Hi again!
It seems that time passes so quickly and it has been awhile since I've "spoken" to you. So many eating opportunities - Chanukah celebrations, snow and more snow, shalach manot preparations, birthdays, lots of out-of-town company, and the usual life stresses and fun. Wow!As I look back it's been a busy few months. But you and I certainly dont need "occasions" to overeat - any excuse will do. As one of our members says "I can gain weight on a Tuesday"...Looking back I have had (and I am sure you have had too) all the "eating emotions" - I call them anger, boredom, celebration, depression, stress, frustration, fatigue and overwhelm - and they all feel like hunger.
So now as we turn our attention to Purim,I have a few comments. First, and this is just a personal observation, Shalach Manot have totally gotten out of hand - whose is the biggest,the trendiest, the most original, the most expensive, who sends out the most - and this is only the beginning of a tough time of year (Pesach cleaning follows just after this. I wish we could remember the true meaning of those "gifts" to each other, and it would be simpler if it were....simpler. One of my dear friends makes a donation in my name - I just appreciate it so (and then I get a small, small gift of food. Another friend is a nervous wreck - she hasn't yet thought of a good "theme" - the "theme" that follows through all 6 kids' costumes, the shalach manot, the decorations in her house for the seuda,and the meal itself. This is quite an undertaking. No wonder she's bingeing in cookies...again.
Anyway, I hope whatever you do for Purim it gives you much pleasure and no stress. I hope it "unmasks" a lot of joy and fun for you and "masks" the stresses that we could create.
I also hope that your cars are dug out, your homes are heated (BH mine is), you have good boots,and that you have lots of simchas to look forward to.
Please let me know and I'll be back soon....
Marcia B

Ah - Thanksgiving! The one day a year set aside to express our gratitude. What happens to the other 364 days of gratitude? Oh well - let's concentrate on this one. where our gratitude is expressed once again by overeating. Wait! Not this year, you say? How many years did we say that? How many years have we "broken the diet" on Thanksgiving, or days like it? Not that we need an occasion, but this one just lends itself, as everyoe is overeating, and groaning, and vowing to "start" tomorrow, or after the four day weekend, or after Chanukah, or after, or after.....
But for those of us who REALLY want to stay in some control - here are some guidelines that I've found helpful:

First, timing of meals. Thanksgiving meals are usually served around 3-4 o'clock. I'll never understand this, but oh well. I think it's to give us the opportunity to eat a combo of lunch and dinner. It is crucial for us not to "save everything" for that meal. Eat breakfast at your usual time. Eat something every 3-4 hours (a fruit, a yogurt, a salad) so that you dont arrive to the big meal "starving", with your blood sugar on the floor and then eat everything in sight, too quickly and dont feel anything till you are too stuffed to feel anything.

Pace yourself. Take one plate, one time. Yes, put a lot on the plate and salad on the side and that's it. Seconds and thirds? You'll end up sorry!!

Eat slowly. Let your stomach and your brain be in sync and send the "full" signals to each other. Chew your food. Put the fork down between bites. Talk. Socialize.

Bring something to share if you are going to someone's home. YOU BRING THE SALAD! At least you'll have one thing you wont feel guilty about eating! it doenst matter if no one else eats it (and they may not), but you will have a filler - and you might need it.

Remeber anything that you dont make at home will be made with more oil, salt, fat, and sugar than you would use at home. DO NOT WEIGHT YOURSELF THE NEXT DAY! You dont need to see volume.

If you are on the "cleanup crew", don't pick at the leftovers - you will not be sitting down, and since WE ONLY EAT WHEN SITTING it is not conducive...

Make the Thanksgiving meal just that - a meal! Plan a small meal for when you come home - a day consists of three meals, not two.

If you want dessert - PLAN FOR IT!! Plan for ONE THING ONLY. Select something that is "worth it",PUT IT ON A PLATE, SIT DOWN, CHEW IT, TASTE IT and consider it part of a meal, the end of a meal and NO MORE!!

There's another name for Thanksgiving - it's called Thursday. It is only a day. We can be grateful (and should be)every day of the year. Overeating is exactly the opposite of showing our gratitude to Hashem for all of our blessings...consider another way.

May you be blessed with good health and all good things.
MarciaB

Hi all!
I just blinked and here it is mid-November. I meant to blog every week, but I didnt pay attention and it didnt get done. This is so like my food plans of the past - I didnt pay attention and they didnt get done. Did I think it would happen automatically with no effort? Or did I just push off what I didnt want to do? (Am I talking about the blog or the diets, or both?)
I could be so un-focused, paying attention to everything and everyone except what I need and then get resentful when it isnt done. So, what did I learn? I learned that no matter what, I will accomplish what I need to for everyone else in my life, so I'd better get what I need done for myself FIRST - before I get too tired or too busy.

So what have I been doing since August? Well, one of the most important things to me is that I spent the time doing some real self-care and reached a great, comfortable goal weight - one I havent been at in years. Have I been at a goal weight before? Yes. What's different this time is that NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!

Everything I did to get here, keeps me here - planning, preparing, writing it down, portion control, exercise (not enough, still working on that one), not weighing myself too often (so that I dont become a slave to the numbers) - basically continuing to get more comfortable with this lifestyle and loving it!!
Gave away all of my big clothes, or took them in - a friend of mine told me that if you keep the large clothing it's like making a reservation - and I am cancelling all of those reservations.

I also know that anything, ANYTHING can be a trigger to binge - so takethis morning, for example:
my new TV doesnt work (it's a week old)
my computer is crashing (not the one I'm on now)
our payroll service made (yet) another big error
a check that was given to me was returned for insufficient funds (it was a large one)
and
it rained the second I left my house (without an umbrella of course)
AND THIS WAS ALL BEFORE 10AM - boy could I have made an excuse out of that!!

But I realized that a danish was not going to fix my TV, computer or any of those other issues....big learning experience!!

I also know that everything will straighten out...but if I binge, nothing will be right, right?

So, now that I've caught you up on me, I look forward to hearing about what you've been up to....

Hello again! it's been a really long time since I've posted on this blog - summer is almost over and it's been both eventful and not (BH). I hope you are having a really good summer - enjoying the weather (finally!) and taking advantage of every moment until reality hits again (all too soon, no?)

Let's see - simchas, challenges, out-of-town company, weekends away - amazing how everything can be a food challenge, all learning experiences - all under the umbrella of LIFE!

Company can be challenging - lots of food in the house that is not usually there. People in my space (even though I love them), wanting to talk when all I want to do is go to bed with a book.

A few weeks ago,I came home to a broken window; a tree in the back yard fell and some of that tree was in my bedroom (also crushed my neighbors car and fell on that neighbor as he was barbecuing - he's fine, the car's not and my window is replaced).

One reason that I love the summer (besides the beach) is the opportunity to go away for a longer weekend. I've had the pleasure of doing that and catching up with some friends with whom I have had only quick phone conversations during the winter months. Sitting in the country under big trees, lazy un-interrupted conversations (especially on Shabbos) has been restful and spiritually renewing. And now that the weather is really summer-like, I will take advantage of my absolutely favorite thing -THE BEACH!

I also want to tell you how much i have been enjoying buying (and eating!) fruits and veggies at the various farmers markets around New York City. The fare is straight-from-the farms, and you can tell in the taste!! You can see the various chefs from restaurants all around town coming to shop there and you know that those are the ingredients for the meals at neighborhood restaurants. How very New York is that!

Business - wise this summer has been somewhat exciting as well. We have put some NEW PRODUCTS IN THE SUPERMARKETS!! Start Fresh LATKES and PIZZA. You can imagine my joy when I walk into a store and see the display of our beautiful boxes (and better yet, when I walk in a few days later and those boxes are gone!). We have been getting RAVE REVIEWS! I'd be interested to hear what you think!

I look forward to reading your comments, and I PROMISE TO BE BACK SOON!!
MarciaB

Unbelievable how much time has gone by since we "spoke" last - could it really have been 2 over two months? Isnt it amazing how quickly time goes? And if you agree that the time goes fast, think of those few seconds before that binge - those will pass just as quickly if we let them instead of attacking the food like it's going to be taken away.
So much has happened since then - nothing dramatic. My family was here for Pesach from out of town. They came a few days before - which means "where can we eat". This would have presented a challenge but I decided beforehand that if I "start" now, then Pesach was going to be a disaster. So, yes I went to all the restaurants and realized (once again) that you can get what you need in a restaurant, you can order it just the way you need it (see our subsequent newsletter "Your Restaurant Rights").
So I went into Pesach determined and it worked!! Fast forward to Shevuos..another challenge...another recipe for disaster. I realized it says DAIRY, NOT 'CHEESECAKE'. Farmer cheese is dairy, cottage cheese is dairy, yogurt is dairy - all guilt free.

So here we are today - a season full of simchas, coats coming off, thinking about the summer (barbecues, oy vay!) - more challenges!

It seems like the dcalendar is full before i can even look at it - every weekend there is something else, weddings almost every weeknight (BH) - it is very easy to get caught up in plans and forget to schedule "me time".

I think that the key is "one day at a time" - the minute I start thinking too far ahead i get overewhelmed and doomed, but I can do OK just for today.

Question for all of you: HOW DO YOU NURTURE YOURSELF? WHAT NON FOOD ACTIVITIES DO YOU ENJOY? WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD THAT'S NOT FOOD?

Looking forward to hearing from you.....

MarciaB

It's getting closer...and the pressure's on. Every single day I think of yet another thing to do before Pesach. And that's BESIDES cleaning and cooking and planning and shopping. There's the cleaners (what am I going to wear?), there's a haircut (before Sfirah)there's packing (I'm going away early on the first day of Chol Hamoed after 3 days of Yom Tov with company in my house)and the various birthday cards (April is a big month in my family), paying all the bills before Yom Tov and vacation, closing the office properly for all the days of Pesach... the list is endless. The most important thing, though, is planning for my food and to make sure I dont fall victim to snack attack and chocoholism - because that would ruin everything, and i wouldnt enjoy this beautiful time of year - hectic, yes, but really nice, too. So with everything going on, i have to make sure that i have a Pesach vegetable soup, roasted vegetables, baked potatoes, salads, and everything I need - a Pesachdig scale, measuring equipment and water bottle. I am no longer surprised that these seemingly small preparations make THE difference in my Yom Tov. A good Pesach to all...

Wow!This month has gone by so quickly - and each day is so packed with thought and activity. Life is full. And it only gets more full and fulfilled if I take care of myself in the best ways I know how - eat in the most healthy manner I can, sleep at least 7 hours a night, exercise 4-5 times a week, drink 8-10 cups of water daily, and learn to deal appropriately with life's stresses. What a list!Who can do that perfectly? Certainly not me. But wait! It doesnt have to be perfect. It has to be MOST OF THE TIME,and that sounds more do-able. You see? That's the problem.If we cant do it 100%, then we retreat to "0",forgetting that the rule is DO MORE THAN NONE!
I also see that I am in this for the long haul,and if so, then I have to make my food interesting, tasty, with some variety. So, over the years I have bought "help" in the form of a Champion Juicer - put in a frozen banana and it makes banana ice cream, a vegetable cutter - to make making vegetable soup easier, various choppers, blenders, peelers and cutters. So, I would like to tell you about my new addition - an ice cream maker. Yes, you read right. But I have no intention of making high fat, full of cream and sugar confections. In this ice cream maker I put 8 oz. of milk (lowfat), 8 oz. blueberries, 1 egg , sweetener and 2 capfuls of vanilla extract. This machine has the compresser built in, so I set the timer for 45 minutes and VOILA - breakfast. It was amazing!! Imagine ice cream for breakfast.
Anyway if you are interested it is the GELATO and it is made by LELLO. I bought it at Zabar's on Broadway at 80th Street in Manhattan - and I am enjoying it immensely!
Have a great week!

It's been weeks since I posted here - time goes by so quickly and the days are so packed that sometimes I neglect what is not a "squeaky wheel" - anyone relate?
Went to a big weddng last Thursday night - large hall, loads of people and it seemed like no one was eating at the smorgasbord, but then I realized it was all off to one side and it was packed over there!! And the lavish meal was devoured as well. It seems that the more fried, the more fat, the more creamy the meal is, the more people want it. We talk thin and we eat fat. We talk exercise and we drive everywhere. I will say, though, that the dancing was enthusiastic and everyone was up there!I love to look at the clothes and jewelry - I've seen all the food before!!

What are all of you planning for Tu B'Shvat? All that glorious fruit is so tempting. BUT we need to remember it's all sugar - especially the dried fruits and fat (the nuts). And we know about excess, right? So when I say to myself, "It's only fruit..." I am in denial about how much I am eating - I am SO capapble of doing that!!

I once read a piece about this beautiful festival. It said that although it is winter and it seems strange to celebrate trees now, we are actually looking at the promise of spring. In the earth, everything is becoming ready and we can be assured that even though we can't see it, each little change will bring us the long-awaited results. So it is with us. Each little change, even though we cant see them individually can bring us big, beautiful changes.

We've passed through one of the coldest Januarys on record and today the weather is beautiful. It reminds me that soon we will be taking off the coats and cleaning for Pesach - more food challenges to come!

Have a beautiful Tu B'Shvat and remember - Spring is just around the corner!!

How many times have I binged over something that hasn't happened yet?

Good morning everyone. I hope you are all OK, keeping warm (or if you are in a place where it is currently warm, I hope your air conditioners are working). I learned something over these past few days that has really helped me. As I listened to the forecast, I got ready (in my mind and my fridge) for a lot of snow, stuck at home, hard to get around, prepare lot of reading material...etc. And I'm not alone - the supermarkets were packed, snow shovels and salt were in evidence, salt trucks were ready to go and alternate side of the street parking was going to be suspended. Six inches of snow, they hollered on Thursday, and by Friday they said maybe 1-2,and by Saturday night they claimed "only a dusting". I know it was much more severe upstate, but all of that angst for something that turnedout to be nothing. What a life lesson- how many times do we agonize and worry and then the situation either doesnt happen or works out much more favorably than we anticipated. How many times have I binged over something that hasnt happened yet, except in my mind, and then when it all worked out just fine, I was left with a few extra pounds. The lesson? If we cant do something about a situation,dont worry. And if we can do something, do it, and dont worry.
All that having been said, I slipped on the ice last night right in front of my house - today I REALLY FEEL IT!! Does anyone out there think acookie will make me feel better?
Lastly - Anonymous - your food plan is SO HEALTHY!! I understand your choices are limited because of health reasons, but there are so many possibilities with the foods that are on your plan...by theway,you dont mention eggs - do you eat them?
What does your daily plan look like? I'd be interested to know..
I'm sure that some members on the forum would be helpful too! What a great support system that has been...
Have a great week!!

Hi all! A "freilachen Chanukah to everyone. Well, we are about halfway through and there were so many many food challenges. But come to think of it, when are there not?
Every day there are different food situations to face and i guess the less I cave in to the cravings the more successful I'll be. So this week was a week of SUCCESSES!!
Starting with Chanukah - Day 1: A beautiful wedding - huge smorgasbord, luscious looking meal - but it was in the middle of the day and I knew I was having company at nite so I didnt eat there. At night, when I saw the donuts and the latkes and I thought about the oil, I also thought that I am doing too well to "test" myself. I made sure that I had lots of salads and veggies prepared for me - funny that NO ONE ATE THE SALAD-they were too busy eating the latkes and donuts (there was an entire fleishig meal too). So I had leftover salad for days. Each nite there were more latkes, more donuts and each day as I walked into the grocer store for this or that there were the fresh-baked-just-delivered-delicious smelling donuts. Every day I think "dont give up what you want most for what you want at the moment" . There are still a few more days and a few more parties to go. I take you all with me to each one and I'm also going with you....let me know how we did!

Hi all. Just wanted to add a bit to my post - I forgot for a moment how much time I am spending thinking of Chanukah food prep - which leads me to answer RivkA's question about how much time I spend in the kitchen. Like a new job, I used to spend a lot more time preparing when I didnt know as much as I do now. Then, as I spent more and more timeat this "job", I became more efficient. I used to use ony fresh veggies in my soup - a lot of shopping and chopping. Now I use some fresh, some frozen. I prepare my food 2 times a week - Sunday morning and Wednesday night.
I make sure Ialways have soup, baked potatoes, steamed cauliflower, broccoli, a medley of eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, tofu and broiled salmon. I also cut up the following and put them in separate tupperwares:
tomatoes, onions, radishes, mushrooms, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, scallions, cucumbers,carrots, turnips, and fresh peas. Then when I come home I dump a bag of lettuce in a bowl and select from my "salad bar", top with dressing - select a protein, vegetable, starch, throw a mug of soup in the microwave and in less than 10 minutes after I get home a full dinner is on the table.
This Sunday night I am having my family over for the first night of Chanukah. During the day I am going to a wedding, so I'm not sure what I will be making for my company, but rest assured MY FOOD will be well-planned and prepared.
So RivkA, to answer your question, I spend about 1 1/2 hours in the kitchen twice a week. Is it worth it? You bet it is!!

Good morning - it is so good to communicate with you in so many different ways - this blog, the forums, and via e-mails. It lets me know where the interests and concerns are - and let me tell you, I share them all with you. My busy life feels like it leaves no time for exercise, food planing and preparation - but I also know that if I dont put those FIRST, then I will be less productive, totally unhappy and angry. Last time I shared with you about how I am preparing my own food and eating out less and less often. It became a priority and I am much more satisfied. The other thing I have started to do (much to my amazement) is experiment with different kinds of herbal teas. Tea has never been one of my favorite drinks - frankly, herbal tea always made me feel like I was drinking perfume. One of my friends started to mix the flavors, putting a peach teabag and an apple teabag in the same cup - it was great. So here are the results of my "mixology" - lemon and mint, green tea and mint, apple cinnamon and "sleepy time", apple and raspberry, strawberry kiwi and peach - they all taste better than they sound and they are good hot or cold.
Let me know what you think.....

Hi all. Thanks for all your comments and support. It still boggles my mind every time I sit down at the computer that there are so many "lose weight quick" diets and so many things that dont make sense. One of the latest is a "colon cleanse". Here's the truth: Your colon has the ability to cleanse itself. It doesnt need any help to function properly beyond what every other body part needs to function properly which is: Proper nutrition, Proper hydration, Proper exercise and Proper rest. Slacking off in any of those areas (and find me someone who isnt guilty) will result in sluggishness, tired feeling, false hunger, irritability, and looking for some "quick fix"....the quickest fix is the Proper one.

We have recently opened our forum which we willpost on our homepage shortly. In the mean register and join the Start Fresh Community
I'd like to share my latest "experiment" with you. I've been making more of my own food rather than eating out. So, here's what I know:

- any food I buy outside will be prepared with more oil, more salt and more MSG than I would ever use at home.

- the portion size of any prepared food I buy outside is larger than I should eat.

- much of the food I buy outside has been laying around longer than I would like to think about.

- what I buy out is always more costly.

- I like my own food better.

But, I dont like shlepping my lunch to work and I am often too busy to cook for myself and buying out is so much more convenient - these are all my excuses (or some of them anyway, I have more)

So, for the past few weeks, I have resisted convenience and here's what I now know:

- I can find time to batch cook.

- Salads last for 2 days if I dont put in cucumbers or dressing and store in an airtight container.

- Soup tastes just as good at room temperature from my thermos.

- The ingredients I put in my salads far surpass any of those that are in the stores - mushrooms, peas, scallions,peppers,pickles, hearts of plam,artichoke hearts, marinated eggplant, olives, avocado and that's besides the usual lettuce, tomatoand cucumbers

- There are more lunch proteins besides tuna. I have packed fresh salmon (cooked the night before - leftover from dinner), tilapia, eggs, farmer cheese, tofu, beans - monotony is a big reason for going off track

AND FINALLY - I KNOW THAT WHEN I PREPARE MY FOOD IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEED, PREPARED WITH LOVE AND A SENSE OF ENTHUSIASM AND ACCOMPLISHMENT.

Anyone out there game to try it?

Good morning all! Winter looks like it's here - and along with it less daylight. And, if eating at night is an issue for you, then there is more "night" to contend with. Moreover, because it's getting colder, spending time outdoorsis less of an option. So, this calls for some new thinking and strategic planning. What I have found works for me and some members' suggestions have been the followng:

1- Make that big pot of soup - it's warm and filling. Prepare a big mug for the microwavefor as soon as you come in from wherever you've been. It's warm and it will force you to eat more slowly and give you time to THINK. Sometimes that's all we need - a few seconds to think before we do something destructive.

2- If you have the ability, buy or rent some exercise CD's. They can be viewed right on the computer. Can't walk outside? Can't get to an exercise class? Here's the perfect solution. Either alone, with a daughter, or a friend or two, this can be loads of fun and advantageous to your weight control efforts.

3- Use the time at home to batch cook. A big ratatouille, roasted chicken pieces, turkey or chicken patties or any of your specialties can be cooked in bulk and frozen. Again, either enlist some help or turn on the music and sing while you work.
This can even be done while you make those phone calls you owe....

4- Attack that pile of magazines and newspapers you've been meaning to read. Write the thank you notes, or (gasp!) a letter to someone. Think of some non-food activities - family game night, knitting, needlepoint, art.

5- Take one night every 2 weeks and meet with some friends. Rotate your homes so not one person has all the responsibilities - remember they didnt come to eat - you can serve some nice fruit and a beautiful vegetable platter.

6- One of our members talks about her "spa" evenings - a long bubble bath followed by a loofah scrub and an avocado face mask. Makes her feel like a million...

Can you share your winter stay-at-home strategies for self-care???

Looking forwrd to hearing...and welcome back lovetoeat, it's good to hear from you.
MarciaB

More parties - BH. They dont seem to end (that's a good thing) and the food challenges seem endless as well. So today there was a party for a 1 year old - extravagant and beautiful. The room, the guests, the gifts, the entertainment and the food. It was a brunch - so you can imagine what kind of food there was - hot dishes and cold salads and fishes, etc. etc (you know the drill). I would like to put in a plug for TIMING. How many times have you skipped breakfast and by the time you eat the first thing of the day you can't stop? Or have you ever waited too long between meals and felt shaky, cranky, out of sorts and irritable? Have you tried leaving hours and hours before eating and then couldnt control the cravings? It has to do with TIMING and BLOOD SUGAR! To keep blood sugar stable you need to eat approximately every 3-4 hours. This does not mean sitting down to a big meal - it means eating SOMETHING. It is also important to eat breakfast within 2 hours of getting up (or else the metabolism slows down 20% and 60% if you dont eat within 2 hours of getting up). So today I got up at 6 AM and didnt have a chance to eat breakfast until the party (11AM). So here I am - hungry and surrounded by all of this food. How can I make an intelligent choice when I am truly hungry and ready to eat anything? This is not good. SO - I quickly got a fruit and some yogurt, SAT DOWN and ate it as slowly as I could. I immediately felt better - not tired, energy returning and guess what? No cravings! Not hungry! Able to walk away from what I would be sorry I ate. Moral: Eat in a timely way. Eat something on program BEFORE you make the wrong choices for yourself. So, here it is 7PM - I ate lunch at 3:30 and am in the middle of cooking dinner and I FEEL SO ACCOMPLISHED and PROUD OF MYSELF. I wish this feeling for you too.....

Welcome to the winter. I hope it's not as cold where you are as it is here. And no, you dont need more food in the winter to keep warm. We keep warm enough with the fat on our bodies. In fact, have you ever experienced (or met someone who experienced) a significant weight loss and feels colder that first winter? The body isn't used to having less fat BUT it does adjust and by the next cold season your body keeps you warm again.
I hope your "re-entry" from Yom Tov to regular schedule wasn't too painful. Mine was OK. When I see how busy I am and how much I need to do, I begin to miss those days of
Yom Tov when I could relax a bit.
The other day I went to a beautiful Bar Mitzvah. Sometimes when a member tells me about "extraordinary" or "unbelievable" food at an event, I think to myself that I've seen it all. How "fabulous" and different can it be? BUT I never saw the extravagant array of food, in quality, in quantity and in preparation as was served at this simcha.
It was all buffet style and there was nothing overlooked or missing. With determination I took poached salmon, salad and some lightly grilled vegetables and put it at my place at a table at which I knew everyone. Problem was, when I got back to the table everyone was still at the buffet, so i went back to "look". As I was "looking" and deciding that I was hungrier than I thought, I "bumped into" the dessert bar, and I was "looking" there too. All of a sudden it hit me "what am I doing here". I shouldnt be "looking". There wss nothing for me to see, this was not my food, the last place it looks good is on display - it certainly doesnt look good as fat hanging off of different body parts (and that's exactly whre that food ends up). And as it says "the eyes see and the heart desires". I (we) am very influenced by what is around me. In fact, a recent study shows that when you are with people who are overeating, chances are that you will follow suit. And when your table-mates are not overeating, you have a better shot at eating better too.
So, I tore myself away from the "show of food" and went back to my table. Again and again, I realize "we are what we eat". Sometimes there is a disconnect between what we eat and what we weigh BUT WHAT YOU PUT IN IS WHAT YOU PUT ON!! So I looked around and saw what those NT's (natural thins) were eating and I saw what those people who looked the way I want to look and behaved the way I want to behave and those who were in control the way I want to be in control and I ate my meal. I was satisfied and HAPPY! And those people who overate were stuffed and sorry. Now which would you rather be? Don't give up what you want most for what you want at the moment!
What recent challenges have you faced? How'd you deal with them? I'm waiting to hear....

So - this is the "after Yom Tov" that we've been talking about for weeks, right?
"I'll do that after Yom Tov" , "I'll take care of that after Yom Tov", "I'll start losing weight after Yom Tov" "I'll get healthier after Yom Tov" - what? we're WAITING to get healthier? That doesnt seem like such a good idea, but since we are here THE TIME IS NOW!!
Get rid of the idea that "it's easier after Yom Tov" - there's always some excuse. Now it's simcha season, then there's the bad weather, then Chanukah and on and on and on....SO LETE'S START SOMEWHERE...there are so many behaviors that support good health and weight control. What will YOU COMMIT TO THIS WEEK? Some examples

1 - Write a food log. Be honest and record everything. It is THE #1 TOOL OF WEIGHT CONTROL

2- Make a big pot of "unlimited vegetable soup" - what a help for those tough times

3- Eat every 3-4 hours to keep blood sugar stable

4 - Start moving...this is self-explanatory

5 - BIG KEY - PREPARATION. Make sure you have your foods available for when you need them.

6 - Planning is a big help. Plan your meals for a day or 2 ahead, then you'll know what to shop for and you're in great control.

These are some of the "tricks of the trade" that have worked for me and countless others.
I am looking forward to hearing what you committed to and then what you actually did.

As for me, I had a great Yom Tov and I am trying to get used to the idea of going back to work tomorrow. Did great food-wise and so I am energetic and ready to go (I think). I am so looking forward to seeing OUR BRAND NEW START FRESH FOODS IN THE SUPERMARKET - that's right - muffins, blintzes, personal pan pizzas. They are really lower fat, lower calorie and delicious! It is an exciting time for us - thanks for sharing it.
It's a new year, a new season, and a great time to START FRESH.
Hatzlacha!

Hi - I hope everyone's Rosh Hashannah was as beautiful as mine was, and again, I want to wish each of you a very happy and healthy year. This is one gift we can strive for - healthy by making healthier food choices, happy - what feels better than being in control? Dont ruin what you want so badly - what you have spent time in shul davening for, and what everyone is wishing you this time of year. And, loseweightima, we ALL have those same issues some times. Every day we "vow" to start and every day we end up full, sick and sorry. BUT you can never never give up - whatever you do is not as bad as what you could do if you werent thinking about your program. One day it will just click, and then the next day and the next, etc. The weight loss journey is not a straight line - it's full of ups and downs, peaks and valleys - we've just gotta keep journeying.
As far as preparing and cooking for many guests on Yom Tov - first, to be fair, the real cook is my beautiful, wonderful, emotionally and physically healthy sister. BUT it's MY house - so the trigger foods are there long before Yom Tov and the leftovers are there long after the last guest is gone. Tips? 1) Eat meals. Sit down and focus. Let your body and mind know that you ate. 2)Have a bottle of water handy and sip while you cook. 3) Talk to yourself - tell yourself what you really want (and it's not the food) 4) Have cut up veggies available, soup in a microwave mug ready to heat in an emergency.
I KNOW that the secret to success is SIDE DISHES!! Make sure you are satisfied when you walk away from the meal.
So, the guests came and it is no mystery why people look the way they do. The Natural Thins ate like Natural Thins and the others, well the others ate like the others, and were talking about which diet they would go on after Yom Tov. You see, once you declare your freedom from any kind of program, any control, all bets are off and you are vulnerable for anything.ACT AS IF YOU ARE A NATURAL THIN - watch them and imitate them!
And the leftovers - they leave when the guests leave. The choices? Send them away, give them away, throw them away, or flush them away. They're too dangerous when they hang around.
I hope everyone's fast is an easy and meaningful one, and the rest of the Yom Tov everything you wish it to be. Enjoy!

Hi - first and foremost I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Sweet New Year. May you be blessed in this year with all good things, a lot of joys and simchas and few, but manageable, challenges. Now, how do we go about pursuing such a year? Davening, of course, but it is important for each of us to do our part as well. If we are incapable of doing something, we cannot be expected to do it, but if we are capable, then we are obligated. This means healthier food choices, healthier emotional choices, asking ourselves before every action "Is this the way I want to live?" "Will I be happy tomorrow with my choices today?" After all, today is tomorrow's past, and so much of our future depends on our decisions and actions of today. THIS IS YOUR YEAR!! This is the year that you GET IT - it's the year you take yourself off the back burner and start to take care of yourself FIRST, so that you can better handle anything that comes your way. This is the year that you will lose that weight and learn strategies for permanent weight control. This is the year that you get happier and healthier!!
It's Yom Tov time - full of beauty and newness and FOOD CHALLENGES!! And it's a month-long event!! What to do? First, think of the "salami method" - just take one slice (one day) at a time. Dont think about Yom Kippur till after Rosh Hashannah. During Yom Tov think of
Marcia's Yom Tov Rules:
1) Stay dressed when you eat - you eat differently with something around your waist. Feel every bite.
2) Sit down to everything you eat - especially if you are the server and preparer. It is so easy to eat the equivalent of a meal in the kitchen just preparing the meal 3) Drink water - even though you are out of routine and are not carrying around your bottle - find time, make time to drink
4) Eat breakfast - it focuses your mind and your day and
5) NO CAKE and its' relatives - once you start, it's so hard to stop. The sugar addiction takes over. And yes, it's addictive - that goes for sugar, honey, barley malt, rice syrup, maltose, fructose, all the -oses. Not any one is better than any other one (to answer your question , Anonymous).
So, while you are busy shopping, cleaning, inviting and preparing, please think of yourself- preparing for you, shopping for you - it will only enhance the season for you.
NEXT BLOG: How I handled the Rosh HaShannah Seuda for 20 people....

Again, A "SHANA TOVA" or "GIT, GEBENCHT YOR" to all. Thank you for all of your support, and I look forward to STARTing FRESH with you next year (5769)

Hi to all of you, and thanks for being there. I can so relate to "I was off and now I'm back on", "I was off and now I need a jumpstart", "Yom Tov is coming so I'd better lose a few pounds to give myself some leeway" or "Yom Tov is coming I will start after...." Those diet conversations are so embedded into our consciousness that they are almost apart of us. I also know that there are 2 rules: begin and continue. This isnt on and off like a light bulb. It is one continuous journey-so we are either journeying forward or backward. When we think about starting over, or starting from the beginning it is with something "really strict" so we can lose those few punds that we "just put on". Sweet, you are so right - if we are continuously looking for a jump start we will be on a restrictive "diet" always.
We dont want to start "from the beginning" - what we want is the determination and enthusiasm that we started with - when the program, or any program, was a novelty,something new, something exciting! Please, please, please -dont look for excitement in the food or in the food plan. None of it is meant to be exciting - look for that somewhere else. The program is meant to teach us SELF-CARE, PRIDE, DIGNITY AND SELF-RESPECT. And that happens a soon as we decide to abandon those old self-defeating ideas and behaviors, cut up that salad,sit down and eat it, get a tall glass of water and drink it, toss out those trigger foods, put on a pair of sneakers and take a walk.
So loseweightima and sweet and all the others out there who tell me you much you love my blog: Yom Tov is a week and a half away - what you do on Yom Tov will be dependent on what you do NOW UNTIL THEN!!! If you have a "good" 11 days, chances are you will be fueled with some determination to work harder on Yom Tov - if you dont you are not beginning your healthy eating journey on September 29th.
Let's give ourselves what we daven for and what we wish for - good health, and happiness - it all starts with YOU!!