[FitDream] D*iet Rules Rant!
Published: Thu, 02/12/09
 Volume 1 Issue 50
February 12, 2009
  Hi !I bet you have your OWN rant list for d*iet rules, yes? A recent newspaper column inspired today's Feature Article. Let me know what you think and come by the blog to share YOUR ideas!
As always, links to this week's NEW blog posts are listed in Highlights below.
Note the upcoming Special Event with Brad Pilon. Brad has a new book coming out, How Much Protein? And he's going to come by and talk with us about it!
This book is very controversial and has a lot of insider information. Brad spent over 7 years in the sports supplement industry formulating some of the most popular protein and muscle building supplements on the market.
I've had a chance to read an advance copy, and it is very informative, researched, and easy to read, as is Brad's style. Brad, as you know, is also the author of Eat Stop Eat, about intermittent fasting.
Woman's Fitness Blue Print Group Coaching Program sold out and is currently underway. What a team!
The snow has been falling all day. After several inches already packed on last night! Hard to believe my friends Down Under are roasting with a heat wave and wildfires. Take care.
Hearts, Hugs and Stars,
   Feature
Article: "D*iet Rules Rant! Part 1
Sometimes a girl's just gotta have a good rant!
Blog Posts Since Last Week:
Do high amounts of dietary protein enhance muscle development, or even spare muscle when exercise loads decrease?
 "D*iet Rules Rant: Part 1"
by Lani Muelrath, M.A.
Sometimes a girl's just gotta have a good rant.
First, if any of these diet strategies ("tips" or "rules") is working for you, then far be it for me to question. One woman's diet rules rant is another's bible!
But let me qualify things first. By "work for you", I mean that the strategy does ALL of these:
1) Keeps you trim or on the road to same 2) Keeps you in a good, happy relationship with food 3) Keeps you in a good, happy relationship with eating 4) Keeps you in a good, happy relationship with your body
These are some of my personal qualifiers when it comes to a dietary plan that "works". Which brings me to the topic: "diet" rules...and a bit of a rant! Don't worry, I'll try to control myself!
It's just that there are so many "rules" for weight loss and weight control out there that really do NOT get to the heart of the matter, and simply keep us in misery when it comes to items # 1-4 listed above.
I've got a high standard about this. Weight loss alone is not enough. It's got to be part of the bigger picture, a better life, and a healthy, happy outlook when it comes to food, eating, and your body!
So, What Brought This Rant On? An article. In the San Francisco Chronicle. Actually, the article turned out to be a mixed bag. It seemed to change mid stream and went from "OK" to 'what the?". Which shall I start with? OK, the rants have it! Here is the "diet tips" list posted near the end of the article. with my commentary, of course.
"10 dieting tips" - as stated in the article.My responses are in blue.
Tip #1: Eat only when sitting down. Now, I get where this is coming from. Be a conscious eater. But really, don't you know naturally thin people who eat in all stages of recline, standing, or sitting? Does driving count? After all, you ARE sitting down! Does the caloric load of food decrease as it gets closer to the floor? Pardon the sarcasm. Frankly,
this rule never, EVER was important for me in my own success with
weight loss. Habits of noshing while locomoting on foot or standing
may need to be addressed, but "hard fast" rules such as this just get
my goat.
Tip #2: Plan your meals and stick to your plan. Planning
food availability is good strategy. But why the extra dig at the end
"and STICK to it!" like we are inches from loosing our white knuckle
grip on the food-control wagon?
Tip #3: Prepare your lunch ahead of time. OK. This is a good one.
Tip #4: Weigh yourself daily and graph the results. Now, I'm a realist and an all-cards-on-the-table kind of girl when it comes to tracking weight as a weight management tool (See "Does Checking The Scale Help With Weight Management?"). The graphing is to show trends over time.
But
daily? Not necessary. Have you ever wanted a drink of water in the
middle of the night but hesitated, knowing how it might effect your
weight in the morning? OK, obviously there are other issues at stake
here, too. But you know what I mean. Let's not overdo it.
Tip #4: Don't use chewing gum as a way to resist food. Another good one, I call it "medicating your hunger".
Same goes for overdoing beverages, diet sodas (guilty, a la "Diet
Center". My Diet Center "counselor" (think sometime mid 80's) said it
was a better choice than having half an apple).
Tip #5: The hungrier you are, the more slowly you should eat. I'm
not sure what to do with this one. It would be prudent to attach
strategies to this one, like plan a snack before your meal to gently
address your appetite.
Tip #6: Notice every positive behavior you engage in and reward yourself. In the article, it wasn't clarified what "positive behavior" or even "reward" means. I assume it meant in terms of food and eating? Sure, recognize your progress, even the stuff that seems insignificant. It all adds up to big change. For
example, recently a client noted that since paying more attention to
quality foods at her first meal of the day (whenever that was) she
noticed a distinct shift in less desire for low-class, or low quality,
food. This is huge, because think of the implications over time! This
created huge reward it itself! Progress recognition is good, "reward"
not so clear.
Tip #7: Be on the lookout for overeating in response to positive emotions. I used to eat with any emotion - sad, happy, excited, morose. It can be a way of handling what may even be a positive stress. But now I
can celebrate with eats with the best of them, without spilling over to
overeating and remorse. It is more important to cultivate an
engagement with your stresses, fears and emotions that to put rules of
eating on it, which adds another layer. The eating is just a symptom.
Address the roots, not the leaves.
Tip #8: Nibbling as you store leftovers? Ask family or friends to help with cleanup. I'll make you a deal. You come to my house to clean up after dinner and I'll come to yours. Think that'll do it? Puhlease! This is
right up there with putting leftovers in opaque containers, so you
won't know it's there. Or eating off a small plate. Never changed MY
appetite a whit. You?
Tip #9: Eat lunch at your desk? Take time to organize your eating environment. Another
one about conscious eating.
But frankly, once I got clear on not using
food to distract or to make up for stored hunger, this one rings
false.
I prefer NOT having to work when eating. But doing so doesn't,
now, make a darn bit of difference with my weight management. I can
eat while reading, between keyboard strikes, while watching a movie....
To sum up: It feels
wonderful, excellent, liberating, and all things positive to have made
the changes from the inside out that supercedes so many of the rules.
Now that I got my "rant" out of the way first, stay tuned for part 2. We can talk about some of the issues presented in the article that I thought worth strong consideration as we make our way through the labyrinth of eating and dietary behaviors. OK, I'm dying to know, what do YOU think of these rules, which work for you? Or not?
Talk to me in blog comments!
© Lani Muelrath  Conference Call with Special Guest Brad Pilon. Author of Eat Stop Eat, Brad will be telling us about his new book How Much Protein?
I think he is going to have a special offer for my readers, too!
Date: Sunday, Febrruary 22, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m. Pacific (California) Time
Registration: Watch my Blog and next week's FitDream Ezine for registration details!
SOLD OUT And Currently Underway:
 Enjoy over 15 Testimonials and Inspiration HERE Take 10 Weeks And Change Your Life....  Find long-lasting fitness success with Lani Muelrath, M.A., who coaches women to success with their fitness, health, and weight loss goals and simultaneously inspires positive action toward realizing their life dreams. Her unique combination of tactics and tools for change from the inside out delivers phenomenal results. Lani has been a leader in the health and fitness industry for over 30 years and currently holds faculty positions at San Francisco State University and Butte College in California. She has a Master's Degree in Physical Education as well as multiple teaching credentials and fitness certifications in addition to her position as Head T-Tapp Trainer, including Pilates and Yoga. She created a unique in home, WebCam fitness training program that has served as the model for similar programs nation wide. Her seminars, one-on-one as well as group coaching programs, including Woman's Fitness BluePrint: An Action Plan for Success, and retreats offer vision as well as concrete steps toward making your fitness - and life - dreams come true.
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