Why Waiting to be Skinny Could be Hazardous to Your Health

Is Snacking Really a Diet Trap?

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 some protein) to hold me over (so I don’t pig out when dinner time rolls around!).

And though I’ve eaten more than my far share of beef these last few weeks (hey, I’m in Texas….they know their beef!), not to mention the hamburgers, chicken tortilla’s, and frozen chocolate bars, my stomach feels lighter.

So what the heck is going on?

I know for a lot of my clients, they’ve heard over and over again that snacking is good for you.  And sure, snacking CAN be a good thing.  But all too often, these ‘snacks’ become as big as regular meals.  And I find too many people eat all day long (but in their head they’re just ‘snacking.’)

We’ve literally become trained to snack all the time.  And we can eat, or drink, almost anywhere, any time of day, and purchase food (even prepared foods) everywhere we turn.

We’ve also become trained NOT to feel our hunger.  We’ve been told over and over again by experts, the media, and food company that we need to snack.

Back to my story — I’ve realized that although I’ve been eating a bit more ‘forbidden’ foods these last few weeks.  I have NOT been snacking.   AND…I’ve been eating when I’m hungry, and yes, stopping when I’m full.  When my body says, “Okay Dinneen, it’s time to fill me up with some food so I can have energy and feel better,” I sit down and eat a real meal.  I’m not picking all day at food.   I’ve been listening, really listening, to my hunger signals.

Here are some other tidbits I’ve noticed over the last few weeks that will help YOU not to fall into the snack-trap that can unknowingly pack on some unwanted extra pounds:

1)  Eat Enough Protein.  After just a few weeks working with my clients, I often find they’re not eating enough.  Yup, that’s right….they’re not eating enough.  When trying to lose weight, this can surprisingly be an issue.   Sure it’s great to cut-down on the chips, soda, ice cream, and apple pie a la mode when trying to shed some pounds.  But what dieters do is fill up mostly on veggies, fruits, and so-called ‘diet’ foods.  Now at face value that might seem okay.

But what often happens is you’re eating too many fruits & vegetables, and not enough protein….and not leaving room for some special treats from time to time.  So our bodies use up the fruits and veggies pretty quickly — especially as we often kick our exercise up-a-notch when losing weight — and our bodies get depleted.  We also need to remember to get enough protein.  Sure, healthy protein is better, but even eating beef can really do your body good.  I’ve been getting my fair share of protein lately, but squaring it off with enough vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Now before you freak out, I’m not advocating the Atkins diet — but I do often find that we (especially Americans) eat too little protein, or not the right kind.  So be sure you’re meals have a good portion of healthy protein.

And for you vegetarians, vegans, or raw foodies out there — yes, eating lots of fruits and vegetables IS a good thing.  But we also need to be sure to get enough protein, even if it’s in the form of whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds or other non-meat sources.

2)  Filler Up by eating Three Square Meals.  Don’t go skipping breakfast or not eating lunch simply because you want to save calories.  Yes, you do need to make sure you’re not eating too many calories, but don’t get caught in the feast or famine thinking.

In addition, it’s been recently shown that trying to spread out your calories for the day — rather than sitting down to regular meals — may throw off your body’s internal clock.  Which just makes it more difficult for your body to recognize hunger and satiety cues — to the point that you no longer ‘feel’ or understand what it’s like to be hungry, but you also never feel quite full. (More on that on tip #4).

3)  Have a Purpose.  aka, keep busy.  Don’t you ever notice when you’re bored, or not really enjoying what you’re doing, all you want to do is eat?  Sure, you might think you’re hungry, but many times it’s just because the food ‘is there’ or we’re bored…so we eat.  While I’ve been in Texas I’ve had a purpose: helping take care of my brother.  This has included doing errands, driving him to doctor appointments, physical therapy, or to the supermarket.  I’ve been busy.  But not just busy as in ‘things to take up my time’…I’ve been busy doing things that make me feel useful, and give me a sense of purpose.

Ever notice when you’re really involved in a project that you really enjoy, time just goes by and look at the clock and realize you haven’t eaten in hours?  Or you’ve missed lunch?  (okay, maybe that doesn’t happen to you…).  This is often because we eat when we’re not really physically hungry.  But when you’re involved in something you really like, you don’t have time to get bored.

You stop and realize your stomach is growling or you’re body needs some food for energy.  It’s kind of a way of ‘training’ your body to speak for you….and not your mind.  Because all too often we think we’re hungry and getting signals from our body, when in reality it’s our mind telling us it’s hungry .  Our mind isn’t hungry, it’s that we’re bored, angry, frustrated, or just looking for something to keep it busy.

Which brings me to…

4)  Listen to your BODY.  Do you find yourself eating, simply because the clock says 12 noon, or it’s time for your favorite tv show, or because the kids are home from school so ‘it’s time to eat’?  Now there’s nothing wrong with keeping a regular eating schedule.  I do.  But on days when I just don’t feel hungry at 12 noon, I stop and ask myself “am I really hungry?”, and think about my plans for the next few hours.  If I’m not hungry, and have the time to eat 30 minutes or an hour later, I’ll wait.  However, if I’m at my office and know in an hour I have a call with a client, I’ll have some lunch even if I’m not quite fully hungry.  But I’ll eat accordingly.  I’ll eat just enough to fill me up and keep my body running, and if I need a snack later on I’ll grab one.  But I don’t kid myself that my ‘snack’ is a meal replacement.  It’s not.  It’s merely something small to keep my energy levels up.

5)  Grazing is for animals.  Okay, now there’s nothing wrong with grazing.  But grazing can turn into ‘eating a whole meal’ without even realizing it.

So if you DO snack, yes, it’s okay.  But sit down at a table, even use a small plate, and pay attention to what you’re eating so you’re focused on the food.  Don’t go grab a granola bar and eat it while walking around the house or sitting at your office desk.  Okay, I realize that’s not always feasible.  But back in the day when I worked in the corporate world, when I did have a snack I would sit at my desk, away from my computer, and take 5 minutes to sit and focus on my food.  Even if it’s just an apple.  But really paying attention to that apple (instead of reading emails) can make a big difference.

And like I mentioned earlier, it has been suggested that eating regular meals is better than grazing all day long.  And if you think about many other cultures where the obesity rate is lower than here in the U.S., oftentimes they don’t snack.  Or they only snack from time to time.  It’s not a daily thing.

6)  It’s OKAY to feel hunger.  We’re often afraid to get hungry, thinking that if we do we’ll devour the whole plate of chocolate chip cookies.  But that’s not the case.  Unless you allow yourself to get too hungry or ravenous, those are the times when you want to eat everything in site.  But having some hunger is a good thing.  Yes, it’s a good thing.  It’s your body’s internal cue of when it’s time to eat.   So don’t fear hunger — honor it.  Sure, it can take some time to realize the point when hunger turns to ravenousness, but over time you’ll start to interpret the signals better.  But in order to do that, you need to FEEL hunger.

Now this doesn’t mean you need to be really hungry every time you eat, whether it be a meal or a snack, but give your body enough time to get hungry so you can know what it feels like.   I’ve had many clients admit to me that they’ve never  felt hungry.  They’re so afraid of hunger that they’re constantly eating and snacking all day to ward it off.  So learn to listen to your hunger, honor it, and you’ll learn how to read it’s signals better and better.

So though snacking can be a good thing, just be aware that’s it’s something to hold you over until your next meal.  Eat three square meals a day, eat balanced meals, get enough exercise, have a sense of purpose in life, listen to your body — the ingredients to ANY happy life, whether you want to lose weight or not — and you’ll feel better, look better, and wonder why you didn’t do this all along.

So what are you’re thoughts on Snacking?  Do you do it regularly, sometimes, or never at all?  Do you feel it helps you keep your weight in-check, or do you think it could be a trap allowing you to eat too much and not really feel your hunger signals?

The Latest Diet Victim

As I started my week on Monday morning, I sat down with my coffee (yes, cream and sugar) and put on the television to catch up on some news.  So I tuned into Good Morning America.  Now I do realize these morning shows don’t really give us much ‘news’, but as I have my coffee in the morning I like to catch the weather forcast and there’s not much else on besides these morning shows.

But they often (excuse my French)…..piss me off.

Why?

Because it seems at least once a week (actually, it’s usually a few times a week) they have a story about weight-loss.  And the “right” foods to eat.  And the right diet.  And how to be slim and happy.  Yadda, yadda, yadda…

“Lose 10 pounds by eating superfoods!” “Sugar is bad (no wait, good) for your heart!” “Lose belly fat for good!”  ”How to walk off the weight!”  ”Celebrity diet secrets!” they scream.  It’s like I’m watching the cover of the latest diet magazine.

Anyway, on Monday they had Jason Alexander (aka George Constanza on “Seinfeld”) who is the new Jenny Craig spokesperson.  (The last company he was a spokesperson for was KFC.  Go figure).  Now, nothing against Jason, he was funny as hell on Seinfeld.  But what he was saying about his weight-loss just irked me.

Why?

Because he talked about how he was “fat” and how his eating had “gotten out of control the last 20 years.”  Now I wouldn’t really consider him fat — sure, he could have lost a few pounds but he didn’t seem so overweight that it was a health issue.  But I get it.  He wanted to look and be slimmer.  I get it.

But it seems (actually, it’s clear) that Jenny Craig is now going after the male population.  Now they too have to be slimmer, sexier, and wear a smaller pants size to be a better person.  There is “Jenny Craig for Men.”   Now men are the target of the diet industry, which I guess really shouldn’t come as a shocker.

But then Jason went on to say how it’s all about “calories in vs. calories out.”  Which is something we hear all of the time.  But I gotta tell you… weight loss is NOT just about that.  Because 1000 calories of fruits and vegetables does NOT equal 1000 of burgers and fries.  And just eating the “right” amount of calories and burning off the “right” amount of calories does not equal a good diet.

He then went on to talk about how he had “no willpower” and “if it (the diet) is hard, I’m not a good candidate.”   “If this was really difficult, I’d be a dismal failure,” he continued.  Then he went on to say — which is what really irked me — that they, Jenny Craig “do all the work for you.”

So basically, what he was saying was — I don’t want to work for it, I don’t want to think about it, just give me what I need to eat and I’ll be thin.” Which I guess it what a lot of people want — fast, easy, quick, no-brainer.

Here’s the problem: losing weight shouldn’t be, and isn’t, about willpower, doing the ‘right’ things, and it’s definitely not about someone giving you a meal to microwave (which Jenny Craig does) and telling you to eat it.  Jenny Craig’s system is set up that you buy and eat their prepared foods.  Sure, they say you also need to incorporate some healthy fruits and vegetables….hello?  Not rocket-science.  But if you don’t even have to think about what the heck you’re eating, how are you going to keep the weight off?

On top of it, but if Jason (and everyone else wanting to lose weight) doesn’t look into the deeper reasons as to WHY you overeat, you’ll never keep the weight off.  You’ll be constantly struggling with food.  Even if you don’t think it’s a struggle, let me tell you it will be.

Back to his comment that “they” do all of the work for you.  If you really want to lose weight — I mean REALLY — then YOU have to do the work.  And I’m not just talking about the cooking, eating right, and exercising.  I’m talking about the inner work. Because the majority of people who are overweight didn’t get there simply because they ate the wrong foods, or didn’t exercise, or because they ‘love’ food.

It’s because they weren’t willing to look deeper into themselves to get to the root of the issue. (read that again).

And no, it’s not about going back to your childhood and solving your ‘problems’….it’s about becoming real with who you are, what you want out of life, and what’s going on inside.  Once you understand why you eat, what you’re really hungry for, how to love yourself (and your body), and to feel true fulfillment in life you won’t need the false security that food provides.

Even Valerie Bertinelli, the female spokesperson for Jenny Craig, talked about in her second book Losing It, that “dieting fixes one problem, but to maintain that weight loss, you have to work on everything else.”   Let’s hope Jason Alexander soon realizes the same.

What the Diet Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

I’ve seen too many women spend years dieting, spending hundreds (more like thousands) of dollars on weight-loss programs and diets.  And having self-esteem issues because they just ‘can’t follow the diet.’

Well, you might not like hearing this, but…

The multibillion dollar diet industry thrives on your failure.   They need you to keep coming back to them for business.  The diet and weight-loss industry is built on repeat business.  It would be a very short-lived business if we all succeeded the first time.

And let’s face it, if they could really show you how to lose weight AND keep it off — you wouldn’t have to keep purchasing their products, attend their meetings, and buying their special foods.

And some of the “big name” diet and weight-loss organizations are owned by food companies ….(makes you think, huh?).

Americans alone spend over $55 billion (yup, Billion!) dollars a YEAR on weight-loss products.  And as a nation we keep getting heavier and heavier.  I think the ‘industry’ is doing something right — to put money in their pocket.

And let’s face it — diets don’t work.  There are different statistics out there, some even saying that 95% of all people on a diet gain the weight back within a few years.  I can tell you from my own personal experience this has been true for me.

In addition, diets do NOT teach you how to trust yourself.  The basic message of a diet is:  if you trusted yourself, you would start eating at one end of your kitchen and chew all the way across the U.S.  (okay, I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea).  But basically they tell you that if you trusted yourself  you’d never stop eating.  So, you need to trust them and their ‘rules.’  And do what they say, as opposed to learning to listen to yourself.

Another thing that is that weight-loss should not be the goal.  It should be the by-product of learning how to listen to your body for when it’s hungry, what is needs, and what it wants.  In other words –a healthy relationship with food, weight and your body.   Because when you lose weight….you don’t lose the reasons WHY you turned to food in the first place.

Let me repeat that:  when you lose the weight, you don’t lose the reasons why you turned to food in the first place.

For these reasons, and many others, is why I started Eat Without Guilt in the first place.  I struggled for so long, yo-yo dieting, feeling like a failure, that I had no willpower, that I just couldn’t follow the “rules”, and that if I could ONLY just lose weight I would be happy, joyful, peaceful and content.  Losing weight would make me not only happier, but a better person.  Boy was I wrong.

I want to help as many people as I can break free of the diet and overeating cycle and live a healthier, more satisfying life.  And to set you free so you can continue it on your own.  And to learn how to support YOURSELF.

And that’s just one of the reasons why I created an Intuitive Eating Success Class – to set you free and give you the tools to continue it on your own…for life.  Without having to pay me over and over again.  I’d love nothing more to have you in my course, and then see you continue on your own without my help (I’m not kidding!).

You see (especially women) we are so good at supporting everyone around us that we tend to put ourselves at the bottom of the list. We are constantly under pressure, overwhelmed and have many demands at both home and at work. We expect ourselves to be superwomen….and everyone else does too.  So for many, this translates into having an unhealthy relationship with food. The only way we know to give ourselves a break or a ‘treat’ is to eat something.

I want women (and men) to get back on the path to returning to your own natural instinct to eat when you are hungry and stop when you feel comfortably full or satisfied. So you never have to spend a dime on weight loss products again.  Ever.

My intuitive eating course, and my eat without guilt philosophy, is not a diet or plan.  Instead, it’s about  regaining the pleasure and enjoyment of eating without guilt and punishment.  About learning how to listen to yourself and your body.  How to discover if you’re really hungry, what you’re hungry for, and to bring complete awareness to what you are eating.  How to begin creating lasting peace with food.

About how to uncover your automatic response to emotions – and how to steer it away from food (because so many of us turn to food for emotional reasons, not physical ones.  Or we’ve been dieting or overeating for so many years that we no longer ‘know’ the difference between to two).

It’s about helping you respect your body and do what’s right for YOU (not what the newest ”study” or weight-loss guru says).

That’s what I’m all about.  Helping people get back to learning how to trust themselves again. And be really comfortable around food.  And not dieting and feeding the diet industry.  But to learn how to feed ourselves, our body and soul, and treating ourselves with kindness….NOW, not when we lose the ‘weight.’

So, what are your thoughts?  Do you agree, do you think I’m being too negative (about the diet industry)?  What has been your experience with diets?  I’d love to hear your thoughts — and yes, even if you don’t agree with what I say.  That’s the main reason for this post!  To start a discussion…

(for information about the upcoming Intuitive Eating Success class, just click here)

5 Surprising Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

Despite doing all of the right things — trading those potato chips for a wholesome snack, cooking and preparing your meals at home, and getting regular exercise — you’re still struggling to shed those last 10 or 20 pounds (or more!).  And it seems you’ve been at it for weeks (months, years!) and you can’t get those darn last pounds off.

Don’t  just assume you can’t reach your goal — you can!  Of course, you do need to make sure your weight-loss goal is a realistic one, but all too often I find that even “healthy” habits can get in the way of the scale moving in the right direction.

Okay, you think I’ve lost it.  You’re thinking, “How can healthy behaviors be getting in my way?”  Well oftentimes just some small adjustments can make big payoffs.  Here are some surprising reasons why you’re not losing the weight and how to switch up your strategy to get that scale moving down a notch:

1)  You’re loading up on whole grains.  You’ve cleared your pantry of snacks made with white flour and replaced them with heart-healthy whole-grain versions.  But many of these snacks can be high in sugar, fat and sodium…not to mention calories.

I recently was at a supermarket where you can sample some of the products, and I saw they had a “healthy, whole-grain, organic” granola bar.  I’m always looking to try something new, so I took a small piece.  Within a few seconds the sugar content was just too overwhelming for me.  I looked at the package — for 1 serving (one bar at 35 grams) it had 13 grams of sugar!  I was thinking, “I’d rather just have a cookie!” and it was a quick reminder why I don’t often eat “packaged” snacks (if I have a cookie, 8o% of the time I bake them myself).   And studies have shown that those who eat the least amount of processed whole-grain foods (like snack foods and crackers) enjoy the biggest weight-control benefits.

So even if that packaged food is “whole grain” or has some other health-claim on it (and beware of those claims….) remember it is still packaged food.   Aim to eat things like brown and wild rice, bulgur, quinoa, spelt and oatmeal instead.  And try to keep the majority of your whole grains as close to “whole” as possible — meaning less processed.  A whole food (ie, real food) is much better for you than anything out of a package.

2)  You allow yourself a “cheat day”…or two.  Being one of my readers, and I’m sure from your own personal experience, you know that denying yourself all treats when trying to lose or maintain weight can set you up for a binge.  So your solution?  For being “good” during the week you allow yourself to splurge on weekends.  Now I’m not against having a cheat day here and there, but for many this feast or famine mentality can backfire.  And too often one cheat day turns into two, then three, and before you know a week (or weekS!) have gone by and you’re right back at where you started.

So if you do have a cheat day — keep it to a DAY.  And don’t use it as a free-pass to go crazy.  Don’t start the day with donuts for breakfast, then McDonald’s for lunch, and a huge pizza for dinner.  Allow yourself some treats or your favorite foods — but keep it to a minimum.  One good strategy is instead of having a cheat day, allow yourself a FEW SMALL treats a few times during the week, rather than waiting until Friday night to splurge.

3)  You make your own meals. Okay, cooking your own meals is one of (if not THE) best strategies for weight-loss, maintaining weight-loss, and overall better health.  But if you’re not mindful, some bad habits in the kitchen can easily translate into extra pounds.  For example:  picking at food while you cook, using a heavy hand with sauces and dressings, taking second (or third) helpings, and nibbling leftovers as you’re clearing the table.  So preparing and cooking your own meals is great, just be aware of some of these little ‘habits’ than can backfire if you’re not careful.

So get out there and cook — but don’t nibble too much and be aware of the “mindless eating” that can go on.

4)  You’ve made and keeping to a routine.  Now having a routine is good.  But often when it comes to our food, even healthy food, we can get STUCK in a routine.  Meaning we’re eating the same things over and over again.  You have a handful of recipes and meals that you prepare week after week.  And even if they’re healthy, you’re body starts to adjust.

So you need to try some new things and shake it up a bit.  And your body needs to get some different nutrients, minerals and vitamins.  So if you always have a banana with your cereal for breakfast, switch it up and and have some fresh berries instead.  Or whip up a fruit smoothie.  Maybe you have a salad with grilled chicken a few times a week for lunch  Make things different (and get some great Omega 3′s) and have a piece of salmon instead.  If your normal veggie with dinner is either broccoli or carrots, try something new like a spinach, kale, swiss chard, squash, zucchini, okra, leeks….the list goes on.  The point is you may need to be eating some different things to introduce to your body, AND to keep your taste buds happy.

5)  You like your exercise program.  It’s BEST to enjoy the exercise you’re getting, but you’ve been doing the same exercise routine for months.  Maybe you walk for 30 minutes 5 days a week.  Walking is great, but at some point you’re going to need to step it up or at least switch it up to see more weight loss.

Replace one day of walking with swimming, tennis, dancing, a fitness class at a local gym, yoga, running, do an exercise video at home….you get the idea.  But you need to challenge your body and to work different muscles.  And just like with your food, it’s a great way to avoid boredom.  Even if you love walking, add in some different exercises from time to time (or for even better results, at least once a week).

At the gym I often find myself doing the same old things:  elliptical or treadmill, some free weights and crunches (for my abs).  But at least every other week I force myself to do something different.   Even if it’s using a weight machine instead of the free weights.  The next day I’ll feel it in muscles in areas of my body I didn’t know existed!  Or I’ll take a stretching or yoga class.  Just something to keep my body (and mind) challenged and working a different area.

So don’t let an exercise routine become too habitual.  Time to time shake things up a bit and try something new.  You just might be surprised how your body reacts (in a positive way!)

So if the scale hasn’t moved for a while, take a look at some areas that could use some tweaking.  Though your body does need time to adjust to any weight loss, it is normal for the scale to not move much during a week or two.  But if it’s been weeks or months — take a closer look at making some small changes even if you’re doing everything “right”.

Some small tweaking could be just what your body needs to move the scale in the right direction.  As that’s what losing weight, and keeping it off, is all about….continually learning, fine tuning, and being open to new things.  Come to think of it, that’s what LIFE is all about.  And making the best of your life is what should be your motivation.  So shake things up!

My Elimination Diet: Update & surprising “diet” results

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 doing it for five).  Then, as elimination diets go, one slowly adds back the food into their diet to see if it really is the “culprit.”

So here’s a lowdown of how it went for me, and what was in my thoughts during the process:

Week One: At first never thought I’d survive (there’s SO MUCH wheat in the American diet, even for someone like me who eats healthy).  First few days were difficult.  You know how you want what you can’t have?  But I knew, at least for a little while, it was only temporary.  But then by the end of the week I was feeling GREAT!  I was sleeping better, less bloated, had more energy, and my often ‘runny nose’ was going away.  Things were really looking up.  And my skin was getting better.

Week Two: Wow, can’t believe how good I feel.  And I’m not missing wheat so much anymore.  Thinking to myself, “why didn’t I do this before?”  Pants started to fit better, and though I did NOT weight myself — I’m guessing I lost a pound or two.  Okay, not much, but I don’t NEED to lose weight, and it wasn’t my goal.  Still sleeping good, got lots of energy, and overall feeling great.

Week Three: Oh my goodness, I miss pasta.  And bread.  And pizza.  And cereal.  And I feel like I’m running out of things to eat.  Energy just okay…..feel like I need to snack (on things like nuts) in order to keep my energy level up.  And missing my breakfast of cereal or whole wheat bread with all-natural peanut butter.  I eat breakfast and 2 hours later I’m hungry!!   Hmmm, what’s going on?  And, my eczema:  though skin looked like it was getting better the first week, is back to normal again. Eczema is still here.  Argh….probably why I feel like I want wheat.  But I keep on the road.

Week Four: (Christmas week)  Cravings (that were in my head in Week Three) are gone.  Don’t really care if I ever have pasta again (okay, who am I kidding??).  But seriously, I know that I can survive on eating a lot less wheat.  And went to Christmas Eve party where there was LOTS of wheat (think pasta, sandwiches on big thick rolls, cookies, more pasta….) I didn’t eat any…..and I was happy with it!  But was still able to eat and enjoy myself at the festivities.  Ditto for Christmas Day.  But my skin hasn’t really improved much.  Eczema is still there.  Same as before.  Runny nose coming back a bit (though less than it was before).

Week Five: (New Year’s week)  Still not seeing improvement in my skin or runny nose.  Though overall I’m feeling good, and my energy level is also pretty good, I’m getting a bit bored.  Yeah, my pants were feeling a bit better but now they’re back to where they were at Week One.  By not eating wheat I’m finding it “easy” to eat too many potatoes, and I even had potato chips at party two weeks ago.  And I’m finding I’m eating these foods (which I normally don’t each much, if at all) because I feel like “I can” and “I’m allowed too, ‘cuz hey, I’m not eating wheat!”  Which is exactly what happens to a lot of first-time vegetarians (but that’s a blog post for another time).

As the New Year rolls around, I decided to slowly let wheat back into my body.  Slowly.  And you know what?  Nothing changed.  Skin didn’t get worse, neither did runny nose.

So here’s my diagnosis (and I’m not a doctor….this is based on my personal and educated knowledge of both food and my body):  it’s not the wheat that is the culprit (or part of the culprit) to my eczema.

So what’s the reason for my increased energy, better sleeping, and what looked like better skin?  And what about my pants fitting slightly better???

Well, that’s simply because by not eating wheat, I WAS eating  TON of vegetables.  On a regular day/week I eat a lot more vegetables than the average American, and I already eat fairly healthy….but I was eating really, really well those first 2 weeks (until I started eating potato chips and other junk to replace the wheat).  I was the “Veggie Queen” and loving it.  And I was eating more fruits than normally this time of year (as it’s not really fruit season here in Boston, if you know what I mean).

So in order to “replace” the wheat, I was eating a lot more vegetables.  And yes, I was eating really healthy things like quinoa (a personal favorite) and lentils (lentils are awesome! I first “discovered” them when I lived in France and a great alternative to animal protein too), and beans.  Oh, and water too.  Don’t ask me why but I found myself drinking a lot of water (which is more difficult to do during the winter months)

So it WAN’T the fact that I “eliminated wheat” from my diet — but rather it WAS the fact that I was “adding in” a lot more really good things for me (that is, until I started eating potato chips….haven’t I mentioned that like 5 times already?)

So what am I doing now?  Well, to get rid of the eczema:  instead of the $50 bucks cream my dermatologist prescribed for me (which irritated my skin even more) —  I bought the generic $3 bucks over-the-counter Hydrocortisone which has done wonders.

And I’m now eating less wheat than before, and I’m feeling really good.  Though I do need to make it a conscious effort sometimes to think “lentils, beans, or quinoa” instead of wheat, I’m amazed how easy it is to still eat SOME wheat, but cut it down a lot (without missing it).  Oh, and now that I “can” eat wheat, I’m not eating things like potato chips to satisfy my “craving.”

AND, during those five weeks of my Elimination Diet I tried a lot of new recipes like lentil soup and different bean soups, chickpeas, edamame…I could go on & on….and ate a lot of variety especially in my veggies.  I had forgotten how much I loved things like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and other winter and root vegetables.  And it got me eating a lot of foods I liked, but hadn’t eaten for a while (like the lentils, chickpeas, edamame, parsnips).

So — moral of the story?  – even for ME, an expert in food & nutrition who has been able to keep her weight in a healthy range for many years and got over emotional eating…..time to time needs to “shake things up” a bit.  And that doesn’t mean you have to (or should) eliminate one food (or food group) from your diet.

The reason I did the elimination diet was to see if I had a SENSITIVITY or ALLERGY to a food — NOT to lose weight.

And I’m a better person for it as I’m eating a lot of foods I had forgotten about.  And it reminded me that nature has given us so many wonderful and good tasting foods that one doesn’t need to go looking for the perfect food or the fat-blasting superfood…..all foods that nature gave us are “super”.  We just need to eat a wide variety and keep (and maybe discover) new things all the time.

An Easy Way to Keep Your Waistline & Health In Check

My Elimination Diet

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love pasta.  I LOVE it.  And bread.  And crackers.  And cereal.  And cookies.  And muffins.  And couscous.  And pizza.  Did I mention bread?  And pasta?

Basically, anything made from wheat.  In a sense, you could say wheat is my ‘crack.’  I love it, love it, love it and can’t imagine my life without it. That is, until last week…

For the past year and a half I’ve had eczema on my face. I’m not new to eczema.  I’ve had it at different times during my life since I was a child, and each time I get it in different areas:  my feet, my hands, my legs, my butt (yup!), and most recently my face.  I would get it, visit the dermatologist, get a cream to put on it, and within a couple of months or weeks it would be gone.

But it would always eventually come back.  Either in the same area or a new one.

So why am I talking about eczema on my blog about food and weight-loss?

Because I’m beginning to believe this lifetime of eczema is related to FOOD.

I saw my dermatologist this past summer, and what I thought was just dry skin on my face turned out to be eczema.  And she gave me a cream to get rid of it.  But it didn’t.  Then she put me on another cream which just irritated my face even more.

I got so fed up that I decided to do my own research.  My gut instinct originally told me it was somehow related to food.  But when I asked my dermatologist, she quickly dismissed it.  Though I like my dermatologist, one thing I’ve noticed is that doctors in this country are way too quick to giving you a you pill or prescription.  They’re all about treating the symptoms, instead of finding or treating the cause (same for weight-loss, by the way, but that’s a whole ‘nother post).

So — after doing some research I’ve found that my instinct was right:  my eczema could be related to a food allergy or food sensitivity.  In nutrition school I learned that often when people DO have a food allergy or sensitivity — they crave the exact foods they’re allergic to.  Interesting, huh?  What we crave is often what’s not good for us.  And for me it’s WHEAT.  I love wheat.

In order to find out if I DO have a sensitivity to wheat (gluten), last Monday I decided to do an elimination diet: where you completely eliminate the potential food allergens from your diet, see how you look and feel, and then re-introduce the food back into your diet (to see if your original symptoms come back).

I’ve been thinking about doing it for weeks (okay, months) but just couldn’t imagine my life without wheat. Though I do eat mostly whole wheat, I’ve known to watch my carbs as I can easily eat too much of them.  So I took the big plunge and completely (yes, completely) eliminated wheat from my diet.

For right now, I’m staying away from wheat and all wheat-related products (bye bye bread…) to see how I feel and if this eczema gets better.

Wheat (gluten) intolerance is becoming more and more prevalent.  According to the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of Maryland, one in every 132 people in America has celiac disease (gluten allergy), and nearly 15 times that number—up to 15 percent of the world’s population, or one in seven people—have a non-celiac gluten intolerance.

So how is it going being off wheat (gluten)?

I’ve gotta tell you the first day or two were hard.  Very hard.  Really hard.  And I was at a loss of what to eat (yeah, me, the food expert)!  Though I do watch my carbs, and I am a pretty healthy eater, I had no idea just how much wheat I was eating.

But after the first few days it got easier.  And easier.

And already — after only 7 days — I feel better.  Much better.  It’s amazing!  I must say, even I’ve been shocked.  I’m less bloated, I have more energy, I’m sleeping better, and my skin seems to be getting better.  But the jury isn’t out just yet on the eczema….I’m going to give it a couple more weeks to really see what’s going on.

Oh, and for as long as I can remember, I often have a runny nose — especially when I eat — and even throughout the day.   And that has now diminished a lot.

Do you have any food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances?

How to Eat Right and Still Enjoy the Holidays

There are so many temptations during the holiday season it’s no wonder many of us get stressed over how to get through it all while still being able to fit into our jeans come January 1st.

As someone who loves food, giving up great food during the holidays for me isn’t an option.  And it shouldn’t be for you either.

So here are a few ways to bring pleasure — not the pounds — to the holiday festivities:

1)  Aim to maintain. I recently heard about someone who skipped her friends holiday party because she was dieting and thought there would be too many tempting foods.   To me that’s unfortunate and not so healthy.  Instead of trying to completely overhaul your diet and lose weight during the holidays, try to maintain your current weight.

And if you really do want to lose weight, be realistic about just how much you can lose and don’t beat yourself for having a few treats.

2)  Don’t completely deny yourself of holiday foods. This time of year is all about celebration and festivity, and food is an integral part of that.  When you tell yourself you can’t have certain foods, you want them even more (studies even prove this).  That’s when overeating, bingeing and feeling out of control becomes part of your holiday experience.  So eat the holiday foods you enjoy, just don’t over-do it.

3)  Eat three square meals a day, just like you should do all-year-round.  It might make sense on paper to cut calories by skipping meals during the day when you know you’re going to a holiday party or dinner later.  But this strategy almost always backfires and leads to overeating, low energy, guilt, and generally feeling bad.

So take the time to have a decent breakfast that will help you feel full and keep your energy up.

4)  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. No matter what you eat, enjoy it.  I’d rather see someone take a piece of cake and truly savor and enjoy it, than someone eating a salad and hating every minute of it, or wishing they were eating the cake instead.

5)  Keep liquid calories in check. Oftentimes holiday drinks like eggnog are loaded with calories, sugar and fat. So beware.  Also, best to limit all alcohol to one or two drinks.  It not only adds extra calories, but after a few drinks its way to easy to reach for more food — even if you’re full. Often I’ll alternate between water and alcohol.  This not only helps me cut down on alcoholic beverages, but keeps me hydrated so I don’t get a headache the next day!

6)  Just say know to the junk food. Don’t blow your calories on things like chips or a candy bar.  Instead, save your snack allowance for a decadent dish or your favorite dessert that will make you feel more satisfied.  There are so many good treats around this time of year, best to have a small piece of something really good than the normal crappy, junk food!

7)  Add exercise whenever and wherever you can. I try to maintain my exercise routine, but realize it can get hard when things get busy.  But even if you can fit it one or two short sessions a week, that’s good.  It will not only help you handle the stress of the busy season better, but it will keep you feeling fit and less likely to over-indulge later on at the party.

8)   Share the joy of the food. Often I’ll take a piece of cake, have a few bites, and then give the rest to my husband.  And if he doesn’t want it I’ll just push it aside.  And if you love to bake (like I do!) give some away to friends and neighbors.  I enjoy baking cookies, but I can only eat so many without putting on the pounds.  So I’ll often share it with others, and they’re really happy!

So make this holiday season one of pleasure and one you remember for the good times with family and friends.  Relax, enjoy yourself, and eat in moderation so you don’t have to forgo all the delicious holiday treats.

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The Secret to Surviving Thanksgiving Without the Weight Gain

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.

But today I’m going to take it one step further.

You’re probably looking for some “tips” on how to best deal with Thanksgiving.  And you’ve probably already heard them all somewhere:  eat breakfast (great advice), don’t eat the appetizers (good advice, but often tough to resist), drink only water (yeah, right!), don’t eat seconds (c’mon, who are we trying to kid…), wear tight fitting clothes so you don’t eat too much (how much fun is that?!), and just have one small serving of dessert (it’s Thanksgiving for goodness sakes!).

While these all have good intentions behind them — and some even really good advice — but the problem is there are too many “rules.”  Now this doesn’t mean throw all caution to the wind.  You need to be realistic about how much you can really eat (and how terrible you’ll feel if you stuff yourself).

So my one big piece of advice this Thanksgiving is this:  use common sense.

Yeah, I know, not exactly rocket science….I know.

But think about it.  You know you should have breakfast and not arrive at the Thanksgiving dinner table famished….you know you should get out for some exercise during the day (preferably in the morning before the big meal)…you know you shouldn’t pile your plate so high that it’s a mini-mountain…and you know that having 3 or more desserts is not the best route to keeping the pounds off.

So listen to yourself, your inner voice, and your inner guidance, and do what you know is best.

Enjoy the day, enjoy the food, and eat with real pleasure.  Because that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, don’t you think?

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