The Mandatory Resolution
By the time I was 16 I had learned that resolving to lose weight every year on January 1 was not a magic trick. The first few times I tried that, I really thought that just making that statement would somehow make it magically happen. I would determine that THIS time, I would do it! Within three weeks of misery, pure hell on earth, I would start looking for food. My mom would figure out that I was cheating on my diet and quit making special meals for me and boy was I relieved! I’ll never understand why anyone thinks that a mere statement to deprive yourself of energy and peace could possibly end in any way except “failure”.
Evolution of the Resolution
I tried every diet known to man. I joined every group and worked for a very famous one. I exercised and went hungry. I had low self-esteem. I tried to pretend that it didn’t matter. I employed every rationalization and coping skill in the books but the fact remained that I was fat and I was fast becoming unhealthy. Even after getting to my “Goal Weight” and being able to work for a weight loss company, my blood pressure was steadily rising. My mother had malignant hypertension. This trend had to stop.
At my “Goal Weight” I was still too fat. I was on the BMI Chart but I was carrying too much body fat. My muscle to fat ratio was not healthy. The real problem lay in the program that I was on in that it allowed me to eat the very foods that I had never been able to control in my life. I still ate added sugars, refined grains and junk. I just had to “count them”. I had been at my “Goal Weight” before and the cravings for these foods that I never lost, because I never removed them from my diet, ALWAYS caused me to regain any weight that I had lost. Added sugar is an addictive food that works in the same part of the brain as addictive drugs. How many reputable, scientific references do you want on that? The first one listed is a government study. (1) The second one is Healthline and says in the title that sugar might be as addictive as cocaine. (2) Believe me, I could go on. The program I was on allowed me to eat this addictive substance most likely in order to keep me paying my membership dues. It worked for many years.
I finally realized that there had to be a better way. Resolving, determining and “making up my mind” to “do better” while eating the same way, were methods that were taking me to an early grave. I needed a miracle.
A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed
When I first began to read David’s writings, I knew that he had a different idea about weight management. Although he was on the same program that I was at the time, he was discovering that the way it was presented was not effective for most people in the long run. There was a culture of failure built around the program. People seemed to actually expect to backslide and fail. If someone was too successful, they were sometimes shunned. It always seemed to be desserts and alcohol that pulled people back into the quicksand. As we began to study deeper, it was easy to understand why. Alcohol and sugar addiction are the same thing.
I asked David to help me and he agreed. That was four years ago. My health has never been better. My doctor told me that he wished that I could talk to most of his patients. HE asked ME, “What do you eat?” I happily replied, “A lot of healthy food and absolutely NO added sugar.” He just sat and shook his head for a moment and then said, “Well, it works!” I have an athletic body fat percentage and work full-time as a Charge Nurse and care for a special needs family member alone. I lift heavy weights, ride a dual-action bike and walk and care for two dogs. I also have various other exercise equipment that I use religiously. I live the life of a much younger person at the age of 65.
These are stills from lifting sessions, not posed, poised, pretty pictures. This is real life.
What DO I Eat If I Don’t Diet?
Although I am not an Instagram model, I do get asked that question pretty often. Like I said, even by doctors, so I think some of you might want to know. I eat whole, unprocessed food 99% of the time. If I find myself in a situation where I need food, rather than go hungry, I will find something to eat. My only absolute is “NO ADDED SUGAR”. I carry my food with me to work almost every single day. It’s rare that I get there without adequate calories. I ALWAYS eat breakfast as soon as I get up. I begin with an apple because it’s a quick healthy way to begin fueling. I stay well-hydrated with lots of water. I drink black coffee and soy milk every day and do not waste any calories on other drinks. I eat my calories in solid food to stay full. Here’s a sample of a day’s menu.
You may notice that I had a protein shake for Dinner. That’s because I am a strength trainer and I need a protein shake most days. I still didn’t quite hit my protein goal of 145 grams of protein. I did stay within my carbohydrate goal however. I only eat complex carbs and you will notice in the nutritional profile below that I had 28 grams of fiber that day. When you deduct that from my Total Carbs, you have 99 Grams of Net Carbs. I could have had more. I allow myself about 125 Grams of Net Carbs. Also, please note that I DO NOT give myself extra calories for exercise. This app allows me to do so and so did the company that I worked for but that won’t work. That makes me gain weight, FAST! The “Sugars” listed here are the natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables and dairy. Those are acceptable. They are not ADDED SUGARS.
This is by NO MEANS a “Diet” for you. This is what I eat. I use the My Fitness Pal app to track my nutrition and I do it EVERY DAY. My good health is not “genetic”, “luck” or anything except work and accurate record-keeping.
I DO NOT live on a “diet”. I eat healthy food and record it. I’m as stingy with my calories as I am with my money. I’m not spending either on junk. I’m certainly not spending anything on stuff that will hurt me more than it will help me. That’s why I avoid added sugars.
I am rarely hungry and never feel deprived because I don’t have cravings. You don’t have to do without desserts though! We have healthy recipes for about anything you might want. Just look in Loraine’s Kitchen. If there’s a recipe you would like to have modified or created, just drop it in the comments. Here’s a link to a healthy Red Velvet Cake . Don’t Diet! Eat well and keep records.
There’s always something good to eat in Loraine’s Kitchen!
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/
(2) https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug