on listening to my gut

I used to be a religious 3-meal-a-day eater: breakfast, lunch, dinner, no snacks, no exceptions, everyday. Rigid structure was my best friend, giving me a clear set of lines to stay inside no matter what. The longer I've maintained my weight, however, I've noticed that I can take cues from a source that I used to think was part of the problem: my stomach.

In my mind, my tummy was a bottomless pit: nearly no amount of food or drink could fill it to the top. He was a seemingly-insatiable beast bent on foodstuff annihilation. Sound dramatic? It sure is! But for years, I only barely knew what "hungry" and "full" felt like - all I knew was that I wanted more.

A funny thing happened, however, after I "tamed the beast:" my former adversary became one of my greatest partners. If I'm willing to listen (which, admittedly, takes some trust both in myself and in my gut), my belly will tell me all kinds of things. WHEN to eat, WHAT to eat, HOW MUCH to eat, even WHERE to eat can become clear if you're willing to pay attention. Go figure!

I feel like I've just barely begun to explore the intricacies of my relationship with my stomach, but one thing is for sure - only good can come from it! I bet you'll find that to be true for you, too...

actions DO speak louder than words ...

I'm a firm believer in the idea that you reap what you sow when it comes to working on your weight loss. That's not to say, of course, that it always shows up on the scale (wouldn't that be nice!), but, in general, if you're working hard, you'll see the benefit, and if you're having trouble or just plain slacking, you may be disappointed when you weigh in. Most people I talk to tend to agree that this is generally true.

So, that having been said, ask yourself this: What does your weight say about your priorities? I'm thinking that, if you're slimming down nicely, weight loss is probably pretty important to you. More important than, say, donuts or pizza or cookies or bread or hot dogs or whatever your weight-gain pals are. If the pounds aren't coming off as consistently or as quickly as you'd prefer, though, maybe it's time to check your priorities.

Let's get something straight - I'm not saying that losing that gut has to be the #1 most important thing in your life. It's not for most people, and although it was for me once, it sure isn't right now. But if you want to get top results, shouldn't this be a top (or top-ish) priority for you? I certainly think so.

This is what I'm getting at - too often, we demand and expect big, ongoing losses at the scale without having to "do the work." Our actions show us what's truly important to us. We can all make this happen for ourselves, but we've gotta be willing to sacrifice some bad decision-making and some bad habits in order to be successful.

If you really want it, be willing to work for it!



If you don't, it shows.

special occasion eating

Happy Tax Day, Father Damien Day, and Vasakhi! Stay tuned for tomorrow's festivities as well - it's Emancipation Day in Washington D.C.

The bottom line with special occasions? They're not all equally special. But if we're looking for excuses to eat, we can always find them.

Easter is a great example; it's a religious holiday, it's a family holiday, it's great holiday for kids, and it can be an eating holiday. But should it be? Does it really, truly need to be?

I won't lie - I overeat every Thanksgiving (I'm better than I used to be, but it happens). But I don't usually overeat on Easter. To me, the big difference is that Thanksgiving is an eating holiday, and Easter is about connecting with my family. It's different for everybody, but I think it's important to figure out when eating is a big part of the occasion (like my Thanksgiving festivities or a wine-tasting excursion), and when the food can get in the way of what's really important. After all, is the cake what makes the wedding? Is the champagne what makes New Years? It might be for a lot of folks, but if you can do without, you'll be that much skinnier for it.

Focusing on what's important to you in a specific situation can keep you satisfied and thin - if it's about the food for you, enjoy yourself (responsibly!). But if it really isn't, fill up on the soup and pass on the seconds.

Your waistline will thank you.