I have developed some habits that might be so bad as to be classified as an eating disorder, and I'm trying to make some changes.
I have forgotten what an appropriate portion is. Rather than serve myself some potato chips when I have a sandwich, I'll take the entire bag with me to the table.
I have taken to wolfing down my meals. Rather than leisurely enjoying each bite, I chomp and swallow with the goal of getting to a clean plate. I finish dinner and I'm still hungry because my stomach hasn't had the chance to recognize that it is full.
I am addicted to salty food. I really need to make a change here because I can see the effect on my circulation.
I've been skipping breakfast and eating between meals.
Now that I'm thoroughly embarrassed, I'll tell you what changes I've made.
First, as you will see from the next entry, I'm getting up early enough to eat breakfast. I've been eating a modest bowl of cold cereal (Cheerios, this week...oatmeal when it's colder), and a banana. I'm surprised to find that's enough to keep me going through the morning, but it's more than enough.
I'm trying not to eat between meals. It will be MUCH easier when the Halloween candy is gone. I offer it to everyone who visits!
At noon, when I have a sandwich, I take a bite and then set it down. I chew longer. I understand there are a lot of benefits to this, including better digestion. I refrain from picking up another piece of food until I have finished the first.
I know...this sounds like something you'd be teaching your two year old, right?? Well...I'm having to re-learn my food behavior. It's simply out of hand.
I've made some minor adjustments in portion size, and plan to make more along the way. And, this winter, I'll have soup or salad for lunch in place of the sandwich, so I can cut some carbs from my diet.
I think these changes came very gradually. It would be nice to go cold turkey (*G*) and simply do everything right, but the stress of living up to the changes guarantees that I'll fail down the line. I"d rather approach it slowly over the next couple of weeks if it means that the habits will become second nature.
I apologize to everyone who has dined with me. In the future, I hope you won't be embarrassed to have a meal with me.
Wish me good luck.
Comments (7)
Hooray for you, Buffy, and good luck! It will be hard work, but I have every confidence in your success. Please feel free to keep us posted, if it provides incentive. Love--CC
Posted by Cop Car | November 3, 2005 9:02 AM
Posted on November 3, 2005 09:02
Thanks, CC! I appreciate the support, I really do.
Posted by Buffy | November 3, 2005 2:15 PM
Posted on November 3, 2005 14:15
I just need to eat better stuff. When I get home from work every night, its rush rush rush to get stepmonsters and hubby and doggies and fish and turtle all fed. I tend to find something quick and easy which doesn't always equate to healthy, in fact, seldom. (We did have broccoli tonight;-)
Posted by Cowtown Pattie | November 3, 2005 10:41 PM
Posted on November 3, 2005 22:41
Good for you, Pattie! Broccoli is one of the best choices you can make. I can sympathize totally with the problem of getting everyone fed in a healthy way. We try for healthy dinners here, and when you start your preparation from scratch, and manage to get two veggies and a salad onto the plate as well as some kind of protein....you've spent a LOT of time in the kitchen. The only way I manage to do that is by getting those who wish to eat to help in the preparation. I'm VERY lucky that Dear Husband is good in the kitchen!
Posted by buffy | November 4, 2005 9:02 AM
Posted on November 4, 2005 09:02
Wowwwwwww....you DO eat healthy!
Posted by buffy | November 4, 2005 3:45 PM
Posted on November 4, 2005 15:45
Well, sometimes. (We won't talk about the other times.) It is difficult to find one set of healthful menus that appeals to everyone's taste buds when feeding others, though. That's the rub.
Posted by Cop Car | November 5, 2005 9:55 AM
Posted on November 5, 2005 09:55
Absolutely! We have three generations here. Dear Husband and I are most aligned in our eating habits, but Elegante Mother and StepSon3 make it quite a challenge to get a meal on the table. I finally had to decide that I would plan a meal around our needs and let the others add to it as they wished. I've learned not to make too much of some meals so that our leftovers don't go to waste.
Elegante Mother prefers old-fashioned comfort food and sweets. That translates to high fat, high carbs. Now and then I'll humor her, but I give DH some options that are healthier. For a while it was like a cafeteria here until I adopted the "eat what I fix or fend for yourself" rule.
Who'd think that eating healthy would be such a challenge??
Posted by buffy | November 5, 2005 4:09 PM
Posted on November 5, 2005 16:09