The Weight Loss Chronicles

                                
                                       (yoga salute to the sun)

Food advice from a friend

I was talking with a friend, and admiring how disciplined and organised that she was, about her diet. She said that she "had" to be this way, to keep her on the straight-and-narrow with food, and to help keep her weight stable. She is not young, but she does indeed look great. Youthful and glamorous.

So, being me, I asked her about her diet. Her answers were interesting:

• she has 1/2 cup of a Sanitarium muesli for breakfast each morning, with a vegetarian milk, and mixed berries.
• she packs a lunch each work day: the same lunch each day, with a couple of protein/muesli bars for snacks
• she has fruit in season when she walks in the door after work, each early evening. At the moment it's an orange and a kiwifruit
• dinner is the same every night: potato crusted fish, which she buys in frozen packs; and mixed peas and corn kernels. Because she loves those two vegetables 
• and two decent sized squares of chocolate every night

I have friends who would find this boring. I think it's fantastic. Decisions made, and kept to. Wonderful for someone who prefers not to cook (moi). But all based on what my friend likes, and what suits her tastes and keeps her body feeling good.

                        find out which foods suit you

She recommended:

• eat according to your values. For example, if you don't approve of the chicken and egg industry, (she doesn't), then don't eat them
• eat little but often
• do some research about food, to find out what to eat for your own needs. Scientifically. 
• when you know what you need, adjust it to suit your needs

What does adjusting to your needs mean? She explained it as: 

• if you need a mid-morning snack, and you have had a good breakfast, but are hungry at 9am, then have your morning snack at 9am. Eat it at the best time for you, not when the "best" recommended time is
• and eat what suits you and your body
• eat the food that you like. That nourishes you. On many levels, not just with the nutritional aspects. Food should involve the senses. It should be enjoyed

The whole food-diet thing does seem be crazy. Especially as the "best" and "latest" differs each year. I found it a bit upsetting trying to keep pace with it all. So now I honestly try not to get involved in the latest and greatest diets. (Sometimes I forget that I'm not being involved, though)

What is happening with moi?

I only weigh a kilogram less than before. The weight loss so far is holding, so that is very important to me. My tight fitting jeans are now quite loose, so that is something. But I confess that I'm not doing too well on the diet thing. I would be happier readdressing this, and soon. 

I am physically stronger than before, too. Thanks to doing two to four planks, and a few yoga salutes to the sun as fast as I can (makes one sweat, or should I say "glow"), five to six mornings a week, followed by a couple of poses. Sun salutes can be aerobic when they are done fast, and if you use a kneeling lunge. But it is harder than languidly moving in and out of poses. I don't do much, but, hey, I do it.

And I do special yoga breathing, which is reducing my body inflammation. It's also helping the weight loss to maintain. I have seldom ever taught this, but I learnt it decades ago, when I first started yoga. 

But, time to step things up, and remember:

find out what you need to do to maintain your weight losses