Let's Break Some Rules - Rule #2

Trail Ridge Road - Rocky Mountain National Park

June, 2011

I loved the response from the first Let's Break Some Rules post.  If you missed it, please click on the link and read it now.  This post, and the next few, will make much more sense if you've read the background.  

It seems that most of you are breaking OLD rule #1 that advocates staying off the scale and judging progress by how you feel and how clothes fit.  Most everyone, losers and maintainers alike, have found the routine that works for them but it does include a regular date with the scales.  I loved seeing the variety.  This tells me we've found what works for us as individuals and are not simply following the crowd.  I also saw a distinct differentiation between those of us in weight loss mode and those who are maintaining.   Once we reach maintenance status, we'll need to re-evaluate rather than just plodding along in the same way.  

Lori of Finding Radiance made a statement that really resonated with me.  She says several pounds can be gained (she is a 100+ loss maintainer) before it shows up in the way her clothes fit, so that is NOT a helpful way for her to measure progress.  I am that way as well and could NEVER, EVER use the fit of my clothing as a tool for whether or not I've gained weight.  By the time I felt it in my clothes, I could be up 20 pounds and that's no lie!

But it's time to move on to Rule #2 and this one should illicit some spirited discussion............

Words in italics and red print are copied directly from the Family Circle Magazine article (2/11) 

Old Rule: Eat mindfully. Listen closely to your internal hunger cues. Chew each bite slowly, savoring the flavors, and stop as soon as you feel full.

Break It: Mindful eating works great for people with a lot of time and self-discipline—but it can be frustrating for the rest of us, says Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and a member of the Family Circle Health Advisory Board. "People end up feeling bad about themselves because they think they don't have any willpower," he says. Truth is, we're biologically programmed to eat as much high-cal food as we can, and working against that instinct can seem like an uphill battle. In Wansink's research, people tend to eat big portions of calorie-dense food almost automatically, especially when it's served in big bowls or plates.

Revised Plan: Re-engineer your environment so that it's easier for you to eat less, says Wansink. Switch to 10-inch dinner plates, "de-convenience" tempting treats by putting them on a high shelf, and portion out single servings of snacks instead of eating out of big containers. But a little mindless eating is actually good when it comes to fruits and vegetables, which most people don't eat enough of. Serve steamed vegetables, green salads, and cut-up fruit family-style at the table during mealtime (plate everything else at the stove)

Sharon's take on this one:   I will immediately and emphatically say that for me, the mindful eating fad is a joke!  Please do not be offended because take note that I said, FOR ME!  One of my strongest goals for this blog has always been that it be a place where differing opinions are welcomed and accepted.  But it also seems to me that this rule acknowledges the fact that "mindful eating" was somewhat of a fad and is now considered largely unsuccessful.  To stop before every meal or snack and ask my body, "what am I hungry for" or  to just stop eating when full (especially if there is more food in front of me) is simply a joke.  As research shows, our bodies are biologically programmed to want high density, high calorie foods in larger amounts than we need.  The restaurant association has certainly learned this about us, haven't they?  Yes, this rule is one I am very glad to see someone speak out about.  I could name four or five blogger friends who tried this approach as an experiment, found great success for a week or two, but quickly realized that yes, it did take way too much time and willpower and eventually led to failure.  For the vast majority of us, healthy eating and weight loss go hand-in-hand with careful planning.  Free reign with choosing what we "want" got us in this mess and free reign with food will most likely NOT get us out of it.  I love the suggestions in the "revised" plan and utilize many of them regularly.

In other news......................... I am thrilled to report that the work on my den should be completed by late Friday afternoon.  I simply cannot wait to move back into my den and have a day where I can stay in comfy clothes till NOON if I want to without worrying about construction workers showing up who knows when!!  

Mr. B finishes his summer class one week from today and we've got one two day trip and one nine day trip planned before faculty must report back on August  17.  

I mentioned in my last post that I had no challenges until this weekend.  Well, I was wrong!  Sunday was MIL's 80th birthday and her choice for celebration was dinner at Olive Garden on Monday evening.  I've talked about Olive Garden before and if you don't know, it is one of the WORST restaurants for a weight loss mode person to emerged from unscathed.  Nutrition info is available on their website, but finding something suitable is not easy and the first thing one must do is RUN from their very healthy looking never-ending salad bowl and breadsticks.  It is calorie laden and not a good choice EVER.  I ordered the Ventian Apricot Chicken which was very good, but then of course Mr B and his mother ordered not one, but TWO desserts.  I've written before about their sugar addiction and how many times it has sabotaged me.  Not their fault (although I've always felt a little consideration would be kind), I'm a big girl and should be able to say no, but MIL won't leave it alone and as always, I ended up eating my share of the two desserts.  Those feelings are some I'm still working through and am tired of, but I end up being angry with myself and angrier with them.  Enough of that - you've heard it before!  I was back on track the next day and back at my pre-Olive Garden weight yesterday.  So, no harm done except psychologically.   Next challenge is a large party at MY house Sunday afternoon.  Heavy hors d'ouvres, one of my greatest nemesis!  Yikes!

What are your thoughts about breaking Rule #2?   Have you ever tried the mindful eating approach?   What did or did not work?   Are you following that approach now?

P.S.  Sorry about the constantly changing font in this post.  It has something to do with copying and pasting from the Family Circle article.  I got tired of trying to fix it and wanted to get this published.  Although Mr. B might disagree, I promise I'm not losing my mind!!