Today I started reading "The End Of Overeating."--"Taking Control Of The Insatiable American Appetite" by David A. Kessler, MD. What have I learned so far?
1. The 3 food groups are salt, sugar, and fat. (Of course Rex has been telling me this for years)
2. The concept of palatability, scientifically speaking.
3. Homeostatic system--in humans.
As of this moment I am on page 18. Since there is 251 pages, I have a very long way to go but I am going to try and paraphrase what I have learned so far so I feel I am comprehending information that is essential to my success.
The 3 food groups are pretty straight forward and I understand them. The tricky part about them is recognizing these (ingredients?) in foods that you would not expect to find them.
I always understood the definition of palatable as something that is tasty and that one would enjoy eating. But, as I learned, in scientific terms, it means the capacity of a food to stimulate the appetite and prompt us to eat more. Doesn't that just suck?? All I can say is, now I would really appreciate a perfectly working homeostatic system! Handy tool that would be....
The homeostatic system was believed to be a biological mechanism to create a balance in our bodies between calories consumed and calories burned. Well hell yes, something biologic that would control our caloric balance. Wow that sounds like the perfect trait to naturally have within us. We would all be the weight we were meant to be if that homeostatic system worked as it was believed it was suppose to.
So what happened? Keep in mind that I have only read 18 pages of this book, but as I understand it, this system worked for centuries, until the 1970's and 80's. That is when food manufactures started adding fat and sugar to a lot of prepackaged food. It also is when many cooks stopped making everything from scratch.
I will keep reading this book and pass along information that I find useful and important.
Have I found part of "THE ANSWER"? I sure hope so....I am running out of time!!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Back With Internet
I am back in the land of daily Internet access. Got here yesterday and have been doing a lot of catching up with all the bloggers I like to read. Now I am ready to write one.
I grew up with a calendar (actually more than one) hanging on the wall. I still like having a calendar hanging on the wall. The one I bought this year has a theme: "Live With Intention". Every month there is s simple, but cool drawing of a plant and words of wisdom. The words of wisdom for September are: "At each stage of learning we must give up something, even if it is a way of life that we have always known". This quote is credited to Ginevee an Austrailian Aboriginal.
As with other months, I found these words speaking to me and providing me with food for thought. To me it means that as we gain knowledge, if we accept what me learn, it sometimes makes it us realize our current behavior might not be in our best interest. Although I must admit sometimes even after we learn something, making behaviorl changes isn't always easy.
For example, I started smoking as a teenager and just quit 8 years ago. Now of course, I understood that smoking was not in my best interest health wise but it was very tough to give up that behavior. I also understand that being overweight or obese is not in my best interest health wise either and losing it is just not easy. It is a way of life I have always known---and at this stage of learning not easy to correct.
This stage of leaning and changing is definitely a work in progress. Hopefully I am making progress!
I grew up with a calendar (actually more than one) hanging on the wall. I still like having a calendar hanging on the wall. The one I bought this year has a theme: "Live With Intention". Every month there is s simple, but cool drawing of a plant and words of wisdom. The words of wisdom for September are: "At each stage of learning we must give up something, even if it is a way of life that we have always known". This quote is credited to Ginevee an Austrailian Aboriginal.
As with other months, I found these words speaking to me and providing me with food for thought. To me it means that as we gain knowledge, if we accept what me learn, it sometimes makes it us realize our current behavior might not be in our best interest. Although I must admit sometimes even after we learn something, making behaviorl changes isn't always easy.
For example, I started smoking as a teenager and just quit 8 years ago. Now of course, I understood that smoking was not in my best interest health wise but it was very tough to give up that behavior. I also understand that being overweight or obese is not in my best interest health wise either and losing it is just not easy. It is a way of life I have always known---and at this stage of learning not easy to correct.
This stage of leaning and changing is definitely a work in progress. Hopefully I am making progress!
Monday, September 06, 2010
Dear Diary-5
September 1.2010
Dear Diary….I recall mentioning that I was going to weigh myself on Sept. 1. I did and this is the result 183.6#. I have kept off 15.4# and I am thrilled with that. It could have been so much worse. I have not weighed myself since June 1 and I weighed 180.8#. I gained 2.8#….I am so lucky.
I didn’t measure my waist but will in a day or so.
Good thing it is fall and summer is over…seems to bring about renewed commitment.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Dear Diary-4
August 21, 2010
OK so this is as far as I got with this post…and today’s actual date is September 1, 2010. Do I really remember what happened on Aug. 21? Maybe not everything, but I do remember a binge, in fact I remember that it was the start of a THREE day binge. It just sucks that i HAVE these binges on a way too regular schedule. Why can’t I eat 1500 calories a day and be done with it. I just shovel in food. Doesn’t even have to be something I like. It seems to be a quantity issue—just shovel until I just physically can’t anymore. Does this make any sense?
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