My Journey Making Peace with Food!

What to eat???

2011-12-14T22:38:00.001-05:00

What to eat when I still want to eat but it's bedtime and I'm NOT HUNGRY?! Nothing. Go to bed. Food doesn't even taste good when I eat and I'm not hungry. This isn't about food, it's something else, but what? What is the emotion? I think I'm just sad the chance to eat this day is over. I love food.

Can Knowing When you are Full Really Work?

2011-08-07T10:34:00.005-04:00

In recent talk, Dr. Brian Wansink, a consumer psychologist, discussed the idea that dieters don't need WILLPOWER, just use smaller plates and glasses. He also said that people should keep "unhealthy" foods out of the line of sight, and healthier foods in view.

Dr. Wansink believes that we can't rely on our hunger and fullness signals to tell us when to stop eating. He says that there are just too many stimuli and influences on us to keep eating even after we are full.

So, the idea here is to control the things that stimulate us in our environment, rather than relying on internal signals. I have 2 competing thoughts about this.

First, we should, in theory at least, be able to tune in to physical signals about hunger and fullness and stop eating when we are full and satisfied. The other side of this argument is that humans are "hard wired" to eat when food is available. For most of human history, we lived through cycles of feast and famine, and so eating when food was available was a positive trait or thing to do. So, stopping eating when one was full would be to our disadvantage from an evolutionary point of view.

I believe that we must balance these 2 sides of our nature. Stopping when we are full may just be too, too much for the "system" and it might become overwhelmed by all the food available in our environment these days. Perhaps a way to manage our food environment is to do what Dr. Wansink suggests, using smaller plates, cups and glasses.

A very good compromise, I think!

Comfort Foods

2011-07-25T22:33:00.002-04:00

Recently, as my life is quite stressful, I've been really craving smooth, creamy foods, my most comfort foods. I just love salad and other crisp, veggie foods, but when I'm stressed, it's smooth and creamy all the way!
Off to Cape Cod next week for vacation, and can't wait for the seafood and veggies that are plentiful there. I'm hoping my stress level will lower so I can enjoy my Cape Cod favs!

More on Hunger/Satisfaction and "Fullness"

2011-05-22T22:10:00.001-04:00

How do you know when you are full? When all the food on your plate is gone? When you have certain physical feelings of "fullness"?

This is a very important question. If we recommend that people stop eating when they are "full" but they don't have a good barometer giving them signals that make sense, how would they know when to stop eating.

Ever notice that food tastes better when you are hungry? And stops tasting so fabulous when you are getting full? That's a really good indication that you are full and perhaps even satisfied.

What does SATISFACTION with food mean to you?

Hunger and Fullness

2011-05-20T22:14:00.002-04:00

I had a conversation today with a client, who said that since she's changed her diet to one that is lower in fat and higher in fiber, she experiences a "different kind of fullness". I asked her to explain.

She said that when she ate a "meat heavy" diet, she felt full a lot of the time, and really liked that feeling. With much less meat, and other fatty foods, she gets full, but it has a different quality.

How interesting! Wouldn't you think that full is full?

I think that when we aren't eating what we REALLY want, we can be physically full, but not SATISFIED. There's a difference between full, and SATISFIED. For me, satisfied has several dimensions, physical, mental and spiritual or psychological. If you "fill up" just one of these, say the physical, the others just might not be satisfied. This might explain my client's observation that the fullness she feels on a lower fat diet isn't the same. This might be OK with her, or it might not.

Name that Veggie!

2011-05-20T09:02:00.000-04:00

Name That Veggie Quiz. Try it!

Name That Veggie: Test Your Vegetable IQ

View more presentations from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

Progressive Nutritionists

2011-05-06T22:57:00.003-04:00

There's a new group forming, of "progressive nutritionists". One aspect is to influence the American Dietetic Association, which is the organization that credentials Registered Dietitians. I've been an RD and ADA member since 1971, and have been proud to be an RD.
I am, however, not at all pleased with the ADA's policy of accepting sponsorship money from corporations that produce foods with very low nutritional value, such as Coca Cola, Hershey's, Pepsi, and others.
I am very pleased that a group of dietitians is forming to challenge ADA on this policy, and I have joined them. I find it embarrassing and I feel ashamed that my professional group would accept money from such corporations.
Actually, as I write this, I am incensed!

2011-05-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

International No Diet Day--Celebrated on May 6

International No Diet Day (INDD) is an annual celebration of body acceptance and diversity.
It is observed on May 6 each year.

WHAT IS INDD?
INDD is a day to:

Celebrate the beauty and diversity of ALL our natural sizes & shapes
Affirm everyBODY's right to self-esteem, respect and emotional and physical well-being
Declare a personal one-day moratorium on diet/weight obsession
Learn the facts about weight-loss dieting, health, and body size
Recognize how dieting perpetuates violence against women
Honor the victims of eating disorders and weight-loss surgery
Help end weight discrimination, sizism and fatphobia

The Passover Metaphor

2011-04-17T10:32:00.002-04:00

As I prepare for my Passover seder tomorrow, I am thinking about the metaphors for this season.
We are asked to remove the "chametz", or leavened foods from our homes, and only eat unleavened foods for 8 days. There are rituals for removing these foods, and the crumbs and leftovers of them in our cabinets, fridge and storage places.

What would you like to leave behind, with your chametz this season?

Jews were slaves in Egypt, in Hebrew "the narrow place". The theme is freedom from slavery. Where in your life are you still in a "narrow place"? To what are you still enslaved? Money, power, food, control, being right in your relationships? How can you change that, to be more free?

One more pet peeve

2011-04-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

The new "Wendy's" ad, for NATURAL CUT FRENCH FRIES WITH SEA SALT. Yikes! What is natural cut? They are potatoes, after all, however you cut them they are "natural". Just fried in oil, which is fine in moderation, like all other foods.
Believe me, "sea salt" won't improve the nutritional value of these potatoes.

A Pet Peeve...

2011-04-14T13:27:00.002-04:00

Advertising for food is a tricky business. When they try to make foods sound "healthy" they often really mess it up.
The latest is "farm grown" vegetables in products. Where else are vegetable grown?? They are trying to make it sound "organic" or "natural", both buzz words that people think they know. BTW, there's no such thing as "natural", not in a regulatory sense. The word when applied to food products is meaningless!

How Do You Know What to Eat?

2011-04-06T17:37:00.000-04:00

How Do You Know What To Eat?

In my experience, there are two broad categories of “eaters”. People in the first group know exactly what they really want when they are hungry. If you are one of these people, do you eat what you really want most of the time? If not, what keeps you from eating the foods you really want?

Many people tell me they want to “eat healthy” and the foods they really like aren’t healthy. My professional and personal experience is that many of these people would choose “healthy” foods if they really ate what they prefer most of the time.

So, what is “healthy” food? Many of my clients say, “I had a good day, I ate ‘healthy’ all day”. What does that really mean? For many it means low fat, small portions, lots of fruits and vegetables. As your dietitian, I’d say that’s just fine, but is it what you really wanted? The “best food” is not diet food, it’s what you really want and what food is in your very best interest in terms of health and your satisfaction with what you are eating. I find that cravings for foods we love just get larger when we try to control them!

People in the second category of “eaters” really have no idea what they want to eat most of the time. They may not have thought much about it or have been dieting for so long that they have forgotten what it’s like to eat the foods they really enjoy.

Dieting tells you that what you want is wrong (otherwise you wouldn’t have a weight problem!). So, many chronic dieters become so distant from their physical urges to eat the foods they love that they don’t know what they want. For many chronic dieters, the foods they love have become binge foods, or at least a major treat. In either case, they tend to overeat and lose control when eating the foods they love.

One way to begin to explore the idea of knowing what you really want to eat is to think of these four characteristics of food. The food you choose should be as close to perfect as possible in flavor, texture, color and temperature. H

My Journey Making Peace with Food!: When Food is Comfort

2011-02-28T11:11:00.000-05:00

My Journey Making Peace with Food!: When Food is Comfort

When Food is Comfort

2011-02-28T10:24:00.003-05:00

Like many other people, when I'm feeling sad or sorry for myself, I enjoy eating, even when I'm not hungry. I have my comfort foods, some soft and creamy, others crunchy and salty. I've had a number of health issues lately, both for myself and for people I care about, and I admit it, I've been using food for comfort.
To say that I understand how my clients feel is an understatement! This behavior is not good for my health, and yet it's so tempting and even seductive. Watching TV, a "little hungry", I know, let's have this or that. Done now, let's have the next thing. Never waiting till I'm hungry again, as I counsel my clients to do. Not a good plan.
Just thought I'd "rat myself out", to you, dear Blog!

Satisfaction with Food

2011-02-13T14:01:00.003-05:00

I think this concept of "satisfaction" when it comes to food is such an interesting idea. What does that mean to you? To your clients?

I think that chronic dieters don't consider how satisfying a food is when they choose what to eat. They think more often of calories, points, or what will make them lose weight, change their body shape, etc.

My personal and professional experience is that when people eat what they REALLY want and do so consciously, they are far more likely to feel satisfied. Surprisingly to many dieters, this does not have to be a "cheat" food. Often foods that are considered "healthy" can be satisfying. It all depends on what you really want to eat when you are hungry. Food choice does not have to be dictated by an external authority such as the diet (or the dietitian!).

You really can eat when you are hungry, eat what you really want and stop when you are full

This helps to make peace with food!

Terrific New Article on Non-Dieting

2011-02-04T09:27:00.003-05:00

A colleague, Judith Matz, has written a wonderful new article on the value of a "non-diet" approach. I highly recommend it for all who are interested in this subject, and even for those who are not!
http://dietsurvivors.com/Matz_Diets_and_our_Demons.pdf

You might just become a believer....

What does it take to remain "thin" as we age?

2011-01-17T22:05:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking recently about the fact that most women gain weight as they age. Our "shape" also changes, with changes in hormones during and after menopause. I have a few people in my life who are different; they aren't gaining weight like the rest of us.

I've watched them and what they do to remain thin or, in some cases, to get even thinner. For most women, this requires an enormous exertion of will, to control food intake and exercise A LOT. Some of these women really like living this way, and others do it because it's one of the (few) ways they have of feeling good about themselves. Others just have a flat out obsession with exercise.

To be clear, there are a few women who remain naturally thin. Their bodies and brains just automatically regulate food intake and they move more naturally. This is, however, the exception.

Many women, menopausal and younger, use regulation of food intake and weight as a means of controlling their internal and external environment. Weight becomes a symbol of how good they are at controlling themselves. It's something that everyone can see and admire.

Imagine that we live in a world where people have the illusion of control because they stay thin!

Food Should be One of Life's Simple Pleasures

2011-01-14T10:58:00.002-05:00

I love food. I love everything about it. Talking about food, thinking about it, planning it, recipes, cooking, and of course, eating.

But some people just can't allow themselves to enjoy food. It's just too scary. They may feel that if they eat food they like, they are sure to be out of control. And out of control probably means they will overeat, and get fat, and that would be just too horrible to contemplate.

Other people feel they don't have "the right" to enjoy food. Somehow it's just too decadent to allow food to make them happy.

One of my patients put it really well. She told me that her life feels very out of control right now, and food and her weight feels like the only thing she CAN control. She spends a lot of time thinking about how to control what she eats, and planning what NOT to eat. For example, she loves fried chicken, but would feel awful if she ate it. She is sure that just eating this once would result in a binge and weight gain.

It's just so sad that our culture of thinness has made life with food so hard for some people.

2011-01-02T13:08:00.003-05:00

I've been reading The 100 Year Diet, by Susan Yager, a history of dietiting. This fascinating book chronicles America's obsession with thinness as a means of controlling one's life when it feels otherwise uncontrollable. It reveals the historical roots, in terms of what was happening in US history during various times in the past 100 years, and how this affecting our cultural ideals for the human body.

Isn't it amazing that the whole idea of dieting or thinness only began 100 years ag0? Many in our society take it as an article of faith that thin is good, and says a lot about the person's integrity, self control and overall attractiveness. 100 years ago, the idea of calories was not known, and the means of gaining or losing weight was not well understood. Yager describes the popular ideas about fatness, and how being "overweight" was not a BAD thing, until several journalists began writing about the idea.

During the 1930's, when many felt that life was not in their control, one easy way of creating (at least) the illusion of control, was to control what you ate, and therefore your weight. Amazing, isn't it, that during a time when many people did not have enough food to eat, that others worked hard to LOSE weight. What irony!

2010-12-07T16:30:00.003-05:00

Colleagues of mine, Linda Bacon and Judith Matz, have written a wonderful new article in Diabetes Self Management. It's about intuitive eating, and "stopping the blame game". Learn to eat when you are hungry, eat consciously, and stop when you are full. It really works, even if you have diabetes! Check it out.

http://www.dietsurvivors.com/BaconMatz_Diabetes_EnjoyingFood.pdf

Are Fat People to "Blame"?

2010-11-28T15:58:00.001-05:00

There is a current "conversation" among medical professionals about the increase in the number of obese patients, and the stress their size is putting on these professionals. Hospitals and other health care facilities are often not equipped to handle larger size people, and nurses and others feel the physical stress on them is unfair. The idea is these fat people "should just lose weight". After all, isn't it true that fat people are ALL unhealthy and should just eat less and exercise more?

NO, this is NOT always true. There are healthy overweight people, and unhealthy thin people. Being overweight is a risk factor for some chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. It is NOT a guarantee that the overweight person will develop these illnesses.

2010-11-28T15:55:00.002-05:00

Here is more on the topic of overweight people and the health care system, from my colleague, Ragan Chastain. See her website at www.danceswithfat.com.

It seems that this is predominantly a matter of "blame". Yes, health professionals might argue, it may be more difficult to work on the elderly or the immobile but they "can't help it". Doctors, nurses, aides and techs may feel justified in complaining about fat patients because they feel that they could "just lose weight". Regardless of the truth of that argument, patients are not treated in hypothetical land and the patient in front of you can't lose weight right now, so a real problem still exists.

I would suggest that the two most important issues here are medical professionals' safety, and patient safety and dignity. Therefore, it's not professionals against patients, it's professionals and patients against a problem and that problem is the fact that hospitals are not properly equipped to deal with the patients in front of them, and are therefore failing to provide an appropriate standard of care and dignity to those patients, and a safe work environment for their employees and contractors.

Rather than turning on each other, I would argue that health professionals and patients should join together and press the hospitals and treatment facilities for the things that they need - equipment, staffing etc. to care for the patients who they have. If patients of size are becoming an increasing issue then that simply speaks to the need to address the problem from the facility level.

As far as weight being a problem that health professionals have to address: My argument would be that even if it would solve the problem, there is nothing yet proven to achieve long term weight loss; and that heaping shame and blame upon people for whom you have no viable treatment option is irresponsible and highly unlikely to result in an outcome of greater health - physical or mental. Excuse the metaphor but it seems to me that the current practice of prescribing caloric restriction is the same as if Viagara were only successful 5% of the time but doctors kept prescribing it and blamed 95% of the guys for not trying hard enough. Not to be cliche but based on the evidence a Health at Every Size approach is much more responsible.

Are Fat People to Blame?

2010-11-28T15:45:00.002-05:00

Food and Nutrition Conference and Exibition

2010-08-06T22:20:00.003-04:00

The Food and Nutrition Conference and Exposition of the American Dietetic Assoc will be held in November in Boston, MA, my home town.
This is the largest conference of Registered Dietitians, and it's always an exciting event. There are thousands of RDs who attend and many interesting topics explored.
Here's the website for the event:
http://www.eatright.org/fnce/
Hope to see you there!

An article from Diana Cullum-Dugan

2010-07-18T09:08:00.003-04:00

Diana is a registered dietitian and certified yoga instructor, and inspired colleague. Here's a article from her.

One Drop in the Ocean – One Bite on the Fork

Everyone knows that the drop is inside the ocean, but it is the rare one who knows the ocean is contained in the drop, says Kabir Das, one of the greatest poets of all time. In many cultures, the heart is seen as the container for our spirit. Yet it’s not the physical heart I speak of here, but a space of subtle energy that serves as the doorway to the inner world.
Just as the Universe contains us, our heart space or heart center contains the Universe.
So it is with eating. Huh?
I live by three simple rules when it comes to eating, well mostly, when I’m connected to my heart center.
1. Eat when I’m hungry.

2. Stop when I’m comfortable.

3. Eat whatever my body wants.

Sometimes though, the disconnection between my heart, brain, and stomach is like a little army inside is protecting me from falling into the abyss of self-pity, loneliness and deprivation. The troops say, “Go on, you’re bored, eat some chocolate. You’ll feel better.” Or “Hmmm, lunch time falls right in the middle of a meeting, I should eat more now so I won’t feel hunger.” Or I’m driving home and visions of every kind of food imaginable, Asian take-out, pizza, those delicate little fruit tarts at Whole Foods, hamburgers and tender beef at the local Venezuelan restaurant pop into my head – like, how crazy is that? I’m vegetarian. And I have food at home. Why am I even thinking about driving all over creation in search of food?

The heart center is the midpoint between Heaven and Earth so it’s said. It’s also the link of your awareness to and compassion for your body. When disconnected, eating spans the space of emptiness inside, it stuffs down and suppresses the emotions, sensations and thoughts that pervade that moment in time – feelings you really don’t want to feel. When connected, you feel love for yourself, an intimacy that is comfortable, clean, soft and open and you’re content. When centered in the heart space, the great spiritual emotions like compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, and joy arise from the heart.

Next time sans hunger you go off in search of emotional fulfillment through the vehicle of food, stop. Close your eyes. Breathe the breath of compassion into the space of the heart. Connect to your own fullness. Listen to your inner teacher. If you still want to eat, go for it. Mindfully and without judgment. Enjoy it to the fullest.

2010-07-07T11:07:00.001-04:00

Foods that “Hum” and Foods that “Beckon”
Have you ever experienced a strong craving for a certain food or meal? The feeling can be very strong. You may think of it often over a few hours, days, or even weeks. It can feel as if it’s vibrating in your body in the same way that humming vibrates the bones around your neck and chest. These are foods that are “humming” for you. You may have noticed that these taste particularly terrific when you get to eat them.
By contrast, a food that is “beckoning” you is one you weren’t thinking about before you saw, smelled or even tasted it. Some examples are passing a bakery and smelling baking cookies or bread, smelling chicken roasting as you shop for groceries, or an office mate who drops a piece of candy on your desk as she passes by. In these situations, you may not have been thinking about these foods, but you may just eat them because they are in front of you. These are foods that beckon you.
For some people certain foods hum very often and others only occasionally. In my case, salad hums almost every day. I really like the juicy, vegetable tastes and textures, especially with protein foods like meat, poultry and fish. I always choose a vinaigrette dressing because the combination of the oil and vinegar, veggies, and protein food tastes especially terrific to me.
If you know you are hungry, it’s a chance to determine if any particular food is Humming for you.

Choose Foods That Hum to You!
Why is this so important? If you are hungry, and you eat what “hums” for you, you will need less. I know this sounds impossible, but it’s really true!

Exploring Your Beliefs About Food

2010-06-25T17:43:00.000-04:00

I find that people have very interesting ideas about how food works in their lives, and what they expect to be able to change about their relationship with food. Some of my clients tell me that they want to have perfect “control” over food, and NEVER eat anything they consider unhealthy. And they feel really badly about themselves when they don’t follow this rule. I hear things like “I was eating really healthy, and then I had that cake and that just ruined everything.”

Is this realistic? Is anyone absolutely perfect about what they eat? I think the answers to these questions is NO. And what would be a perfect, healthy diet, anyway? Some people think that never eating sweets or junk food or too much fat or sugar makes for a perfect diet. Others believe that never eating between meals makes for perfection. I once heard Oprah say that being hungry made her happy because she could feel the fat being sucked out of her thighs. And, of course, we need lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains to be perfect. So many rules!

Now, remember that I am a dietitian, and it’s true that fruits, veggies and whole grains are a part of a healthy, balanced diet. But such a diet also includes one’s favorite less healthy foods, in moderation, and in balance with these basics of a good diet. Any most important, eating what you really, really want to be eating is most important. If you are allowed those “forbidden” foods, they lose their power, and take their place as part of your repertoire of possible foods.

Teaching College Students about Nutrition and Diet

2010-04-20T12:48:00.007-04:00

I'm a teacher at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. My students are studying to be health professionals in a variety of specialties, in nursing, physical therapy, exercise physiology, and pharmacy.

My courses include material on obesity and weight management, as well as eating disorders and disordered eating. It is fascinating to listen to students' responses to these topics.

I always include a "health at every size" slant on these subjects, since I believe that restrictive dieting does not work. Instead, I encourage my clients to learn to tune in to their bodies and find out when, what and how much they need to eat. As a dietitian, I encourage whole, fresh, "healthy" foods, but all foods fit into a healthy, normal eating pattern.

Some students express the very strong conviction that people should just "shape up" and force themselves with DISCIPLINE to eat fewer calories and exercise more to lose weight and keep it off. They fail to understand that some people just store calories more efficiently, and the goal for all people should be eating mostly healthy, whole, fresh foods, and moving our bodies in ways that feel good.

I teach both my students and my clients that the goal of eating should be to leave you feeling satisfied, healthy, and strong.

How responsible is government for our personal health decisions?

2010-03-31T08:59:00.004-04:00

Here's a link to a New York Times article by Dr. Sandeep Jauhar in which he discusses the idea that people with good health habits should pay less for health insurance than those with poor habits.

The idea is one of personal responsibility, and the government's responsibility to "pick up the pieces" when individuals don't comply with medical advice. It turns out that it's just not that simple, of course. As Dr. Jauhar says, "When people advocate the need for personal accountability, they presuppose more control over health and sickness than really exists."

We like to think that if we each just worked harder at "good" health habits, all of our chronic health problems would be eliminated. If people just ate "better", exercised, didn't smoke, and had less stress, we would have less obesity and overweight, less heart disease and less diabetes, and therefore lower health care costs. It turns out that's not really true. Changing one's diet and exercise doesn't necessarily result in weight loss. The system is much more complex than that, and much messier! Americans want THE ANSWER to complex problems, tied up in a neat bow. The problem of personal responsibility when it comes to health habits is much more complicated than that.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/health/30risk.html?ref=health

2010-03-23T22:54:00.002-04:00

Submit Your Comments
to the
First Lady's
Childhood Obesity Task Force

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has established a task force as part of her childhood obesity initiative and is seeking recommendations on the following goals:

(a) ensuring access to healthy, affordable food;
(b) increasing physical activity in schools and communities;
(c) providing healthier food in schools; and
(d) empowering parents with information and tools to make good choices for themselves and their families

To submit your comments to the task force, and for more information about the obestiy initiative, please visit http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480abe53d

What do you think about these ideas? They are great, but....let's be careful we don't stigmatize "overweight" kids. Let's remember that all shapes and sizes of bodies are OK, and can easily be healthy with good food and exercise. Where your body "lands" is where it's supposed to be. We need to help kids ACCEPT others' differences in shape and size. Stigmatizing and making fun of larger people is just rude, mean and makes things much worse for them.
How would you like it if people made fun of something about you that is "different"?

Fascinating article in NY Times re: Prejudice against fat people

2010-03-11T08:31:00.002-05:00

Paul Campos and Marilyn Wann wrote a terrific oped piece on fat prejudice last week. Here's a link:
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/0308 2010-03-08_fatties_its_time_to_fight_back.html

This is not a new idea, but one that's gaining traction in the "real" world. How is it that hating fat people is still OK? It's assumed that if they "just" ate better and exercised more they wouldn't be fat. It also assumes that fat people are by definition unhealthy. Nothing could be further from the truth!

It is quite possible to be fat and healthy. Surprised? Friends and family members of mine have believed that fat=unhealthy. These are otherwise very intelligent and educated people. I want to dispell these ideas!

BTW, it is NOT true that fat people all eat badly and don't exercise. That's certainly true for some, but for many it's just the way their bodies work. Would you hate people with blue eyes? Or all white (black, latino, Asian) people? I sure hope not!

Best way to lose weight?

2010-03-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot in the media lately about making small changes in what you eat and how you exercise to maintain your weight and/or to lose weight. Michelle Obama has been talking about this in terms of children and overweight and obesity. Is it true that small changes can stimulate weight loss? Perhaps not. Here's an iteresting article in the NY Times.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/in-obesity-epidemic-whats-one-cookie/?emc=eta1

The Great Weight Debate: Is It OK to be FAT??

2010-02-23T12:38:00.002-05:00

Here's a great piece, with video, from Nightline, discussing if you can be healthy and still overweight or fat. Great video, too. Check it out.
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/FaceOff/weight-debate-fat/story?id=9911743

Check out "The Fat Chick"

2010-02-22T10:25:00.001-05:00

This is a great site by a fat woman who helps other "people of size" learn to exercise and improve their health, all the while loving it. A very entertaining and interesting site.
http://www.thefatchick.com/About.html

More People are Giving Up Dieting

2010-02-21T16:22:00.002-05:00

What a relief! News that more people are quitting dieting, because it doesn't work for most of us. It's often just a cycle of losing and gaining the weight, which is NOT good for your longterm health. Actually the "yo-yo" effect is more damaging to health than being a healthy overweight person.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/21/interest_in_dieting_slims_down/

And YES, you can be overweight and still be healthy. Health professionals now think about "metabolic fitness", which means that your blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood lipids such as cholesterol are in normal range. This also refers to your cardiovascular fitness, including heart rate and ability to exert yourself.

Diets are often just not the answer.

Hatred of Fat People

2010-02-18T13:07:00.002-05:00

One of the leaders is the "Health At Every Size" movement is Paul Campos, a professor at the University of Colorado. He writes about our society's fear and hatred of fat or overweight people. In this article he writes about MeMe Roth, the President of National Action Against Obesity. It seems that many of Ms. Roth's behaviors about her own health and her body are indicative of anorexia nervosa. She gets herself a lot of publicity, especially about how lazy, thoughtles, and basically stupid fat people are, and that they SHOULD be able to do something about their "problem". As professionals in this field, we know that much of body shape and size is dictated by genetics, and that HEALTH is really what's important, not body size.
Check out this article: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-02-17/leave-fat-people-alone/?cid=bs:archive8

Is there really a crisis of childhood obesity?

2010-02-11T08:21:00.003-05:00

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/childhood-shmomesity

Michelle Obama has declared "war" on childhood obesity, but is there really a big crisis? Paul Campos, a professor of law at the University of Colorado, argues there is no crisis, just a campaign against fat kids.
I agree that if Mrs. Obama's approach to the "problem" of her overweight child worked, there would be NO FAT KIDS! She referred to her daughter's weight (she's chubby)in public, which is a set up for eating disorders. Her approach to changing TV habits and her kids' diets speaks to a desire to improve their health, which, Dr. Campos argues, can do so, but why link this to their weight??

Listen to a Poscast Where I'm interviewed on Intuitive Eating

2010-02-10T17:31:00.003-05:00

This company in Australia recently interviewed me on an alternative to dieting to manage your weight. We think of this as a "non-diet" or intuitive way of eating, without restricting what you eat. You simply eat when you are hungry, eat what you really want, and stop when you are full. You can trust your body to tell you when, what and how much to eat!

http://www.foodthinkers.com/2010/01/podcast-weight-management-resolution/

Video on food labels and portion size

2010-02-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

Check out this excellent video with William Neuman of the NY Times. He really describes the problem with "Nutrition Facts", the labeling on most food products. Take a look, and I think you'll be surprised at how easy it is to be fooled!
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/02/05/business/1247466717641/serving-size-snafu.html?th&emc=th

An interesting piece

2010-01-31T11:20:00.001-05:00

Here 's an interesting short article on how people of "Normal Weight" can be fat and unhealthy!
http://watrd.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/even-the-thin-can-be-fat/

Listen to Cake Topple Your Brain!

2010-01-31T00:28:00.000-05:00

A Podcast from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=122781981&m=122971033

From the National Assoc to Advance Fat Acceptance

2010-01-31T00:22:00.002-05:00

Consider this news bulletin, and think about how we can encourage people to live healthier lives. Is this the way??

Call to Action - Consider Carefully Where You Spend Your Grocery Dollars

Steven A. Burd, Safeway's chief executive says he has set an example for employers nationwide by rewarding employees for healthy behavior. His wellness program requires workers to pay higher insurance premiums if they flunk tests for measures such as weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.

As proof that his plan works, he claimed their health care costs for four years have been held constant. Really? The element of Safeway's benefits plan tying employees' premiums to medical test results was not implemented until 2009, according to Safeway Senior Vice President Ken Shachmut.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, has a plan for cutting his health insurance costs by giving his employees extra discounts on their company store purchases based on their Body Mass Index (BMI).

Employees with a BMI between 28 and 29.9 will get a 22% discount; those with a BMI of 26-28.9 will get a 25% discount; those with a BMI of 24-25.9 will get a 27% discount; and those below 24 will get a 30% discount. Employees must also meet blood pressure and cholesterol criteria and not use nicotine to qualify. All company employees are afforded a 20% discount on their purchases.

These approaches in company wellness programs are not effective long term strategies. They simply repeat a cycle of stigma and bias in workplaces across America (Puhl et al, 2008). Wellness Programs that encourage and support holistic healthy lifestyle changes independent of BMI are much more effective.

In light of the discriminatory practices of these industry leaders, NAAFA urges our members and all those who believe that discrimination is wrong to consider very carefully where you spend your hard earned grocery budget. We encourage you to support grocery suppliers whose benefits packages benefit all employees equally. We encourage you to support co-ops and farmer's markets for your organic grocery needs. You work hard for your money. Use it wisely to support those who do not promote weight bias and discrimination.

Those of you who wish to express you concerns and opinions to these company leaders may do so at the following addresses:

John Mackey, CEO
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644

Steven Burd, CEO
Safeway, Inc.
5918 Stoneridge Mall Rd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588

Health At Every Size article link

2010-01-19T11:05:00.001-05:00

http://www.welcoa.org/freeresources/index.php?category=8

An interesting piece on Health At Every Size

2010-01-19T10:59:00.003-05:00

There's a new very interesting report on the website for Wellness Councils of America, called "10 Things You Can Do Right Now". This article is about ways to improve health WITHOUT DIETING. Weight loss and maintenance is NOT the end all and be all of good health. Check out this article at

It turns out that repeated attempts at weight loss increase the likelihood of eating disorders and poor body image in both adults and kids. The focus should be on health at every size!

Still wanting comfort food

2009-12-05T14:21:00.002-05:00

I'm still recovering from a medical procedure I had in November, and my urge is still to have the foods that comfort me. My energy is low, pain and sleep are a problem, and it's easy to begin to feel sorry for myself.
In such times, it becomes clear to me what an intimate relationship I have with food. Of course, we all do, but I think about food a lot. No feelings that I'm out of control with food, just need to feel very satisfied when I eat.
Recent favorite foods are toast and jam, pasta with cheese, veggies and olive oil, baked chicken and veggies, rice pudding, baked apples, baked fish and boiled potatoes. Tonight I'm making a sheperd's pie with ground turkey, onions, celery, garlic, peas, corn and sweet potatoes. Yum. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Eating Disorders vs. Disordered Eating

2009-11-23T11:51:00.002-05:00

In the world of medical professionals who treat eating disorders, there are specific criteria for diagnosing someone with one of these disorders. There are 3 main categories of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. There's also something called "eating disorder not otherwise specified", which means you've got an eating disorder but it doesn't fit neatly into one of these categories.

These categories are defined in a book called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a listing of psychological disorders. For each, there is a set of criteria that a patient must meet to receive the diagnosis. This is so that we are all clear what disorder you've got, and for insurance reimbursement.

As someone who treats eating disorders, I see a lot of people who don't meet the criteria for one of these disorders, but are never-the-less in a lot of emotional pain about their relationship with food. We all have a relationship with food, even though food is a set of inanimate objects. If food is making the decisions about when, what and how much you eat, rather than you making these decisions, I think you have a disordered relationship with food.

Using food to fill your spiritual "emptiness"

2009-10-24T22:37:00.002-04:00

Do you ever use food to "fill yourself up", when you're not physically hungry? I sure do!
Recently I've had a difficult period of waiting to have a medical procedure. The waiting is a lot harder than the procedure itself will be, I'm sure. I find myself eating when I'm not at all hungry, and at other times not eating when I AM hungry. I've been asked how this works for me; do I overeat when I'm upset or not eat? Well, I guess the answer is it varies a lot.
I am aware, though, that I'm using food to "fill" that space that holds my anxiety.

What do you want to eat when you need comfort?

2009-10-18T22:35:00.002-04:00

This is such an interesting question to me. People are so different, and it's great to hear the answer to this question.
I almost always want smooth, creamy foods, like ice cream or frozen yogurt, pudding, cottage cheese and sour cream (a childhood favorite), banana, cream of wheat or oatmeal (creamy).
Sometimes I want crunchy breakfast cereal, with raisins.
While I love salad and fresh fruit, these are not the foods I want when I need comfort.
What are your comfort foods?

The Spirituality of Eating: Eat what you love, and love what you eat.

2009-10-08T10:29:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought of food and eating as a spiritual experience? The experience of tasting something simply marvelous and yummy can be so intense that it’s startling. Feeling hungry feels empty, eating food we love tastes wonderful, and eating just till you are full and satisfied rounds out the spiritual experience of eating.

When you are thinking about eating, consider 3 questions:
• Am I hungry, physically hungry?
• What do I really want to eat?
• How much of this food do I really need to be satisfied?

Food tastes better when you are hungry, physically hungry and that’s a physiologic fact. Consider that when we begin eating, the food tastes good, and as we fill up, the food might still be good, but it’s not as fabulous as that first bite. The food hasn’t changed, but our experience of eating it has changed. We have changed, physically changed, when we are no longer hungry. So, waiting to eat until you are hungry is the best strategy you can have to a comfortable relationship with food.

Being physically hungry is really good news; it means the food will taste very good. If you are eating what you really, really want, that’s a plus in terms of having a spiritual experience with food. Stopping when you are physically, mentally and spiritually full is a very important aspect of eating to satisfaction.

If you are “tuned in”, the movement from hunger to satisfied fullness is truly a spiritual experience.

Are evenings hard for you in terms of snacking?

2009-10-03T23:00:00.002-04:00

Many of my patients and friends tell me that after dinner is their hardest time of day in terms of wanting to eat even when they are not hungry. I know this is my most difficult challenge in eating consciously. If I've had a satisfying dinner, and am NOT hungry, I shouldn't want any more food, right? Many evenings that's just not the case. I really enjoy a (small) bowl of frozen yogurt and often that's enough. But some evenings I just want to keep eating! This is very frustrating. I feel best when I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.

Wondering how others do it?

2009-09-27T15:05:00.000-04:00

What do you do when your typical meal times have to change?

If I know that my mealtime will be different than usual on a particular day, I try to adjust my other eating times to fit. For example, this evening begins the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, and I'll be at services from 6-9. My usual evening meal is at 7 or so; what to do?? I always want to eat only when I'm hungry, since food tastes so much better.

I've had a light lunch at 1, and will plan to eat at about 5, a light supper (ravioli, scallops, butternut squash, yum). I don't like going out after a big meal. Hope this works.

What do I want to eat right now?

2009-09-26T16:20:00.003-04:00

Sometimes knowing what I want to eat is very clear, and other times it seems mysterious.

Yesterday at Northeastern University where I teach, I was a little hungry and just wanted "something", perhaps something sweet, but not too filling. I hate the way I feel when I have too much high fat food, and this happens often with pastry, cookies, etc.

I went to the Starbucks on campus and was perusing the sweets in the case. One of my students came up behind me and said "oh, go ahead, it's ok to splurge!". I had just been talking in class about eating when you're hungry and eating exactly what you want. I answered, "Nope, this isn't what I really want." and left to buy a fruited yogurt at the convenience store.

Now that was a satisfying snack!

Health At Every Size

2009-09-22T22:36:00.002-04:00

I've been following the listserv for Association for Size Diversity and Health (www.sizediversityandhealth.com). This is a very interesting group of lay people and professionals, who are interested in promoting the idea that "thin" is not the only way to be healthy. It is quite possible, and often the best choice, to be "overweight" or even "over fat" and still be very healthy and happy. The drum beat of voices telling us to lose weight or get sick and die may actually be wrong!

Family Holidays

2009-09-18T17:45:00.002-04:00

Tonight is the start of a holiday in my family, and I'm off to dinner at my mother's. This meal is always the same, except that over the years my mother and my aunt have "simplified" the recipes, to use more canned and pre-prepared foods. I'm in favor of whole, fresh, unprocessed food, and so I find many of these dishes unpalatable, and certainly less healthy. I suggested that a salad be served and was told it's "not traditional". What that really means is THEY have never served salad with this meal. There is no one tradition for these foods, just what we make up.
Guess what? I'm bringing a salad!

Emotions and Eating

2009-09-18T09:01:00.000-04:00

Do you find yourself wanting to eat more or less food when you're emotions feel difficult or out of control? This is interesting to me. Sometimes I want more food and feel like I'm never really "full" or satisfied. Other times I feel that I can't really eat, and feel that empty uncomfortable hungry feeling. I think that FEAR is the emotion that makes me feel like I can't eat. That emotion keeps me from really taking care of myself in a way that provides comfort.

Feeling more satisfied

2009-09-14T08:17:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I felt a lot more satisfied with what I ate, a big relief. I was on Cape Cod with friends, and had lunch they prepared for me, excellent. Dinner was a lobster roll and french fries that were excellent and VERY satisfying.
It's interesting that the next day (today) I feel better, and more relaxed. What I eat and how I feel about it really has an impact on how I feel.
Do you feel that way too?

Feeling Satisfied with Food

2009-09-12T12:33:00.006-04:00

This week I had a medical issue hanging over my head, and it has left me feeling uneasy and at times anxious. I've been aware that I'm trying to "fill myself up" with food, and that whatever I'm eating is not satisfying. I've certainly been physically full at times, but rarely have I felt satisfied.
There is really a difference between being physically full and satisfied. It's very clear that what I'm experiencing is not about a need for food, but a need for some emotional comfort. I'm working on learning to live with unresolved problems in my life, and not use food or other substances to soothe me. This is a hard job, and I'm hoping for progress and not perfection.

Why We Overeat

2009-09-10T11:17:00.001-04:00

• Have you wondered why, despite your best efforts, your still overeat your favorite foods?
• As more people in our country are overweight and so many people are “on a diet”, why aren’t we looking at why people overeat?

Perhaps you’re one of the people who simply blame themselves for not being able to stick to a weight loss diet. There is an entire multibillion dollar industry devoted to helping us lose weight, and it’s a terrific business to be in right now. Since most people regain the weight they lose, this industry has a built-in customer base.

Scientists are only now beginning to investigate why people overeat. Dr. David Kessler, the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has a new book titled “Why We Overeat”. The book describes current research looking at the causes of overeating. And no, it’s not just that you are lazy or undisciplined.

Research demonstrates that when we eat sugar, fat, or salt, the brain is stimulated to produce dopamine, a chemical that conveys messages from one nerve cell to another. When we consume just sugar, there is a small spike in this chemical, but when the food contains sugar and fat, the spike is larger and lasts longer than with sugar alone. Combine these 3, and the spike in production of this chemical lasts longer still. When you add a variety of temperatures, textures, and aromas, the lure of this food becomes even stronger and harder to resist. These chemicals “activate” the brain and turn on reward circuits, causing the desire for more and more of the food. For example, ice cream contains sugar and fat and is cold. When you add hot fudge (sugar, fat, hot, creamy, chocolate), crumbled cookies (sugar, crispy), and peanut butter candy (sugar, fat, chocolate), the food is more multisensory, and even harder to resist.

The food and restaurant industries know that to make a food more irresistible, they should layer the fat, salt and sugar with the other sensory qualities such as texture, temperature, and color. These industries are smart enough to put these foods on every street corner, grocery store, and drug store. Add the gloss of advertising that says “eat this with your friends and family, have fun”, conditions us to want to eat these foods beyond fullness.

Dr. Kessler points out that not everyone is equally vulnerable to the irresistibility of these foods. We don’t know for sure, but we think that in some people not as much of these brain chemicals are produced in response to foods, or they just don’t have the same effect as in others. Dr. Kessler refers to people whose brains are activated and remain activated by food conditioned hypereaters. When people who are not hypereaters begin to eat very appealing food, they do so until the “reward circuits” in the brain shut off, at a point of satiety. Conditioned hypreaters just don’t seem to have that shut off mechanism.

2009-09-10T09:05:00.000-04:00

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?

2009-09-10T08:58:00.000-04:00

I'm a dietitian. You would think I'd subscribe to the breakfast idea. Well, it may be true for some, but I'm just not hungry in the morning. I have coffee, always, then need about 2 hours till I'm hungry. I believe, strongly, that we should eat when we are hungry, physically hungry. At about 2 hours after waking, I want cereal and milk, almost always.
Of course, if I'm anxious or upset, I find it hard to eat. Still, I know that I'll need food and try to have something. Smooth creamy foods are easiest for me when I'm upset.
So, my "breakfast" is really a "snack".

2009-09-09T08:40:00.000-04:00

I'm writing this blog to chronicle my thoughts and experiences in helping others, as well as myself, with a "non-diet" approach to one's relationship to food and to good health through eating and exercise.