Spring Forage
Thankfully, winter does not last forever! In the spring there is no more temptation to dip into the white flour canister and whip up biscuits and gravy or grandma’s banana bread. Ah, as the daylight hours grow longer, we lose the urge to rummage through the fridge for high carb “no-no’s.” With the onset of spring, thick, sweet, hot, heavy, bloating, high glycemic platters of food suddenly have no appeal!
And, to coin a phrase borrowed from a popular shark film, “just as you thought it was safe to go back on your diet…” here comes spring! The fabled season of birth and renewal, of life, regeneration, energy and love has a down side for some. Everything smells fresh and sweet; tender green grass, fragrant new flower buds, spring rain carried along on gentle breezes. We start moving again, we are out sneezing from allergies, hustling and bustling. We use more energy and our schedules pick up in intensity. Life in general increases…and so do our appetites.
Now, instead of wanting comfort foods on a dark, cold day, we need an “energy snack” while we are on the run. We expel more energy than we have for the past two or three months and our “snack” triggers are activated. After all, we are creatures of nature and we respond to the seasonal cycles. We are instinctively following nature’s urges to forage through the season’s fresh and plentiful bounty. Like the bear, we want to hunt out snacks after winter’s hibernation. Like the cattle and hooved creatures of the field and plains, we seek energy through munching, nibbling, grazing and, yes, foraging.
However, as low carbers, we are in a terrific position…this negative cycle for high carbers is actually a positive for us! Eating the high carb way is a major disadvantage during spring because they reach for unhealthy, carb-laden foods. Although we must be mindful of where we forage and graze, low carbers have a distinct advantage over those who eat the “old” way. Yes, a distinct advantage indeed! As long as we watch our meal portions, and only snack when we are truly hungry or “empty,” then spring is our smorgasboard. Graze through the fresh salad greens and tender dark green veggies, root through the nuts and berries, forage for pork rinds, bacon bits and a myriad of cheeses, and rejoice in the low-carb lifestyle we have chosen!
Spring symbolizes renewal and vitality…so enjoy renewing your fridge’s crisper bin, meat tray, and pantry. Feel the vitality of the low carb way of life, and eat guilt-free. Forage to your heart’s content–literally.
Cherie’ Davidson is a freelance writer and Web content developer who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her toy poodle, Auggie Dog, her "energy muse." She has her own freelance writing business, Suitable Words Publications (suitablewords.com), where she writes and promotes Website content, designs and develops e-books, hires out as a copywriter and writes a wide variety of articles, reviews and essays. She has started a blog at http://suitablewords.blogspot.com and a free article site at writerscontent.com
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Overcoming the 7 Roadblocks to Maintaining Weight Loss
1. Become aware of what you are eating.
Before I started my diet, I was an "unconscious eater". I was not aware of anything I put in my mouth. I ate because it tasted good, I was depressed, I was bored, I was stressed, or any number of other reasons which were not related to my body’s nutritional needs.
It would not be unusual to have candy around and find empty wrappers and not remember eating it. Until I dieted and started reading labels, being aware of the contents of the food, and becoming a "conscious eater" I was eating all the wrong foods for all the wrong reasons. By being aware and reading labels, I now make choices. Do I really want to put all that sugar in my body? Wouldn’t a piece of fruit satisfy that craving for something sweet? Make it fun. Become aware of what you are eating. Make informed choices. Pay attention!
2. Find an exercise that you enjoy.
You already are aware of the need to exercise to maintain your weight loss. Are you doing an exercise that bores you or you approach with a sense of dread? Find something that is fun for you. Do you like to dance, or swim? Have you always wanted to learn to play tennis? How about flying a kite? Think out of the box and go for it. Find a friend that enjoys the same activities and make a commitment to each other and support each other when one of you is not so motivated. You can use the internet or the local paper to find activity partners. Be brave, take up ballroom dancing! Have fun. Make creative decisions. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk those few blocks instead of driving.
The benefits of exercise cannot be overemphasized. You can reduce back pain by improving flexibility. Many diseases are linked to obesity.
3. Don’t rely on the scales. How your clothes fit is a better indicator.It is important to keep track of how much you weigh, but another indicator that cannot be ignored is how your clothes fit. Haven’t you noticed that the scales can indicate that you weigh the same, but your jeans are getting pretty tight? Pay close attention. You may be consuming too much salt and are retaining water. Be aware and make the necessary dietary changes to get those jeans fitting comfortably. It is too easy to ignore the signs and rely on the scales and begin to gain your weight back.
4. Tune into your feelings.
What did it feel like when you first lost weight? Remember all the compliments you received? How your self-esteem soared? It has been a while now and no one is giving you feedback. Go back in your mind and reconnect with those feelings of how proud you felt for your accomplishment. Dig out those old "fat" clothes and try them on to remind you of how far you have come. Buy some new clothes that you would not have dared wear when you were overweight. Become your best cheerleader. Honor your efforts and accomplishments.
5. Splurge once in a while.
The key to this is to make it once in a while. You will find that you can splurge successfully. The danger here is to fool yourself into thinking that you can do it all the time. You can justify it by telling yourself that you had that pie with ice cream 2 nights in a row and you did not gain anything. It is too easy to fall into the habits that created the weight gain in the first place. Instead of going ahead with that rich desert, stop and ask yourself what you really want. Are you eating because of stress, or depression, or some other emotional need? Ask yourself what you would gain by eating that and if you are willing to take the consequences. It goes back to being a "conscious eater". Make wise choices to splurge. You will appreciate the occasional splurge much more anyway.
6. Find the healthy choice foods that you love and keep them on hand.
Many times you will eat the wrong foods because you are too hungry. You go out to do errands and run late and don’t keep healthy snacks in your car and end up pulling into the nearest fast food restaurant. Many wrong choices are based on not having the right foods on hand when hunger strikes. If you love low fat yogurt or carrot sticks, make sure you always have them on hand. Take health bars with you in your car. Find the foods that satisfy you and make sure you have them at home and at work. It is just too easy to get off track because you did not plan ahead.
7. Remember to celebrate yourself.
There are so many creative ways to sustain your momentum. Use all the money you are saving by bringing your healthy lunch to work to save for a vacation. Buy new clothes once in a while that flatter your figure. Compliment your gorgeous self when you look in the mirror. Honor the fact that you were disciplined enough to lose the weight that you did. You know how difficult it was to get started on your weight loss program and the times when you did not think you could do it any longer.
Get out that swimsuit and go to the beach! You look great!!
Nancy Heimstra, Life Coach
spirit-alchemy.com
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