How to Not Be Fat

Mind you, I am not ultra thin. I used to be, but that was some years ago. Nevertheless, these things DO work for me if I stick with them.

First, be aware of what you eat. Are you eating those fries because you are hungry or because they came with the meal? Are you eating cookies because you really wanted a cookie or you’re just bored and wanting something to munch while watching television?

Second, where can you cut back? If you want hotdogs for dinner get the light wieners. No, hotdogs are not healthy, but if you’re going to eat them anyway, get the light, low fat ones. Which leads us to number three: don’t lie to yourself. You know perfectly well that you will NOT get up every morning and do 100 crunches before having plain low fat yogurt for breakfast. So don’t even say it. You’ll just feel bad about it, and that brings us to number four:
Stop. Revenge. Eating.

That’s a biggie. Get mad, go eat a cheeseburger. Feel depressed, eat ice cream. Hurt by friend, go get drunk, sleep with creep, oh, wait. I’m mixing advice. Anyway, deal with your emotions instead of eating them.

Number five: change slowly. Most people reject change, especially when it is radical or sudden. So if you want more fruit in your diet, first you must buy it. Then you will snack on it. Then you add fruit to your weekly grocery list. Then you will start eating it for breakfast. But do NOT say that never again will bear claws be breakfast because then you will just be resentful of the fruit.

Number 6. This is not easy and it IS a lot of work and that’s why you should be happy with any progress that is made.

Number 7: Learn who you are. All my comfort foods were foods that my parents did not like. I used to pig out on pizza. Then I realized I liked to eat it because my parents thought it was a teenage thing. I was still trying to be rebellious. After that I stopped craving pizza. I still like it, but now I rarely think about eating it.

Number 8: Stick to the plan. Make a weekly menu. Buy only those foods and plan to cook each day. Really, I hate cooking. But if I don’t cook I go though the drive-thru and doing that every day will make you FAT! So go home and cook and then (here’s #9) SIT DOWN and eat. Slowly. Don’t watch tv or surf the net during dinner. Remember Mom used to make the whole family sit at the dinning room table each night? She was right. Not paying attention to what you put in your mouth means you don’t know when you are full so you just keep eating.

Last, but not least, #10: Food is just food. It is not a drug or a magic potion. It is not a replacement for activity or love. It is not something ‘to do’ It will not bring happiness. Only you get to decide what kind of person you will be. If you are fat it’s because you decided not to do anything.