Behold the StroopWafel, the Dutch contribution to world desserts. It may look like an ordinary waffle cookie, but it’s impregnated with a caramelized syrup (stroop) and covered with cinnamon. Each one is 160 calories. Not long ago, I would have eaten four or five of these without thinking about it much. At that time, I was not following the two principles I have developed for successful weight control: (1) monitor your weight and (2) regulate your food intake. And I was in no position to follow them. I hadn’t admitted to myself that I needed to change anything.
My daily food intake and calorie count are:
Breakfast – egg salad open face sandwich (290), strawberry shortcake roll (last piece, 180 calories)
- 470 calories
Lunch – 2 x open faced egg salad sandwiches (290); homemade jambalaya (200); ham (100)
- 880 calories
Dinner – 4 x pizza slices (100).
- 400 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (80); stroopwafel cookie (160)
- 240 calories
Total for the day: 1990 calories (limit 1800 + 500 bonus from swimming, total 2300)
My old goal, when eating stroopwafels (or anything else really), was to eat it until I was totally full. I taught myself over the years that being totally full was the same as being satisfied and happy. Also, my desire to be frugal meant I would eat food rather than throw it out, and I would happily eat a share of free food at the office (cakes, etc). When I realized that I had to change, I had to let go of all that thinking and find new ways to be satisfied. It’s good that the ways I found provide deeper satisfaction than “full belly”. Now, I pay a lot of attention to what I am eating. Is paying all that attention worth the effort?
When I think about foods like store bought cake, or prepared food from grocery stores (and may restaurants) I will now pass that kind of food by. A lot of food is not worth the calories. That may sound a bit ungrateful (not too long ago, most humans were only a few meals away from starving), but I have a serious problem that needs care and attention. I am seriously overweight and was out of control. I am still not 100% in control.
Maybe you have a weight problem, too. If so, you will have to let go of your old thinking, like I did. Your relationship to food might be different than mine. The particulars of why you overeat could be completely unrelated to my experience. But your goal is still to be in control of your body and its weight. You can’t let other priorities be higher than that one. Become a person who is capable of controlling your body’s weight. That has a lot of meaning, and there are consequences to the change. Watch me live them out. You can do it too.
Today was a swimming day. Based on how I did with my lap times, I am still not 100% well, following my intestinal illness of the last week and a half. But there are promising signs that I am getting better. My body and mind are working together a little better. We will see the results tomorrow, because that’s a weigh-in day. I feel like the result will be in a positive direction. If not, this new lifestyle is still the best game around. Living like this is much more satisfying than the old way.
-The Doctor