Diet: knowing is only the beginning of doing

[vaneramos]

There is a great divide between knowing what we need to do and doing it. This is particularly true of diet and exercise, as pointed out by Jane Black of the New York Times in Changing habits, not just diets (thanks to Sue on FB for pointing this out).

I have gained weight despite improvements in my diet. When I complained to a dietitian last year about hunger pangs, she pointed out that I wasn't eating enough protein. Adding nuts to a snack of fruit solved my problem of feeling ravenous on the way home from work, which often led to devouring multiple chocolate bars.

Since Danny moved here last year, our grocery bills have decreased to about the same as what I used to spend on myself. The reason? I plan meals for the week before grocery shopping. I used to buy more fruits and vegetables because they looked great and I knew they were healthy, but some always went to waste in the back of the refrigerator because I hadn't thought about how to use them. Occasionally even meat would meet the same fate. But planning is easier, because cooking for two is much more fun than for one.

Besides this we rely much more on local food sources, and hardly ever use prepared food. No more long lists of ingredients to worry about; I know everything that goes in. A solid, well-balanced dinner has almost eliminated my tendency to binge late in the evening. The benefits of meal planning is a lesson I will never forget.

Despite various improvements, I'm as heavy as ever. This is hardly surprising since I have changed from manual (and sometimes heavy physical) work to spending most days writing at a computer. The solution of course is the E word, as in daily. That's another whole challenge. I know in my head how much better it would feel, I just don't have much positive personal experience to back up that knowledge. My genetic disposition to accumulate cholesterol means I cannot afford to continue ignoring this.

Comments

[corridor7f.livejournal.com]

I am sorry to hear you aren't being granted tangible results - but your diet sounds quite healthy - most unfair. :/

I am not very good at changing my habits at all. I fell into an unfortunate food-as-a-reward cycle that's been going on for a few years now.

Hopefully I'll start to exercise (I'd rather try this than alter my diet.. at least at this point)...

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Good luck with that. Regular exercise would make a lot of difference for me, too. Because yeah, I seldom eat junk food or prepared food anymore. So the main problem is my tendency to sit still. Another problem is that a medication I take makes me hungry before bed. I put on about 25 pounds when I started taking it a few years ago. It might be possible for me to cut it back or out altogether, but that will be another challenge.

[corridor7f.livejournal.com]

I am debating joining a gym - my attempts at walking / jogging around my neighborhood didn't amount to much (the steep hills were daunting and I felt too self-conscious). If the bf joins me, that'll be even better.

I'll comment here because this is a shared response

[blt4success66.livejournal.com]

There is a great divide between knowing what we need to do and doing it.

I think, to some degree, all three of us have some work to do, but even the experts would agree it's a change of attitude and priorities. We can talk all we want, but until we do? We're not going to accomplish a thing.

I would encourage you to find a site called www.sparkpeople.com It's a FREE site that has tools to help you with diet, exercise and motivating yourself.

The important point here, is to start small. Drastic changes are not good, but maybe just walk a 1/4 mile for week, then try a 1/3 mile, maybe 1/2 then jump to a mile of walking. There are tons of little tricks that get your body moving and aid in weight loss.

As for dietary needs? As you exercise more, you will need to eat more...but if you have a problem, maybe seek the guidance of a certified nutritionist.

I know you can do it...I'm ready to change so maybe together we can encourage each other to move?

HUGS and best wishes...

[osodecanela.livejournal.com]

What several have said about exercise is crucial.

100 extra calories per day over what you burn, will put 10 lbs on you in a single year. It doesn't matter if you eat 100 more or burn 100 less, it works out the same way to an extra 10 lbs. Sadly, if you're more sedentary (ie more time sitting at the computer), even better eating habits won't do it all.

Further, just cutting back on intake to lose weight is not good; as much as 25% of the lost poundage may be muscle, which is stuff you want desperately to hold on to. It's the most metabolically active tissue we have. Muscle loss may be in part the cause for the re-gaining of weight.

If I can be so bold as to suggest, if you can find a way to gain access to an elliptical stepper, this might be a solution to the calorie burn. I have both failed and succeeded in my own weight management. My periods of success have been times of greater physical activity and the elliptical is a damned fine way to do it. It's joint friendly for people carrying more than they should weight wise and the better models allow you to increase both the resistance and to angle the platforms so you're either walking up or down hill and this leads to a greater calorie burn per minute spent on the machine, as opposed to walking either outdoors or on a treadmill.

I wish you success Van.

[apel.livejournal.com]

Have you considered participating in BJ Fogg's 3 tiny habits program? It's free and takes only a week. It's also science based, so think it would be right up your alley. http://tinyhabits.com/

[vaysha.livejournal.com]

how about a walking meditation with an iPod or a yoga class?

[artricia.livejournal.com]

What about your old morning nature walks? Could that work for you again?

I saw a dietician a couple of months ago. Some bizarre psychological twist made me give up sugar a week before the appointment, so that I had accomplished most of what I needed to (in terms of changes) before I saw her. A few things she told me pissed me off, so I don't plan to go back unless I get stuck, but a few things she told me were useful. I'm going to throw a bunch of stuff out there in case any of it's helpful; please ignore whatever doesn't do it for you.

*apparently exercise builds your "good" cholesterol, which can have a protective effect.
*extra calories cause triglycerides to rise.
*"They" (whoever they are) currently recommend 150 minutes of exercise / week, but strength-training doesn't count for some reason. This works out to 20minutes per day, plus an extra 10 minutes per week. Somehow that seems manageable. I tell myself when I'm tired that I just need to go for a few minutes, but once I'm out, I usually go for over twenty. But I'm not doing it every night, because I'm not that good. However, I tell myself that anything is better than nothing, and I think that I only seen the number on the scale go down on days when I exercise.
*(This might not apply to you, but...) Plateaus are normal and last about two weeks. Don't change anything, just hang out on the plateau.

I've been weighing myself once a day and taking the lowest weight for the week from that to track my weight loss. It helps me not get discouraged by the 1-2 pound fluctuations, since I get a more accurate weekly number. And it helps me to keep track of how long a plateau is. It also keeps me motivated to walk more regularly and stick to the diet.

Quitting sugar was the biggest piece of it for me. I lost six pounds the first week. Subsequent weeks have been more normal. And quitting sugar has helped my depressive moods/PMS level out.

I hope you'll try other things before switching your medication. I know how much that medication has helped you.

Good luck with it.

Re: I'll comment here because this is a shared response

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouragement, Paul. I am good at motivating myself when I set my mind to it. The main problem at this time is I have other major life changes going on. It is futile (and maybe even self-destructive) to take on too many challenges at once. When I have time to focus on this, I will.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the encouragement. I think walking outdoors will actually be the best option for me, because my desire to spend more time outside will motivate me. Besides, we live on a hill!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of the 6 Changes method, which has helped me a lot in the past. The main problem right now is that I have other major changes going on in my life. It can be self-defeating (and thus self-destructive) to take on to many challenges at once. On the other hand, it is self-destructive to keep putting health issues on the back burner. Can you tell I'm feeling a little overwhelmed?

When I saw the dietitian last year, this is precisely the approach she used. Together we worked out three beneficial changes to my eating habits. The one that worked best for me was eating more protein. I can't remember what the other two were.

I can see the benefit of interacting with someone through the course of a week to reinforce my motivation. But I was surprised to find Tiny Habits is free. I am instinctively mistrustful. Is there a catch?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I think walking is the answer and I will use as motivation my desire to spend more time outside at one of my favourite times of year. My main objection is that I'm going through other major changes, and I know trying to take on too many things at once can be self-defeating. But ignoring health issues is also self-destructive. I just have to make it a priority somehow. If I set my mind to it, it will happen.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think walking is the answer. Now I can do it any time of day I choose. The challenge is making it a priority with other major changes going on. Taking on too many challenges at once can be self-defeating, but ignoring my health is also self-destructive. It's good to consider exercise will help me in many other ways besides losing weight.

I don't have a scale and have never watched my weight. I don't know whether that would help. In a way, I would rather not start focusing on it. Although I am overweight, when I look in the mirror I do not see a fat person. I like my body. I think it will be better to concentrate on other benefits, and let the doctor worry about my weight and waistline every few months.

Strength training probably doesn't count because it is usually consider non-aerobic. I know how to do semi-aerobic weight training so I work up a sweat and also enjoy the benefits of toning up. But that is besides the point, because I do think what I need right now is to start walking again regularly.

On the question of medication, I have other reasons for wanting to cut it back or eliminate it. I'm in a much different head space than I have been for a long time. I'm beginning to think that a lot of my anxiety symptoms had to do with the kind of employment I was involved in for the past five years. If I can make my current career path work, it will be much more harmonious for my psyche. I am fairly certain that reducing or eliminating the medication will reopen some creative spark that has been missing. However, I will not risk cutting back until I feel more secure about certain other factors, like having a steady household income. Also, I will not cut back without medical advice and other supports in place.

[apel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I suggested it because you had so much success with the 6 changes method.

I hear you on feeling overwhelmed. I have to constantly remind myself to focus on the most important thing and let other things wait. It helps me a little to remind myself that most people vastly over-estimate what they can accomplish in a short time span and under-estimate what they can accomplish in a longer time span. I'll get there in the end and harassing myself for not doing everything at the same time is counter productive. That's easy to say, harder for me to put into practice.

Did you write about the dietician's suggestions in your LJ back then?

The catch with Tiny Habits is that it's a research project at Stanford University. So your data will be used in published research. Since it's a real, academic experiment by high-profile Stanford professor BJ Fogg with lots and lots of participants, your anonymity should be in pretty good hands.

If you want to use walking for exercise, there are some thing to think about. Of the points in that article, holding in my stomach while I walk is hands down the one that makes the most difference. If I don't do that, I can walk all day and not shed a single calorie. It's important to really release the abdominals afterwards, e.g through a couple of deep, diaphragm-expanding breaths.