The Doctor Says...

 I am an emotional eater.  I rarely eat for hunger.  Perhaps it stems from the fact that my mother used food to show her love for me.  She would pile lumberjack sized portions on my plate and insist I eat everything before I could relish a taste of dessert.  I vividly remember eating dessert most nights with my pants unzipped so that I had room for the tastiest part of dinner!

As I grew up, I could always be found at the food table at parties.  I was uncertain of myself and felt a calming effect from the food as it crunched in my mouth between my teeth, then glided down to my stomach; giving me that full, loved feeling that I felt from my mother's cooking.

As an adult, whenever I feel stress, my best friend is the fridge.  Or the car, which can transport me to the golden arches or the restaurant by the border!  As long as my tummy feels calm, I feel calmer... until I step on the scale or can't fit into my fat pants!

I have spent most of my life battling my weight.  As I pen this, I am at an all time high; more than I was with the birth of either child.  I have read hundreds of diet books.  Tried at least 20 different diets.  Counted calories, fat grams, cholesterol, protein, carbs and joined websites that made all of this easier for me.  I have discussed diets with my doctors.  I comb every article I can find in magazines or in newspapers that address overeating and losing weight the sensible way.  I feel, even though I envision myself as teetering  on being 1/10 of a ton, I am a diet expert.  I could be the next diet doctor! 

I know exactly what foods to eat, how much of them to put into my mouth, how much cholesterol I am to allow into my body, the amount of calories for intake each and the exercise that will help me eliminate them from my body.

I have read doctor recommendations from around the globe.  The darker and more colorful the vegetable, the better amount of antioxidants, nutrients and benefits.  Berries have more anti-oxidants than citrus but citrus provides so much vitamin C.  Better watch out for the evils of citrus however on your teeth...make sure to munch a small piece of low-fat cheese to prevent enamel destruction.  One should only allow so much cholesterol in one's diet.  If one follows a diet plan where grains and fruits are considered evil; this will be difficult as meat and dairy products offer the most cholesterol.  If you are following a diet of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, you basically eliminate cholesterol but are lacking in proteins and calcium supplements that the other food groups offer.

I have decided that the following needs to be integrated into my life as a result of this month's news/magazine articles I have read.  All of these are recommendations from doctors or physicians in the health industry....

I will drink/eat salmon, avocados, nuts (which include cashews, pecans and peanuts), berries, yogurt, fresh and brightly colored vegetables, leafy, dark greens, legumes, whole grain pastas, unsweetened coffee and tea, fat free milk, low fat cheeses, lean chicken and turkey, olive oil, acai supplements, pomegranates, cherries, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain breads and apples.  Therefore, I will give my body enough Omega rich foods, antioxidants, fiber, protein, low cholesterol options, heart healthy foods that will reduce my risks of cancer, heart disease, blindness and joint pain.  These foods are also supposed to lower my depressive tendencies and increase my energy.  I will also drink 120 oz of water as doctors recommend drinking 1/2 of your body weight of water daily. 

It makes me full just to think of all that goodness... not to mention the effort of eating all of these foods in one week.  Problem is, not many of these are comfort foods and require preparation before eating.  In looking at my list, I fear that the porcelain bowl will be my best friend until my body acclimates to these healthy substances.  Guess I better buy more toilet paper and flushable wipes.  I guess I better start making out my grocery list right now... I have not had much luck following diets before.  Most of the diets I have followed in the past have been recommended by some type of physician.  I should have lost weight, right?

While I munch on my peanut butter cereal, which is highly processed and tastes oh, so good, I will begin my new journey in the land of dieting.  Hope this time I can find success.