Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Diet foods verses real foods

Yesterday one of my friends saw me for the first time since last August. She was amazed at the weight I had lost. Like most people, she asked what I was doing to lose the weight. People don't like to hear that I'm just counting calories. They want a magic formula. After getting past her surprise this lady asked me what I eat. I had to think about it for a minute.

My breakfast is either a slice of bread with a hunk of cheese or a slice of bread with natural peanut butter. I told her this and she was shocked. She said, "Wow, when I diet I don't eat cheese and peanut butter. I never think of those as diet foods!"

I pondered that the rest of the day. Diet foods? It has been months and months since I have thought in terms of diet foods and non diet foods. I eat everything in moderation. I told her that I mainly eat whole grains and proteins. When I have protein I have the real thing. I am convinced that is why so many of my diets failed in years gone by. I tried all the fake foods, splenda, margarine spreads, fake cheeses, fat free sour cream, the whole nine yards.

This time I am concerned about health and I refuse to put those fake foods into my mouth. I have discovered that real foods stick with me longer. Not only that they taste better and they are healthier. All these low fat foods hit the market years ago and statistics tell you that America just keeps getting bigger. They are not the answer.

The answer to permanent weight loss is in eating real foods and real fats not stuff with names you cant even pronounce. The answer to weight loss lies in eating foods in their living form. It lies in eating lean proteins. Its found in a Tablespoon of real cream for well being and long lasting fullness. When my friend said that today about diet foods I realized how far my thinking has come since a year ago.

She also asked me what I eat for snacks. I was caught off guard. I literally just stood there a moment. "What's the matter?" she asked.

It was at that moment I realized that for the last three weeks I have not even eaten any snacks. I didn't even realize that. Yes, to my amazement I have cut out snacks. I didn't set out to do it, it just happened. I looked back over my food journal and lo and behold the cut in snacks happened at the same time I went to eating whole foods. That is all the proof I need to tell me that real food and real fats are much more satisfying than any diet food on the market. I just plain never think about snacks anymore.

I'm happy with where I am in this diet journey. I'm at a very positive place in spite of my slow weight loss. Actually in the last 2 weeks Ive lost 6 pounds so I guess I cant call that slow. I really have no doubt that I will reach my goal by my 50th birthday which is 1 year and 4 months away. In that time I want to lose 56 pounds. I am confident I can do this!

10 comments:

  1. you are so right. and, while Im a snacker, thats precisely the reason I eat so little processed white.
    people always snark my way YOU HAVE SO MUCH WILL POWER but thats not it---by NOT eating it Im satisfied and NEED NO WILL POWER!

    xo xo,

    ReplyDelete
  2. you will make it to your goal for sure......very realistic goal!

    People want a quick fix, a magic pill. I had a friend who asked me what I was doing, I said just eating healthy and eliminating refined carbs, mostly walking. She looked at me like I wasn't telling her the truth.......like I was keeping it "my secret."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good for you on figuring out what works for you! You're doing great and I have no doubt you will reach the goals you've set for yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your post is so true, everyone wants to hear the magical thing to loose weight. When people ask me what i did, I tell them I used common sense. I made the decisions I knew were right, the healthy decisions. And sometimes it sucked and I wanted to throw a tantrum like a little kid but whatever, it's my own decision so there would be no mom who would give in and let me have what I wanted. hehe...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! Good for you!

    I'm hoping we can afford more whole foods soon (dh got a better paying bid slot at work). I've had to cut back on some of our healthier options like whole wheat v. unbleached white flour, but we have cut back even further on already prepared processed foods. Dh has realized as of late that the processed stuff is not the best option.

    Now a question: I've had this unquenchable thirst lately. I have been drinking a lot (mostly water) and I just keep feeling thirsty. My mouth isn't actually dry, but my tongue and throat feel dry. I thought maybe my hypoglycemia was switching to hyperglycemia, but I monitored my blood sugars and they were no where near high. Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  6. The only thing I can think of is if you are taking any medications that would cause the dryness. Otherwise it might be caused by a lack of humidity in your house. We have a wood stove and it just sucks the air dry. I have never heard of dry mouth being associated though with blood sugar.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congratulations on your weight loss. You should be so proud. I know it seems like our goals are forever away. But the way I look at it, I'm doing this for the rest of my life. I have the rest of my life to lose 84 pounds. Seems like plenty of time ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Our house is dry, and my skin is always extremely dry in the winter. However, it's not that my mouth is dry but that I am thirsty, extremely thirsty. My mouth actually isn't dry. Extreme thirst is a symptom of diabetes. That's how it was first discovered when my late grandfather was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. I can't remember if it is also a symptom of low blood sugar though.

    I'm not on any medications either.

    It's just so frustrating to constantly be drinking and never be satisfied. I've been spending a lot of time in the restroom.

    Oh, well. maybe this will subside some when Spring comes.

    Thanks.

    Keep up the good work ladies!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The whole food approach is woking for me too. I'm 45 and been on a "diet" or "definitely off a diet but planning to start after this one overindulgence" for my entire adult life. I also tend to either exercise everyday- or not at all. Needless to say I have had a 25lb wobble in my weight.

    Now after years of heading towards a whole food diet, for the first time, I am not on or off a diet. I am instead choosing whole foods, keeping my protein up, eating lots of veggies/fruits (4-5 servings of veggies and 2-3 servings of fruit a day). And it is working- slow, steady but it feels so much more natural than any method I've tried before.

    Carrie

    ReplyDelete
  10. I was blog surfing and came across your blog, wow, so many similarities to me! I'll also be 50 in April of 2010, and I want to spend my after 50 years healthy and that means not fat. I do believe I will have to sign up for your weekly weigh ins. Counting calories works best for me too, then I can eat whatever I want, I'm just accountable. We also eat very little processed foods and no "diet" foods, only use olive oil and try to used different grained flours instead of white. I can actually say we hardly EVER get sick since we've switched added healthier foods. So, keep blogging, keep healthy and I'll keep checking back.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to encourage me on my journey! Your comment is appreciated!