Staying on a diet is really hard. I never could do it for long. It was too hard to work against my needs and desires all the time. That kind of thing takes a lot of willpower. I have never had that.
So I don’t do that any more. Instead, I figure out how to get things I really want that can be part of a weight control lifestyle. An example is swimming. I picked an exercise I really like. I like swimming so much, that I happily go twice a week and look forward to it every time. I like swimming so much that I can use it as a reward. It’s something to look forward to, and enjoying your lifestyle is a way to keep it going without needing all your willpower.
My food intake and calorie count
Breakfast – 2x muffins (90); toast (130); and 2x Muenster cheese (70);
- 440 calories
Lunch – Aldi pizza half (570);
- 570 calories
Dinner – Fajitas: flour tortilla shell (140); marinated chicken breast (100); peppers and onions in cream sauce (80); muffin (90);
- 410 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (120); 8x Baklava cookies (260)
- 380 calories
Total for the day: 1800 calories (limit 1800 + 500 bonus from swimming, total 2300)
DIET and EXERCISE
The two most dreaded parts of losing weight must be diet and exercise. Who wants to do those? If you don’t want to do it, it takes limitless willpower to make yourself – you have to force yourself to do what you’d rather not and eat what you don’t like.
Except for swimming. I like to do that. I like riding my bike, but I haven’t done that in a few years. I am not a “ride 50 miles” kind of bike rider, anyway. 15 miles is plenty for me. So I guess I could exercise. (See what I’m getting at? Don’t start by running marathons or going to aerobics classes, or even swimming, if you dislike them. Pick one you have always liked.)
DIETING is the same. It’s a terrible word that people hate. Why do people hate to diet? Because you have to force deprivation on yourself. You feel deprived. Why? Because you are withholding what you want from yourself. Something it would be easy to give yourself. Do that for a while and you will be searching for reasons to break the diet and give up. So don’t do that.
Aim higher. What are your reasons for eating? How does it make you feel? Feeling full was always my goal before. It’s not a high goal, though. When I thought about it, I didn’t feel proud of that goal. And I could see how fulfilling that goal was resulting in overeating and weight gain. Eating until full at every meal? That couldn’t be right. The amount of comfort and satisfaction you get from that diminishes if it’s your only aim.
What is a higher aim? I talked about fulfilling your goal, and that is part of the answer. Change your goals. Change your mind. Choose goals that you can be proud of. Make them goals that are harder to reach than being full. Then meeting those higher and more challenging goals will be more difficult, but much more satisfying and meaningful to you.
LAST, I bought baklava today to try. It’s ok, but baked desserts bought in the store are never, ever as good as you can make yourself. I may have to make my own baklava in the future, though I never have before. On the other hand, I do like the tea cookies from Costco. But after I eat them all (and it’s Costco and that will take some doing) I will be cured for a long while. I will make my own desserts and enjoy them.
If fulfillment is your aim, what would fulfill you completely?
-The Doctor
I met a man of Lebanese heritage ( an oriental rug dealer and restorer) who makes his own baklava. He uses phyllo dough, sweet butter and all PISTACHIO NUTS! In the past I have used a combination of walnuts and pecans and another time I made it with almonds and grated citrus (lemon I think) and it was all delicious. Pistachio sounds yummy too! One piece and the rest into the freezer!