Ever notice how the first 3 letters of diet is DIE... I do not believe that this is a coincidence. Just saying the word makes me want to run to the refrigerator and scarf down anything that is not bolted down. It's like the moment I decide to diet, I become hungry, and a hungry me is a bitchy me. People just do not know how lucky they are when they walk away unscathed while I am on a diet. However, I have come to a point in my life where I have to do something, and I have to do it now. I am trading this body for a new one, and the cost of this new body? No more Dr. Peppers, no more fried and greasy foods, and possible a casualty or two.
That being said, I refuse to diet. I am not going to follow some fad diet where all I eat is meat (although I am an avid meat eater), or eat nothing but grapefruit, cabbage soup and peanuts, or plan my meals according to the moon. I WILL NOT DIET.
What I am doing however is relearning how to eat healthy. How sad is it that we have forgotten that simple lesson we learned while still in grade school. Remember that food pyramid that we all had to learn? We seemed to have somehow just pushed it aside for a food blob. One where hamburgers, french fries and pizza make up the biggest portion of that blob.
I joined TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) 2 months ago. When I stepped on the scale, I was shocked at how much I weighed. Lets just say that I need to loose 2 of me before I am where I need to be. Every Monday evening I have to be accountable to my self for each pound I either lose or gain. So far I have lost 26.5 pounds.
I have traded fried foods for bake or broiled foods, french fries for fresh broiled veggies, and sodas for teas and water. I have made and eaten foods that don't normally cross these lips. And you know what? So far I like it. I made Portabella pizza's this week and I was excited. I roasted asparagus and now I am hooked on them. No more canned asparagus for me. I have have eaten more fruit this past 2 months than I had all last year.
I have only a few rules that I hold myself to.
1. No more colas. I used to stop by the fast food joints and grab a large Dr. Pepper every day before going to work. No more. I now buy unsweetened tea.
2. No more red meat. I now buy boneless skinless chicken breast and wild salmon. I season both of these really well and so far I don't miss my thick steak. However, if one day I get hungry for steak then I will indulge, I just am not going to make it a weekly habit. Same goes for pork steak.
3. I will eat fruit first thing in the mornings, whether I am hungry or not. It jumps starts the digestive system with out over loading it.
4. Do not waste calories on foods I do not like. I don't like white bread, so when I buy bread I make sure that it has flavor. I would rather use extra calories for a good 12 grain bread than to use half of those calories on white bread. I just try to make healthier choices.
5. Do not punish my self when I make bad choices. I did not get into this shape over night, so I can't expect my years of bad behavior to change over night.
I will have bad days, where I will have an uncontrollable urge to go eat a blizzard, or a juicy hamburger, but be thankful that I am not dieting.
