New Leaf
I'm turning over a new leaf. I know, I know, how many leaves IS that, at this point? But past leaves don't matter! They're dead to me! I'm starting fresh, and part of that is willfully forgetting just how many times I've started fresh in the last five years.
As of today, I will eat less and exercise more. This is the big dieting secret, by the way. All the Weight Watchers and Jenny Craigs and South Beaches are gimmicks built around one simple equation--put in less fat, work off more calories, and you will lose weight. The gimmicks are supposed to help you achieve that, but I find all that counting points and whatnot distracting. None of them have really worked for me before (although I know they work for many many people, and are scientifically proven, so I'm not knocking them or calling their validity into question, so Jenny, call off the lawyers) and this time, I'm going with a simple plan.
I will be active for two hours a day (which can include things like walking the dog) and I will watch my portion sizes carefully, trying to load up on vegetables and fruits and scale down the meats and carbs. And I'm going to try to eat real food, a la Michael Pollan. In Defense of Food is a very convincing argument for traditional diets (in the sense of a larger cultural tradition of eating). It's essentially eating only things our great grandmothers would recognize as food.
So I'm following this advice: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
(Don't worry, I'm not becoming a vegetarian. I just can't see that happening--I'm sort of morally and common sensically opposed to it. Plus, how can anyone just give up bacon like it's nothing? Unreal.)
Anyone want to add any diet advice? Tips, tricks? Things that have worked for you?
Sounds like you've got it right. Good luck with the new leaf!
Kwana said... March 13, 2008 at 11:09 AM
My mom has been on every diet under the sun, weight watcher, atkins..... She started the Transitions weight loss plan through Market America . It is based on suppliments along with eating low glycemic foods. You need to eat the right foods and excersise. It's not about weight it is about the inches. Check out my website www.marketamerica.com/jsshopping/. My mom said it is the first time in her life that she hasn't put the weight back on. She still has a little more to go but she said it is so easy to follow. I need to lose a little and I may even try it before the summer. I kind of follow it I just haven't done the suppliments yet.
Eileen said... March 13, 2008 at 2:21 PM
Wine is a fruit.
Anonymous said... March 13, 2008 at 4:26 PM
Wine is TOTALLY a fruit. And part of many traditional diets. Like the French diet.
Eileen, thanks for the info! That's great that it worked so well for your mom.
Louisa Edwards said... March 13, 2008 at 4:35 PM
It's funny, I think everyone is slowly but surely coming to the same conclusion, which is that all the artificial crap is killing us. Yeah, sure there were fat people a hundred years ago, but they were generally fat because they ate way too much, not because they ate things filled with transfats and other junk that made you crave more as if it were an addiction. I find it interesting that we're finally accusing tobacco companies of making cigarettes addictive, but no one has really accused anyone of the same thing with, say, Pringles potato chips.
And our great-grandmothers would know what wine is. Beer, too. It's Diet Coke they would have wondered about...
Nephele Tempest said... March 13, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Eat less. Exercise more. Works for me every time. It's what I'm doing now. And it does get easier, the longer you do it.
WILLPOWER!
Kristen Painter said... March 14, 2008 at 9:14 AM
Right on, Nephele. Seriously, I read AN OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA, and wanted to run right out and picket ConAgra and all those guys producing high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soybean oil. It's frightening.
Kristen, on that note, I'm going to the gym!
Louisa Edwards said... March 14, 2008 at 10:57 AM
I feel like this post was written for me! You got the secret. Work out more, eat less and oh my god, weight loss happens.
I'm working on it too. What I've found helpful is measuring out the food before you have it in front of you. Portion size is a huge factor!
Jenna Mayson said... March 18, 2008 at 2:28 PM
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