(Non)Dieter's Dilemma - Retraining Your Brain

I can see why people complain that they are hungry when they diet. I am not dieting but I am trying to eat a little better than I have been over the Holidays and I find myself getting hungry earlier because of it. So, should I be eating more so I'm not hungry? Probably not. But at the same time, in keeping with the non-diet mentality (since I have resolved to NOT diet this year), I kind of feel like I should not be going hungry. I think one of the keys to not gaining weight is to know when you are "full". And by that I mean in the sense that you are satisfied, not stuffed.

So, how do you differentiate between the two? In this day and age in America when portion sizes are totally out of control, how do find that fine line between eating enough and not eating too much? The answer?


You basically, in my experience, have to retrain yourself. But what does that mean? And what could "retraining" do to help you to be healthy without dieting? Well, let's talk about it! But first, let me say that I am not one of those "skinny moms". There it is. My BMI is not in the normal range and I really don't want it to be. Now, before you jump down my throat for promoting unhealthy habits, know that my intent in talking about dieting and exercising and eating right isn't all for show. It's really how I try to live. I may never be a size 2, 4, or 6, but I am happy with how I look and I am happy with how I feel.

I know what it takes to lose weight and keep it off. I also know what it's like to be in a happy place that isn't affecting your health in a bad way (e.g. normal level cholesterol, exercising regularly, eating not as good as I could be but also not as bad as I could be) where I am feeling more and more comfortable in my own skin. A HUGE part of it is my husband who tells me time and again how much he loves me (and is attracted to me) exactly the way I am. That is VERY helpful in my happiness level.

Since I have so much experience with diet and exercise, I love to talk about it and I try to live it as best as I can. I try to drink 3 liters of water a day and I try my darnedest to exercise 4-5 times a week (I usually take the weekends off but I think I am going to add exercising on the weekends beginning this coming weekend). Am I successful? Well, for the most part. I am not out of breath when I climb the stairs and I get comments all the time about how fast I walk (people think I am in a hurry but it's my normal pace). I eat a lot of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables and limit how often I eat out. On my dieting journey over the years I have gained a lot of knowledge about what is necessary to succeed in losing weight and keep it off. And, getting back to the point of the post, that journey begins with the slow process of retraining yourself.

Retraining yourself involves two steps:

1. Retraining your brain


2. Retraining your stomach

I mentioned that it's a slow process because you have to keep in mind that you are not going to, over night, change how you see food. But over time, you can! And why should you? Well, when you see what an actual portion of something looks like, I think you will be surprised. Seeing the size of the portion is a part of retraining your brain, which is what we will talk about today.

Weight Watchers is an excellent tool to help you to be able to look at a food and know how big of a portion you should be eating. One of the things I became most conscious of with regards to portion size is cereal. I still chuckle (inwardly) at my husband since he counts the number of pieces of shredded mini-wheat's that he eats for a serving (I believe the number is 15). I get 3/4 of a cup of the honey bunches of oats I enjoy (I round to a whole cup...terrible, I know).

Now, do you need to join Weight Watchers and go to meetings and whatnot to learn about portion sizes? Absolutely not!! It's a tool. You could actually take a look at the labels on the backs and sides of things. They aren't there for show. Who knew, right?

The moral of the story is that you have to retrain your brain to know what a portion size is and to realize that a small portion is not a bad portion. And you have to actually stop and take an assessment about how full you are. This is kind of a combination brain and stomach thing. Our instinct is to eat until the plate is empty, not until our stomachs are satisfied. Did you ever hear when you were growing up "You can't leave the table until that plate is cleaned!"

Willow will never hear those words from me.

Saying that ingrains into your brain that you have to finish what is put in front of you. Now that you are an adult, your brain is hardwired to see food and eat it. All of it. But you know what? You really don't have to. And not because you are dieting or want to lose weight but because you are actually full. I went to the Cheesecake Factory with my mom last week and I had a hamburger for lunch (with fries) and cheesecake for dessert (because why else go to the Cheesecake Factory?). I got about 1/2 way through the cheesecake and didn't want any more because I was full. And I didn't eat most of the fries.

Another easy way to retrain your brain is to use smaller serving plates. Use smaller bowls and plates and the portions, while of the correct size, will magically look bigger.

I know I have been talking about food and your brain and not really about dieting. But, if you do choose to diet, the most important part of the retraining your brain has to go through is for you to realize that eating right isn't something that is temporary. It's something that you have to make the conscious decision to do all the time. And, for goodness sake, please be SELFISH and make a change in your life for yourself. Not because you have to fit into that dress or bathing suit or because your significant other wants you to. Do it because YOU want to do it. For YOU. Because I guarantee that if you aren't doing it for yourself, you will fail. Maybe not right away, but eventually. This is, again, from experience.

I know, you've heard it all before right? Well, even if you (like me) didn't make a resolution to lose weight like millions of other people, you can still eat what you want and make some small changes that aren't because you are on a diet but because you want to live a little more healthy. And, if you just happen to lose weight along the way, it's a bonus right?

Let me add this...like I mentioned I have been dieting for what seems like forever. And once you get where you want to be it is a CONSTANT struggle to maintain what you have accomplished. Everyone is addicted to food and for some people, like me, it is like being addicted to alcohol or cigarettes and you have to make a conscious decision when it comes to food to NOT eat and NOT give in to that craving.

We all know that if you aren't in the "normal" BMI range, people give you a look no matter what your story is because it is impossible for them to know your struggles and people are superficial when they don't know someone.

I think the key to the whole thing is accepting yourself for who you are and accepting that when someone tells you that you are beautiful maybe you should believe them. ^_^

Tune in next week for tips on how to "retrain your stomach".