‘I’ve been on so many diets, have lost some weight, but never enough. Before I know it, I’m off the diet and the weight’s piled on again. Can you help?’
If losing weight were as simple as making the decision to cut down on food until we’d lost what we needed to, the entire nation would be slim. Many people have a relationship with food and/or alcohol that extends beyond their basic physical need for nutrition and energy. It provides oral satisfaction and can fill gaps in other areas of life where they feel dissatisfied.
In most cases it’s a need for love. Perhaps they’re in an unsatisfying relationship or desperately wanting a relationship. Perhaps it stems from not feeling loved as a child. Whatever the reason, food becomes the love. It’s guaranteed, reliable and can be drawn upon whenever we feel we need love.
Recognising that happiness can only be found within ourselves is a key to freeing yourself from the debilitating needy love of food. Rather than looking for love from others, consider ways to love yourself more.
The great thing about life is that it’s constantly changing and even though there are times in life where we feel we’re in Groundhog Day, your current situation will eventually change.
Much of this is about changing the mindset and self talk. Try this exercise in visualisation each and every day as you start to change your relationship with food.
Visualisation exercise
Visualise your life as a slow-moving wheel. It will move in a direction or you can steer it in the direction you want it to go.
Imagine you start pushing your wheel today. Think about where you are going, cut down your food intake, decide to cut out snacking, change what you eat to healthier but enjoyable foods, drink more water and take yourself out to exercise every day.
Remember your wheel is always turning. Keep pushing it as you start to shed weight. Continue with your new eating habits, but consider them normal. Keep pushing your wheel and feel proud of what you’ve achieved.
Notice your attitude to other things changing as you push your wheel in the direction you want your life to go. Things you may once have tolerated are no longer acceptable. When you started pushing your wheel, you didn’t have the courage to deal with these issues, but now you do and you wonder why it seemed so hard back then. Keep pushing. You’re feeling good. You look good. You’re enjoying wearing clothes you wouldn’t have worn once. Keep pushing. You venture out to do things you once wouldn’t have had the confidence or energy to do. Your wheel is still turning. New people are coming into your life: they are seeking you out. Keep pushing. You’re enjoying the company of others when once you were too insecure to participate in conversation that easily. And the wheel still turns.
Look back to when you started pushing your wheel. Where have you come to? It was your effort which got you here — you love yourself.
And finally, if you can forgive the cliché, remember it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. Eventually, with acceptance, you’ll start enjoying the journey and not the destination.
‘I’ve heard that fructose is better than sugar for weight loss and health. Is this true?’
Fructose is a sugar naturally occurring in fruit, but it is also available as a sweetener twice as sweet as sucrose (in sugar).
Fruit is a good source of fibre, vitamins and many antioxidants and as such is a great food to include in the daily diet. On its own, however, fructose is not superior to sugar and plays no role in providing nutritional value. In fact, in excess it can have some adverse effects on the body. Irritable bowel syndrome, accelerating aging, gout, increased risk of heart disease, kidney stones and cancer are just a few reasons you shouldn’t supplement sugar for fructose.
Better to cut down on your overall food intake.
‘I’ve heard sushi rice has a lower GI than other rice. I have just been diagnosed with diabetes and have to lose weight and manage my blood sugar levels. Can I continue to eat sushi?’
Until recently, experts believed sushi rice (or koshikari rice) had a low GI, but reports are coming through to suggest that the previous research on the GI of sushi rice was incorrect. To be on the safe side, until we have conclusive research you might be better staying away from white rice altogether and eating more unusual low-GI grains like brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, freekeh, oats, barley and grainy breads.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
