Eat Without Guilt » Nutrition

How To Eat Like a Naturally Thin Person

Dinneen — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:31:06 +0000

The other weekend I was at a friend’s house for a party, when all of a sudden a woman came up to me and said “You’re having a piece of cake?” “Yes,” I said, “and I’m enjoying every single bite.” The woman then replied, “Oh, you must be one of those naturally thin people…I can’t even look at a piece of cake and not put on 5 pounds!” Little did this woman know that for at least half of my life I dealt with overeating, emotional eating, binge eating, and yo-yo dieting. Quite often people see me eating a guilty food, see that I’m at a normal weight — so they just assume I’m a “naturally thin person.” What people don’t realize is that now, I have a relaxed relationship with food. And that was the turning point for me. Changing my relationship with food. So much of what I learned about food,… Read more

One Simple Trick to Improve Your Diet

Dinneen — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:06:19 +0000

I like to think I’m not like “most” nutrition experts. And though I’m all about nutrition — I also take a different road than most people out there. I’m not going to tell you exactly what to eat and when. Sure, I’ll give you my suggestions and advice — but I need to look at the individual as a whole and not just say “eat this, not that” (because if it was that easy you’d already be at your ideal weight). You see, most nutrition experts and Diets give their clients a list of foods to avoid. And guess what? As human beings — all too often we want what we can’t have. Let me say that again. We want what we can’t have. Think about it. Imagine I tell you right now, that you can never have another cookie again. Okay, forever seems way too long. So what if… Read more

Stuck In a Diet Rut? How to Easily Get Out of It

Dinneen — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:41:05 +0000

* Disclaimer: I don’t like the word “diet” — but unfortunately it’s what most people trying to live a healthy lifestyle relate to. Let’s face it — we’re creatures of habit and most often eat the same things over and over again. And whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your healthy lifestyle, or have a healthy relationship with food, it can get pretty boring. I know even for myself, though I’ve overcome my battle with dieting, poor body image, low self-esteem, and avoiding parties because I felt fat and like crap — and though I do lead an overall healthy lifestyle (chocolate included!) I sometimes find myself in a rut and not enjoying my food or exercise routine. So What Causes This Rut? Simply put: Boredom. Ourselves, our bodies, and our tastebuds get fed up. They’re saying: Another lunch of chicken breast, green beans and brown rice AGAIN? In… Read more

Is Snacking Really a Diet Trap?

Dinneen — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:34:34 +0000

I’ve been spending a few weeks visiting my brother outside of Dallas, Texas and to my surprise, my pants are feeling a bit looser (yay!). But when I say it’s a surprise, I really mean it. I’m one of those people that need to ‘schedule’ my eating, or I’ll get ravenous. Just ask anyone…when I’m hungry watch out! My blood sugar drops and I get a bit (or a lot) cranky. So I always have a snack with me, especially when I know I’m going to be out all day and may not be able to eat at my regularly scheduled time. So being away from home, my schedule is totally off, including my eating times. I like to eat three square-meals a day. I’m not a big fan of snacking, but I do so when I feel my tummy getting hungry so I’ll grab something (preferably healthy & with… Read more

Will Work For Food

Dinneen — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:30:53 +0000

A few weeks ago I had a bit on an epiphany. It was after lunch. I had eaten a small lunch so a few hours later was hungry and decided to have some of the nuts my husband had bought. But these weren’t a can or container of nuts. These were “real” nuts. You know, the kind with the shell still on them? There were Brazil nuts, almonds, and walnuts. So I took a handful and started opening them one-by-one with a nutcracker (let me remind you I haven’t done this in years). As I was doing this I realized I was putting effort into eating. In other words, I had to WORK to get my food. And anyone who has opened nuts with a nutcracker knows that it takes time. With the time and effort it took, after about five minutes I had eaten about only 7 or 8… Read more

My Elimination Diet: Update & surprising “diet” results

Dinneen — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:07:50 +0000

Back at the end of November (November 30, to be exact), I decided to eliminate wheat from my diet. Not to lose weight. Not to fit into my skinny jeans. And not as a “quick fix” to shed pounds before the Holidays. Instead, it was to see if wheat was causing, or at least contributing to, the eczema that had been on my face for quite some time. And after one week of being on the “diet” (no, not THAT kind of diet) I blogged about it. (To read more about my Elimination Diet and why “going on one” can be helpful at times, read my original blog post about it here.) So though I LOVE wheat (you could say it’s ‘my crack’ as I could easily get addicted to it) I decided to eliminate it from my diet for at least a period of four weeks (but ended up… Read more

An Easy Way to Keep Your Waistline & Health In Check

Dinneen — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:15:20 +0000

Want to cut down on calories to shed a few pounds? Concerned about high blood pressure, diabetes, or some other condition? Or do you just want good nutrition for an overall happier, healthier and more vibrant life? Well there’s one surefire way to keep all of those things easily in check — cook at home! When it comes to healthy eating, you just can’t beat your own kitchen. In fact, I’ll guarantee that the more you cook at home, the healthier you will be. Hands down, it’s the best and easiest way to be healthier and keep your waistline in check! The culture of the kitchen contains more wisdom about diet and health than you are apt to find in any nutrition journal, health book, or the latest diet best-seller. Cooking at home is truly the best way to control what foods go into your body. You and your family… Read more

The Secret to Surviving Thanksgiving Without the Weight Gain

Dinneen — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:53:14 +0000

Thanksgiving is often a stressful time for dieters or those trying to maintain their weight loss. ”Should I have the turkey without the gravy? Can I really stick to the veggies and not have some of the mashed potatoes made with real butter?” It’s like we’re in a constant dilemma all day long. We worry about how many calories are in each serving, or can we nibble on appetizers without going overboard, or can we really just take one serving of everything? So little time, yet so much on our minds. Last year I wrote about How to Enjoy Thanksgiving Without the Guilt, which is a good read for those of you worrying about feeling guilty after eating a bit more than you normally do, and how to deal with the voices in your head telling you to eat the carrots when what you really want is the homemade stuffing.… Read more

10 Simple Strategies to Eat and Shop Healthy (and Save!)

Dinneen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:21:20 +0000

If you’re looking for ways to save a little while food shopping, but don’t want to sacrifice good nutrition, you just may be surprised how easy it is to do both. Eating healthier foods can actually save you money. When people eat more healthfully (especially if the family does it together), they not only reduce their waistlines but their grocery bills go down too. When people decide to eat healthier and lose a few pounds they usually do (and should): reduce portion sizes, buy fewer high-calorie foods, and purchase less ‘extras’, foods that add lots of calories but have little nutritional value like chips, sodas, or donuts. These changes add up to savings at the grocery store. Though convenience and high-calorie foods may seem cheaper, but as they have little or no nutritional value people tend to eat a lot of them. Their body is saying “hey, I’m not satisfied… Read more

9 Healthy Tips to Surviving BBQ Season

Dinneen — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:51:46 +0000

It’s summertime and the season for firing up the grill for BBQ’s. But if you’re trying to watch your weight, the big spread of food can bring about stress and it’s easy to overeat or feel stuffed. With all of the chips, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and mayo-laden potato salad around it’s no wonder. Fortunately, I have some easy tips to help you stay on track, while keeping it healthy, enjoyable, and tasty: 1) Make or bring a healthy appetizer. Though we all enjoy chips, dips and nachos, personally I’ve found once I dig in to them (especially when I’m really hungry) it can be hard to stop. So instead I make it a habit to bring a healthy appetizer like veggies and hummus. Good and easy choices are cut up (or baby) carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and bell pepper strips. This way there’s at least one healthy snack to… Read more