One
last article on obesity and I'll shut up about it, I promise. This is going to
be about losing that excess and unnecessary body fat we have been carrying
around since lord knows when. This is not about a new super-duper diet no one
has heard of. So, don't get upset already. We all know diets just don't work.
We have been there and done that until we are blue in the face. Just thinking
about it triggers our gag reflex, and that doesn't work either.
The thingy that is to blame
Point
one: I think we all know what has caused our overweight dilemma. If you are
thinking it's anything other than overeating, you need to see a specialist, one
of those headshrinker types. However, this is closer to solving our problem
than you may think, because what causes our problem is a gismo located in our
brain. What we have to do is reprogram the little sucker.
The gismo
This
gismo evolved back when early man was a hunter-gatherer and lived from meal to
meal. When the hunter brought down a mammoth, everyone gorged themselves until
they passed out. The gismo tells the body to store all that excess fat, not
immediately needed, for later use when pickings are thin. That storage area is
usually around the belly or in some of us on the hips and thighs.
For
most modern man, and woman too, no longer requires the gismo, but it still
keeps on working and we must make a conscious effort to watch how much food we
stuff into ourselves. "But I like eating. It brings me so much comfort and
contentment." Most of us plead. That is until we realize another pound of
fat has appeared around our waist. This process continues and gets out of
control. Now we continue punishing our body because we hate what we have
become.
A
surprisingly simple fix
Point
two: there is a way to fool this process. It is a simple process, so put aside
that box of Twinkies and listen up. I'm going to show you how to make that box
of Twinkies last you a week instead of just a snack after consuming that whole
baked chicken you just downed for lunch. If you are like me, I must have a
sweet treat after a meal, i.e., a habit I acquired as a child. This is not a
good thing for someone overweight, but it is allowable in moderation. In our
case, moderation is half of a Twinkie.
Another
problem of our overeating is how fast we eat. I have just recently experienced
this phenomenon, which scared the heck out of me and made me realize what
overeaters face every day.
I
was eating one of my healthy fresh vegetable and fruit meals I had been eating for
the past six months in an attempt to rid myself of my belly fat that is so hard
to shed. I stood at the kitchen sink shoveling in my meal with wild abandon,
barely tasting what I swallowed. I stopped dead, realizing my actions were that
of a crazed maniac who hadn't eaten in a week. I stopped in mid chew as bell
pepper and cucumber crumbs fell from my gaping mouth into the sink. I realized
too, why I ate at the sink. I viewed the sink already littered with bits and
pieces of the meal I was stuffing into my mouth. I disliked that picture. Since
I retired, I eat most of my meals alone. I don't bother sitting at the table or
messing up a bunch of dishes. I have acquired a habit of eating at the sink
while watching what my neighbors were doing.
Slow down
and taste the roses
I
was at a loss as what I should do about my conundrum. Later, I found an article
on the internet on how to eat what you want and lose weight. I thought you had
to watch what you eat to lose weight. It took me a long time to learn what I
should eat to remain healthy and not gain weight. I only had to lose ten
pounds. Anyway, this article sounded simple and logical, so I tried it. It
seems to be working. Therefore, I'll pass it on to you. I hope you benefit from
it as much as I do.
Why we eat
too much
One
of the reasons we eat more than we should is that the message our stomach sends
to our brain that we are full is slow reaching the gismo that tells us to stop
eating. I'm sure you have experienced this. Remember all those times you cussed
yourself for eating too much, e.g., thirty minutes after eating that whole
pizza and downing three beers, you feel miserable and bloated. That is the
delay reaction kicking in. Why this system is so slow is beyond me. Everything
else that involves a reflex action from the brain is instantaneous.
The cure
The
recommendation is, eat small portions and chew them well. Picture yourself as a
dainty southern maiden about to have tea and crumpets with her neighbor. Don't
forget to extend your pinky finger and only take a few crumbs at a time. Savor
their flavor and texture; let your saliva mix well before swallowing. This is
not something new. I remember as a kid, and that's been a long time ago, we
were told to chew each bite twenty times. Remember that, now? This gives you
stomach time to phone you brain that it is reaching its optimum capacity and
your brain sends a text message to you so you know it's time to stop stuffing
your puss.
There
now, isn't that simple? It's a matter of starting a new habit. Remember also,
it takes thirty to sixty days to acquire a habit or change one. However,
overcoming our cravings, stresses and emotional eating habits is not an easy
feat. Give yourself plenty of time. As for my problem, I'm losing about a half
pound a week, and have about eight more weeks to go. Get professional help if
you need. I prefer to save my money, besides; I required no help getting to
where I was.
Other things
to do
Don't
forget to exercise. I don't think it's essential, but it does help speed up the
process and it's better for your heart, lungs and circulatory system. If I
didn't exercise every day, I would either slowly atrophy into something similar
to what Stephen Hawking looked like, or bloat up into a glob of lard. When I'm
not on the computer, I'm glued to the boob tube. Well, I do manage to get up
every 30 or 45 minute to make a trip to the fridge for a snack. Drink plenty of
liquids too, preferably water, and stay away from all sodas, even the sugar
free ones. They are a slow poison.
Hey,
thank you all and have a pleasant day.
Ray
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