Eat Small Meals Every Three Hours

I am guilty as charged with doing this when I am "on track". This MYTH is based on the fact that there are many thin people that eat frequent, small meals. However, most of the thin people probably aren't looking at their watch all the time-they in fact wait for their body to tell them when to eat. They eat when their body tells them to and not rely on the clock. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are satisfied ( not stuffed!) Since that tends to be a small meal; naturally they are hungry in about 3 hours after that meal.

The whole 3 hour rule is not always convenient for me. If I know it will be near impossible for me to eat in that time frame I might either bring a small snack or eat a bigger meal! In all honesty the 3 hour rule usually works well for me. And when I am doing that on a regular basis my body does tell me when it's time to eat and it's usually in the 3 hour range. While I don't disagree with this myth, I do know what works for me. I better, it has taken me years to finally figure it out!

Don't Let Yourself Get Hungry

This myth is based on the assumption that overweight people are not capable of controlling themselves when they are hungry. It's not so much about control as it is knowing the difference between physical hunger and head hunger. There is a big difference. The explanations are easy, but for some figuring out which one they are experiencing can sometimes be difficult. Physical hunger is when your body really needs sustenance. It's ready to be fed. You might get light headed, your belly might rumble or your blood sugar might even drop. You physically are ready to eat. Head hunger is not the same. You might see/smell something delicious that you think you need to eat RIGHT NOW! Or you put yourself on a time table of when you have to eat ( this myth will be discussed tomorrow). It's all in your head. Something might trigger your body to make it want to eat--not need to eat. Triggers were talked about in yesterdays myth.

When you really listen to your body and are in fact hungry-food is more satisfying and tastes better. If you're not hungry when you start eating, what's going to tell you to stop? You do need to recognize hunger and make sure you make time to eat before you are too hungry though. We all know the bad choices that can be made when we are starving!

Don't eat after 7 PM

Have you ever heard someone say that before?? As if it's OK to stuff your face all day long, but if you stop after 7 PM the too many calories you inhaled from 7 AM until 6:59 PM don't count!

MYTH!

For the next 6 days I will highlight a long standing myth a lot of us have heard and a lot more of us have actually fallen for when it comes to dieting. I will admit that many years ago I was told not to eat anything after a certain time of day. I lasted probably 3 days!

The above myth is exactly that. A lie! It's based on the observation ( not fact) that people that struggle with their weight overeat in the evening. Your metabolism does not automatically turn off at 7:01 PM. That would be cool though. Dinner is usually over and done with before 7 PM, so the majority of us are not eating because we are truly hungry. It's done mostly because of the main triggers- boredom, loneliness and its TV watching time--mindless eating.

It's probably a better idea to ask yourself "Am I hungry?" whenever you feel like eating in the evening. If you are then EAT! Just keep in mind that your day is coming to an end and you most likely don't need another full or heavy meal to satisfy your hunger.

If you ask yourself that question and the answer is no try to consider why you feel like eating ( IE: the triggers) and do your best to come up with an alternative activity.

Some suggestions:

Go for a walk

Chew sugar-free gum

Do a cross word

Call a friend

Organize something

Let me know if you have fallen for the Don't eat after 7 PM myth.

Resolutions.............what are yours?

As always, I am fashionably late to the party this year! I still have not made any resolutions to speak of. I usually don't, but I at least usually have a goal or 5 I would like to accomplish by year's end. They are normally always sports related- ie: race times, mile times, distance etc.

I think I will keep those to myself and then just share what my goal is at the time nears.

Soooooo, there are a lot of things I would like to do this year, but I am not sure I would consider them a resolution. I want to be more organized. I want to give the house the best cleaning ever and then maintain it (ha!). I want to get both kids started on a foreign language. I want , I want I want!!! As you can see I am all over the place as usual. I will narrow things down at some point. It might not even be this month, but it will happen.

I am curious as to what YOUR resolutions/goals are this time around. Are they realistic? Did you come up with a game plan to make them happen and have you fallen off the bumpy resolution wagon yet?? Please share!

Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!!

So I am a tad late on this. I was never one to follow the crowd!! Actually, I have just been busy trying to get back into the swing of life. Amara was off of school for a whole week! I am just not used to having her home all day anymore. I know, her being gone 3 ish hours a day is not a big deal, but I had my routine down and it was pleasantly disrupted. We had a good time too. Lots of longer trips to the gym where were both could play. We made a cake on the last day of her vacation ( Santa got her a Girl Gourmet oven--pretty much an Easy Bake Oven-but endorsed by the dude on Ace of Cakes from the Food Network). She asked at least 6 times a day to make that cake. It actually has fondant. It was nice, but the finished product could fit in her hand. She's 5. It was tiny. She gave it to my husband as a late Christmas present. She is so sweet, but let me know that the next cake will be hers. I think her little brother enjoyed having her home all day as well. Yes, they fight, but he loves her a lot and likes to do everything she does. He says everything she says etc. It's hilarious.