Yes, I have been successful! So far, I have lost 24 pounds! It has been easy to stick to my food program, which has surprised me. I’ve done dieting in the past and have been plagued with cravings and have given in to temptations presented me. You know the kind—“just take a taste of this—a little bit won’t hurt you.” This time, however, I seem to find the way to say a gracious “no” to my unwitting tempters. What’s my secret for all this success? A quiet confidence.
What I did at the outset was, first of all, say a prayer, and then decide I would not diet. I would eat three meals a day. I would not snack, and I would eat a vegetable with each meal, even breakfast. Try eating broccoli with Raisin Bran! Actually, I find broccoli or green beans taste good with cereal. What the vegetables seem to have done for me is to provide a buffer against cravings. Without thinking about it, I have not reached for bread. Perhaps, without bread, cravings do not get a foothold in my psyche. I don’t really know and don’t care. I like the results.
I do not deprive myself. Almost every night I have ice cream. Most nights the treat is a Healthy Choice fudge bar at 100 calories, but sometimes it is a bowl of my favorite Butter Pecan at who knows what calories. I don’t look. If I want sour cream with my vegetables, I have sour cream. I don’t measure, but I also don’t overdo anything, unless, of course, it’s vegetable. Vegetables have priority in my food plan.
I’ve established no goals, though I do think, in the back of my mind, that I’d like to see a 30-pound loss before my birthday in August. Yet, I am not anxious about this possibility. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’ll simply go on eating the way I’m eating and be grateful for what I’ve been given in life so far.
When eating out— and I do eat out frequently, I look for choices on the menu that provide vegetables. For instance, a vegetarian omelet for breakfast fills the bill. Instead of the fried potatoes, I ask if fruit can be substituted. Even if substitution costs extra, I gladly pay. Well, not so gladly. I prefer the restaurants that work with me and let me substitute freely. I am tempted sometimes to get a cheeseburger with bacon and all the trimmings, but I think of the consequences. Such a meal would disturb my digestive processes at this point, and who wants that? If I do want something like a hamburger or a lamb burger, I ask for one without the bun, and, of course, a salad or an extra helping of vegetables. Often I order a specialty salad—one with those luscious caramelized pecans, for instance, topped with a helping of chicken or a salmon steak.
Will my plan work for others? Do I recommend it? I have no idea whether other people can benefit from doing what I am doing. Intuitively, I think that eating as I do will produce weight loss for others, but, on the other hand, I know that losing weight is a very complex process. What works for one person may not work for another. The only true advice I can give for those of you who want to lose weight is to find a way that works for you.
Hi, Kay,
Just stopping by to say good for you! This is a healthy, balanced diet. I hope you have added some exercise to your program? Even a little bit of walking is good.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about pharmacy blog. Regards