've started to see more 'regular' people ditching diets and starting blogs about it. It's certainly been a learning experience for me, and it's great to read others' experiences and solutions to the unique issues we face. It's also nice to not feel so alone.

If you have a non-dieting blog, or know anyone who does, please share.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Way to Bring a Conversation to a Rapid Conclusion

I was recently talking to a group of women when the talk turned - as it so often does - to their diets. One proudly showed her lunch of salmon and salad (with low fat dressing of course) and a diet cola, saying she was being 'good' today. The other frowned in embarrassment saying how much she admired the other woman and wished she could be like that.

Since I didn't have anything to say I stood nearby waiting for the diet discussion to end. Okay, maybe there was a LOT I wanted to say, but nothing I could say. My silence did not go unnoticed, though. One of the women said 'You're not saying anything. What about you?'

Of course, now I had to say something. It took me by surprise, so I didn't have any brilliant response. Not that I would have if I had more time to think. I don't recall the exact words, but it was along the lines of  'I don't diet anymore, so I don't really have anything to say'. Talk about a conversation stopper.

But if they ever decide they want to break up with diets, they know where to find me.




Monday, May 28, 2012

Moments

Making a pinhole 'camera' to watch the eclipse. And it actually worked :)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Snickerdoodle of Enlightenment

One of the things I have been known to say is that 'Life is too short to eat food you don't like'. Sometimes I'm referring to fake or 'diet food' like margarine or fat free cheese, other times I'm talking about food that's cold or burnt or otherwise not the way you like it, and then there are times you just aren't hungry anymore so you just don't want to eat anymore.

Then there are the times when the food is just plain not good. This time it was a lousy cookie. I don't mean lousy as in 'measly'. I mean lousy as in 'What do you have to do to a Snickerdoodle to make it taste this bad?',  and the obvious follow up question 'People actually pay for cookies this bad? Why?'. (yes, it was a storebought cookie. I'm not going to malign anyone's baking skills)

Eternal questions such as this aside,  I managed to follow my own advice for a change. I tossed it in the trash and didn't look back.

Somehow I think I'll be making cookies of my own later this week.


Monday, May 21, 2012

My Moments

We're had a lot of rainy weekends lately that have kept us indoors. Rain which, sure enough, cleared up just in time to go back to work.

Much as I love a rainy day, I love warm sunshine on my skin, fresh air and spending time outside. So after work I went for a walk in one of my favorite places. I didn't listen to music or anything but the sounds of the wind in the trees and the birds calling to each other. I watched ducks paddling in the lake and stopped for a family of geese crossing the path.  I'm looking forward to going back to see how they've grown.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Another Break-up

 I'm a bit ambivalent about today's post, but I've decided to go with it.

Yes, I want to focus on health and enjoying life, but I'd be dishonest if I said I didn't hope to lose weight, too. I also know that people reading who are considering abandoning diets will be interested to know if it's possible to lose weight without dieting.

So, today I weighed myself. I don't intend to do this every day. Daily weighing and then fretting over the number it shows is something I am hoping to break free from. I've tried to just weigh myself and not let the number affect me, but I've yet to achieve that. I'd like to reach the point where I can stop weighing all together, but I've decided I'm not ready to stop weighing all together. I've settled on a compromise - weighing twice a month, starting today.

It should be simple, right?


Monday, May 14, 2012

So, What Do You Eat?

One of the questions I get asked frequently, is 'What do you eat?' The general answer is 'Anything I want'.

Really. 

It sounds like a flip response, but it isn't. I really do eat whatever I want. It took me a while to learn to trust it,  but I believe my body has a much better idea what fuel and nutrients it needs at any given time than any external source. My job is to listen and trust it.

But here for a more specific answer is a snapshot of a typical day. This particular day was a Saturday. I woke up early so I baked a loaf of bread for breakfast. I also had a couple of pieces of bacon and an egg fried in the bacon fat.

We were out shopping at lunchtime, so we stopped at a mexican chain restaurant for lunch. It was rainy day, so I had a bowl of tortilla soup topped with cheese and sour cream. When we got home, I had a cup of tea.

Dinner was leftovers from earlier in the week. I had a bowl of chili with cheese and sour cream on top, and a slice of cornbread with butter. That was very similar to lunch, but I'm not the kind of person who's bothered by that. I had planned on having popcorn after dinner, but was too full so I didn't.

I don't plan how much I'm going to eat or how often. I tend to eat more at weekend meals, so don't need to eat as often as I do during the week when my meals tend to be smaller. I don't plan it that way, I think just being busy there isn't as much time to eat a large meal.

As to what I eat, as closely as possible I eat what I like and what sounds good to me at the time. Whatever it is it will not be low fat 'diet' food, and very seldom 'junk food'. Neither appeals to me from either a taste or health standpoint.

I'm working to find a balance between planning ahead and eating what and when I like. It's also important to me personally to be hungry for dinner time with my family which is another area I'm working on.  It's early days, though, and I believe as time goes on I will find that balance.


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Turning Point

Like many women, I have a history that includes dieting in various forms. Someday maybe I'll go into that history and how and why I decided to change it, but not now. Suffice it to say that at some point I decided life was too short for dieting. Too short to spend any more time judging myself by the number on the scale or the tag inside my clothing. Too short to count calories or grams or points or percentages or anything else the latest 'notadiet' declares is the item to watch.

Instead I intend to focus on improving my health, accepting myself and counting the things that matter. It's a long list. Life, love, family, happiness, health, peace - all the moments that bring joy to my life.