As we head towards Christmas most dieters, or people aware of their weight, are very conscious of food. The interesting thing is that most people focus on what bad things they will try and avoid as opposed to what nice things they can have and just enjoy the season.
I saw a 1-2-1 client this week who has been struggling with his weight. When we were chatting he got animated and excited about the fact that mince pies were in Tesco, and also they were half price. He was so animated about it that it made it quite clear to me the emotional link he has with food. This was how I used to feel too, in that it wasn't food to him, he talked about it like it was a friend that he hadn't seen for ages. He was even building pictures with his hands of what they looked like and telling me how they were only seventy four pence for six!
When I was big I always remember going to buy some Cherry Bakewells. I looked at the Mr Kipling ones and next to them were the Weightwatchers ones. If you actually check, there is very little difference between the two in terms of calories and even fat but I was aware of my weight so I went with the Weight Watchers ones. The funny thing was because I had been "good" and chosen the healthier option, I used to have two of them instead of just one of the Mr Kipling ones. Therefore, I actually was consuming more calories than before.
To me it was all about the amount I was having, and not feeling "deprived". I would even choose healthier options so I could have even more of them.
So, as we turn to Christmas, food is on the agenda. We might be in credit crunch but food is still massively available and affordable and as a society, we link this time of year with overeating.There is nothing stopping you having everything you want but just having less of it to make sure you only take in the calories you need.
Last weekend we had Christmas Pudding after our Sunday dinner. Instead of having a huge bowl so we felt ill and bulging, we had a small one between four of us. After we'd eaten, we were more than happy as it was appropriate. Now I didn't have salad or sawdust, or low fat, or low GI or anything else, I just had less of it than I would have before. That is why I don't follow any diet anymore, I just make sure that I don't eat too many calories but I also don't restrict my food types. If I want to have chocolate or cream, or something high in fat or calories then I will, but balance and moderation is the key.
Diets tend to be about control, they tend to talk about abstinence and avoidance of certain foods, that is absolutely fine for a short period in your life while you trim down but ultimately life is too short to be doing a permanent diet and hence you must find moderation after a diet for your longer term maintenance.
So when it comes to your Xmas thoughts then what are you planning? I would strongly recommend you don't "have the month off" and go mad, that means you have a binge/starve mindset and you are either always on a diet or always overeating and never just doing something more fun than concentrating on your next meal.
I will absolutely be having some lovely food over December but I will make sure that it is still appropriate and I won't put on weight as that means I have to do a diet afterwards to get it back off. If you watch 'naturally slim' people, they don't have the mindset of eat as much as I can today as I might be able to diet tomorrow, they just eat what they fancy but moderate it so they protect their health.
And ultimately, if you need a carrot to dangle in all of this, weigh yourself on the 1st December and make a plan to be around the same weight on the 1st January. if you are on a formal diet plan then reduce by a certain weight, I promise you that the feeling of achievement is better than any liquer chocolate!
Back in December 2006 I was dieting on Xmas Day and ate a small amount of turkey and sprouts, it didn't take willpower as I wanted to be slim so much you could have held me down and shoved Stollen in my mouth but I wouldn't have chewed it! I realised something that day, at 8pm, I was lively and playing games with Jo and the kids, Big Mike would have been fast asleep on the sofa full of booze and sausagemeat! It made me realise what makes Xmas special is family and friends and no amount of extra food will enhance that feeling.
Have a top week!!
Mike :-)