A weighty matter

My trouble with my weight is always mind over matter. The matter being food. So many irrational thoughts pop into my mind when choosing what to eat. Like, if you eat this now, then latter you'll eat less for dinner to compensate. Irrational, because it doesn't happen. I'll eat the same amount for dinner, no matter what I ate before. Another is, I will only have this one. Irrational, because I will have two.

I have managed to overcome the worst of the irrational food thoughts by saying to myself, do you really want this? And for when the thought gremlins win, I keep "safe" foods in the house to reach for. There is always a variety of low calories, sugar free/fat free things for me to grab in a moment of weakness.

Keeping weight off requires lots of planning. Breakfast and Lunch are easy. Oatmeal or yogurt. Lunch can be trickier, but usually a salad and a sandwich will do. Dinner is a challenge. There always has to be fresh vegetables in the house to cook with. Since we don't eat pasta, rice or flour, dinner isn't as simple as boiling water for pasta, or calling in for a pizza. Chinese food can work sometimes, but I always have to explain to the restaurant, no garlic, very little oil. Sometimes I miss the old days, but I don't miss them enough to revert back to my bad eating habits.

There are many mental tricks to play on yourself. Serve food on smaller plates, split shrimp down the center to double the amount, bulk up on vegetables. The one I like the best-I have to have seconds, so, I take 3/4's of my designated portion and save the last 1/4 for "seconds". Works every time. I think that I am having seconds, fooled me!

I don't like my meals to be science. I try to stay away from tofu noodles and TVP products, like hot dogs, pastrami, chicken nuggets and meatballs. Or things made with soy that shouldn't be, like cheese, milk and yogurt. I would rather eat the real thing instead of a lab project. Igor eat this...Igor like? Good Igor...

Pass on the molten chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, creme brulee, tiramisu, or cheescake-can do! Pass on the warm crusty bread and the butter? I don't think so, some things I just can't resist.