Diet Is As Diet Does - Shasta Daisy's Spinning Pad

Okay, so the diet crazies have begun???? I think not! I have been fighting with myself for 5 years trying to maintain what I think is a healthy weight! I've always got some doctor trying to tell me that my BMI indicates that I am borderline obese. Seriously????? I'm sorry, but if I were truly at that stage, I don't believe I'd be able to walk 3 miles in 48 minutes without breaking a sweat!! The one thing you need to remember is that it is not the doctor's fault if your diet and exercise regimen fails!! It is all up to YOU!!!

So, what is a good way to decide if you really need to diet? One way to find out for yourself is to take the mirror test. Yup, I said mirror. You start by looking at your entire body in the mirror. What do you see? Does it make you smile? Does it make you frown? How does it make you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are they loose and baggy because you're trying to cover up something? Are they too snug or even tight? Use a notebook, recorder, whatever to note your response. Now that you've done all that, take your clothes off, down to your undies. Take another look in that mirror and note what you see and how it makes you feel ! Seeing yourself naked can be very disconcerting for some people!

I did all of these things last August at the request of the doctor I see for my diabetes. She asked me to notate everything and bring my discoveries to my next appointment. She told me that with the muscle mass I carry, the BMI is not an accurate measure of whether I'm overweight or not. She then proceeded to take my measurements. All of them. Bust, rib cage, waist, hips, around my butt, thigh, and upper arms (talk about embarrassing)!! Then, she removed from a drawer what looked like an ancient torture device (a skin fold caliper) and proceeded to take measurements at my waist, back of upper arm, front of upper arm and my shoulder blade. When she did her calculations I was no longer borderline obese, but moderately overweight (5'6" 189lbs).

We sat down and started talking diet and exercise. I gave her my food and exercise log which she read through and questioned occasionally for accuracy. She was even tickled pink that I had included my chocolate consumption and what desserts and how much! She said most people aren't that honest with themselves. I told her I was serious about losing some weight and increasing my energy levels, however I wanted to do it within the confines of my health issues as I did not want any of them flaring up and giving me trouble.

Sunday - my choice of 3 mile walk or 1/2 hour elliptical

Monday - 3 mile walk

Tuesday - 3 mile walk

Wednesday - 1/2 hour elliptical

Thursday - 3 mile walk

Friday - 3 mile walk

Saturday - 1/2 hour elliptical

Okay, so I've covered my exercise routine. Now, let's get to the food part of the diet we worked out. We all know that we need to cut back fat, cut out bad carbohydrates and eat lean proteins, but what we always neglect in these processes is our brains. Our brains need to be fed, too. When you cut back everything, too fast and for too long, you can make your brain slow, and find yourself taking longer to do mental things. This is especially true for people who have debilitating illnesses and serious health conditions.

I typically drink 1 - 2 cups of coffee per day with cocoa and sugar. We changed the sugar to honey and decreased the amount. I'm also supposed to try to avoid commercial coffee vendors unless they offer natural flavorings and sweeteners. Going fat free can hurt us just as much as taking in too much fat. The commercial fat free alternatives typically are derived from chemicals that are not healthy for consumption, so it's better to just cut the fat. When I finally do eat 'breakfast' it is usually about 3 - 4 hours after my body is fully awake. I learned that it's not good for me to follow 'guidelines' and eat breakfast within an hour of waking up because it caused digestion issues. Not everyone's body is ready for food first thing in the morning. On that note, here's an example of my daily diet:

2 fruits (any you like - fresh or dried) - start with 1 fruit, eat another fruit 1-1/2 hrs later

2 grains (any you like, but make sure they're whole grains, not modified)

1/3 cup oatmeal with a slice of dry whole wheat toast

slice of dry whole grain oat bran toast with 1 tbsp peanut butter (this counts as 1/2 protein, too)

1/2 cup cooked brown rice with veggies or fruit

3 veggies (raw or cooked) - 1/2 cup at a time (1/2 cup is typically one serving) It doesn't matter when these are eaten.

1-1/2 proteins (typically 3 - 4 ounces of meat and 1 tbsp nut butter) Sometimes I have a cup of soup or a serving of casserole which incorporates some of the requirements. It all adds up when you write it down.

I may have dessert 2 times per week - Rule: 1 serving of dessert for me = 1/2 the normal serving

If 1 serving is equal to 3/4 cup, decrease to 1/3 cup; 2 ounces, decrease to 1 ounce; etc.

Lastly, one of the most important things that are neglected in dieting and exercising is the importance of sleep!! Sleep is just as important as exercise, if not more so. The doctor told me to always shoot for 8 - 10 hours per night because when less than ideal medical conditions are present, the body must heal and rejuvinate. Nothing rejuvinates the human body as good as sleep does. You will not always get the sleep you're prescribed to get. My doctor told me, "DO NOT sleep in to catch up on sleep. This sabotages the body and is one of the causes of overeating. It's better to grab a nap than a snack!"

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Diet Is As Diet Does!!!