Keeping a food journal is one part of the two-part weight control mechanism. The other part is weighing yourself regularly. You could say, “to control your weight, regulate your food intake and weigh yourself regularly.” “Weight yourself regular” isn’t good grammar but sounds good.
I’ve found that paying careful attention to what you are eating almost carries with it a command to set a limit. If you are counting the calories in your food, it follows that you are happier with a target number. How many calories is the right amount?
People who stay thin their whole lives have figured this out. They have a system, though it varies from person to person. They keep track of their weight and are careful to eat more or less depending on their weight. You could say they are obsessed with being thin and make it a high priority in their lives.
My food intake and calorie count
Breakfast – tea with half and half (80)
- 80 calories
Lunch – tea with half and half (80)
- 80 calories
Dinner – packet of beef jerky (90); 1 piece of ham and 3 pieces of chicken breast (100)
- 190 calories
Total for the day: 350 calories (limit 1800)
Listen to yourself
Mark Twain wrote that if your appetite doesn’t call you vigorously, with a shout, it is best to wait until it does, before you eat. He was saying that if he overate, he wouldn’t be hungry for his next meal and wouldn’t enjoy it. He wrote a short story about people whose appetites were fickle, apparently it was a common problem even then.
For me, there are strict rules governing my eating behavior (not always followed) and governing my recovery following a bad diet day. I cannot punish myself or it will destroy my ability to recover and my motivation for losing weight in the first place. My system relies on convincing myself with love and attention, to eat less. Punishment isn’t in it. Losing weight for me is a fulfilling and satisfying exercise.
I had a bad day yesterday – read the post. Today is a new day, but I couldn’t pretend I felt even a little hungry at breakfast or lunch. I felt my first stirring of hunger today at about 7PM and ate some jerky and ham and chicken because that is satisfying even in small amounts. My goal wasn’t to punish myself but to listen carefully and meet my own needs. I had tea for breakfast and lunch. I didn’t even really want that but thought I should, that it might help get my digestion moving again.
What effect does this have on my weight loss? I don’t know for sure, but in the past having a bingey day, even if the calories for the week worked out, don’t result in much weight lost that week. It’s like it takes a few days to get my system back in order. That’s a bit frustrating, but I generally had a good week otherwise and felt satisfied and happy. I don’t feel cheated, in other words. Living this new lifestyle, there’s not a feeling that I am starving myself or using a lot of willpower to keep myself on target (though it seems the forces inside me are carefully balanced and can occasionally tip me over).
I have learned I need to keep myself in good condition to make weight control work consistently. That means sleep, on top of all the listening and planning I do to keep myself happy. Tomorrow is a new day, but hopefully I will wake up hungry and have a normal new day. We can hope!
-The Doctor
Hi Doc. I disagree with Mr. Twain. Losing and maintaining the weight loss- a strong dip in calories is usually followed by a binge. It is the roller coaster of eating. Now in Mr. Twain’s day he was skinny. Skipping a meal made of unrefrigerated week old horse meat was probably a good idea… But, today, even when you are not hungry, at your specific times of day consume your required calories. 2000 calories a day, spread evenly across 3-7 meals per day, every day for life. Holding to this low calorie limit should trigger your hungry for meals statement – you are still under your TEE caloric requirements. But, the consistency will forestall binge eating to a large degree.