How to Lose Weight Once And For All.

Today a girlfriend of mine quizzed me a bit on what I eat.  I may be in my early 40′s,  but I’m in better shape today than I was in my 20′s.  I smiled to myself as she asked because I knew what she wanted to know; Do I eat?  Do I exercise every day? Do I have the metabolism of a rabbit?

Many of us raised in the 70′s by calorie conscious jazzercising mothers became uber aware of dieting. I knew calorie charts as well as I knew my multiplication tables. (probably better)

I was an awkward kid born healthy and chubby, I turned skinny in grade school, hit puberty and grew chubby, grew 6 inches and became skinny again; then hit high-school and was always just a bit “soft”.
I remember eating every other day to make weight for school weight limits.  Pom pons, dance, track, cheer leading, basketball, gymnastics…you name it, they had weight requirements.

 In college we tried ridiculous diets like eating only grapefruit, eggs and hot dogs for 3 days.  We would eventually gain back the weight (and then some) with our beer and pizza meals.  It was that well known female battle between the scale and the dress rack.

My senior year of college I totaled my car and was forced to walk or ride my bike everywhere.  That year I won the best legs contest; I was in the best shape of my life.
After college I decided that as long as I exercised hard, I would remain slender and in shape.  So I exercised and exercised, I raced bikes, climbed mountains and even ran 5 and 10K’s.
I was miserable, skinny, and tired.  I would fluctuate between intense work outs and getting sick from exhaustion then gaining it all back again.

For the next few years I went up and down a few dress sizes, never large but never happy.

In the late 90′s, I discovered the raw food diet and became a raw vegan for 7 years.  7 years!  At first I became super skinny as I detoxed and went through the cleansing process.  I relished in the fact that because I was eating all raw food, I could eat as much as I wanted and not gain weight.  That joy lasted until my hair started falling out by the handfuls in the shower.  I was so deficient nutritionally in what I needed for my body type that I was destroying myself.

Looking back on those raw food days, I’m grateful for experiencing that freedom of eating when  hungry for the first time in my life since there was no need to diet or watch what I ate.  It was all raw and all healthy.  I became in tune with my body’s cravings and hunger cycles without experiencing guilt.   Long term I became tired unable to even exercise. I was weak and the only thing I had energy for was yoga.

It was through yoga that I learned to listen to my body.  I was tuned in and turned on as they say; to my inner knowing.   I thought “screw it…I’m hungry, I’m tired, and I’m going to do what I want and quit worrying about it”.   I thought; “if I’m craving chocolate, I’m going to eat chocolate all  damn day if i want to!” So, I did, for one day.  By the end of that day I can assure you that I had my fill of chocolate for a long while.  The next day, I craved eggs and fruit for breakfast.

After that, I started following my cravings and I realized that my body really craved good food once I stopped limiting the foods I was allowing into my diet.  My crazy cravings stopped because the things I craved were no longer forbidden.  A bite of two of desert was enough. I didn’t devour desert out with the girls because it was no longer a “treat”; it was just desert.  I could order some more tomorrow if I wanted because I wasn’t “off my diet” for a day and back on the wagon tomorrow.

Then I ran across the book “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon
It changed my life forever.
I learned the importance of animal fat.  I learned that our bodies need saturated fats and how a low fat diet harms our metabolism, hormones, and body’s function.  I couldn’t believe it!  I could eat whole yogurt, butter, good fat, animal fat, and as I put it to friends; REAL FOOD that my grandparent’s ate.

Now I eat what I want, when I want.  I even have a bag of potato chips once in a while and never feel guilty because  I don’t obsess, don’t starve myself the next day and don’t crave them again for a while because they aren’t forbidden to me.
I eat every few hours and my metabolism burns like a teenager.  If I’m not hungry every few hours I know that I’m not eating enough and I’m not feeding my metabolism’s fire.  A handful of raw almonds, some peanut butter on an apple, raw cheese and crackers or protein powder smoothies keeps me going between meals.  I graze, drink a lot of water and  still do yoga most every day.  Nothing hardcore;  just something that I enjoy and love.

What we resist persists.  When we diet, we obsess about what we can’t have.  When I stopped the crazy food thoughts and just ate real food in quantities that satisfied me, I became full.  I was satiated.  I now eat whole yogurt, butter, eggs, bacon, salads, raw nuts, fruits, vegetables, carbs, and yes deserts.

I’ve always wanted to write Oprah and just say; please stop dieting.  Please stop thinking about it.  Eat what you want Oprah, you’ll see; your body will begin to speak to you, your thoughts will be freed up for better things and your authentic energy will return for normal exercise!I don’t say that I’m 45 and in the best shape of my life to brag.  Believe me;  it didn’t come easily with all of those years of obsessing…but now it IS easy.  I eat normally, i do yoga, moderate hiking and live a happy active life.  I can go a few days without a workout and not fall apart mentally and I can eat a pint of ice-cream without trying to starve the calories off for the next 3 days.

I eat as much organic food as I can possibly afford, and I stay away from wheat and gluten when i can. (quinoa noodles taste like regular ones and are protein rich without gluten!  Gluten free bread, pancake mixes and crackers are everywhere these days) I eat only whole fat dairy, avoid artificial sweeteners, and run screaming from what i call frank-en foods…think Frankenstein!  Man made stuff is gross.  Shop the outer aisles of the grocery store and remember to only buy what comes from nature! (food that comes from nature does NOT have a long ingredient list!)  I  eat meat and fish but make sure it’s antibiotic free, hormone-free and free range when possible.  I bless it for it’s life, feel gratitude and eat with joy.  I believe an animal’s life is disrespected if eaten with guilt. If you’re going to eat it, honor it. When I cook with joy I know that animal’s life is being honored.  If you’re vegetarian, look at your ingredients with wonder and appreciation.  They grew from seeds and on to your plate.  It’s amazing to think that sunshine, water and earth provide such abundance .

There is so much freedom here in my kitchen and my appetite these days.  I wish for everyone out there on a diet right now to try this for 30 days.  Your metabolism will thank you and so will your mirrors.  I know from experience;  your mind will be happy to drop the calorie counting once and for all.
xo

~all photos from freedigitalphotos.net  photographers: Suat Nam: eggs, M_Bartosch: olive oil, Matt Banks: cake, Dynamite Imagery: bathing suit women, DCodrin: apple woman, Michael Marcol: orange, Filomena Scalise: sleeping woman, Dan: cows