Cheating.....

On Friday afternoon I went to West Mall where I unexpectedly ran into one of the persons who visits my blog; she used to post as anonymous but has adopted the name “no longer anonymous”. I just wanted to say it was nice meeting you and we have to make it up Chancellor Hill together soon.

At West Mall, which has been finally completed, the hubby says he is feeling for a burger so after browsing some shops we made our way to the food court. Now, the smart choice would have been for me to have a salad at Blimpie or even broccoli and Chicken from Lychee Garden, but I had an instant craving for Burger King! I don’t know where my willpower went but I succumbed to that desire of sinking my teeth in a nice, big, fat juicy burger!

The diet went out the window, I have to confess I had a Whopper at Burger King on Friday afternoon, and to add insult to injury I topped it off with a Sprite AND Hershey’s Sundae Pie!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, it tasted SO good though! I was eating that burger and making noises aloud. The hubby had to keep asking “Is it good?” because all I was saying was “uhmmm” and “ooooooo”. Let me tell you, it was beyond good, it was fantastic!!

So, after enjoying the burger, some of the fries (shared them with the huby) and the Hershey’s pie when I got home, I felt guilty. I know that cheating on my diet will not make me instantly put back on the few pounds that I have lost to date, but the fact that I gave in so easily to temptation made me mad at myself. It was with some comfort I read the following article in the Trinidad Guardian yesterday; I think what happened is that I was being very strict with what I was eating, not allowing myself to indulge my little cravings until it just overtook me and I went crazy on Friday.

I know I am not the only one who has cheated on their diet so far, and for all those who have take heart in knowing you have company. With Christmas (and office parties) right around the corner I am now dreading surving Christmas and not ruining my diet! After Christmas it's only one month and some weeks before Carnival, not enough time to undo any damage I might possibly do to my "work in progess" Carnival body. It is going to take some strong willpower this Christmas, I think I need to stick a huge photo of my costume on my refrigerator door so I will be reminded of my goal.

Enjoy these following tips on healthy eating through the Christmas season from the Womanwise Magazine:

THE BIG FAT TRUTH

Ingrid Seegobin – Certified Nutritional Practitioner

Yes, Christmas is not too far away. We will all spend too much money, sleep too little, drink too much and definitely eat too much.

All this great-tasting food signifies that one of the most festive seasons is here again.

As the old nursery rhyme goes “Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat…” The problem of course, is not the goose — he will be eaten and enjoyed. The problem, rather, is the question of who gains who gains the weight over the holidays. We do!

We must make wise choices when faced with the smorgasbord of delightful dishes that surface especially at Christmas time. You must be thinking that this is easier said than done. Perhaps, but once you understand a little about the body, you might find it easy.

There is a distinct difference between being overweight and being obese. Obesity is an excessive amount of body fat. Being overweight is an excess of body weight relative to height.

Obesity is divided into several categories based on the size and number of fat cells as well as on how the fat is distributed in the body (in the abdomen versus the hips).

Types of obesity

Hyperplastic obesity is when there is an increased number of fat cells throughout the body (hyper means increased; plastic refers to cells). The number of fat cells a person has, depends mainly on the diet of the mother while the infant is still in the womb, as well as on early infant nutrition. An excess of calories during these early stages of development can lead to the formation of an increased number of fat cells for the rest of the person’s life.

Hyperplastic obesity usually begins in childhood because it is harder to develop new fat cells in adulthood. Hyperplastic obesity tends to be associated with fewer serious health effects compared to other types of obesity.

Hypertrophic obesity is determined by an increase in the size of each individual fat cell and linked to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other serious disturbances of metabolism. In hypertrophic obesity, there is both an increase in the number and size of fat cells.

In hypertrophic obesity, the fat distribution is usually around the waist. This distribution is referred to as male-patterned or android, since it is typically seen in obese males. If the waist is bigger than the hips (apple-shaped), a person is said to have android obesity. If the hips are larger (pear-shaped), then a person has female-patterned or gynecoid obesity.

Weight loss myths

* You lose fat cells when you diet. False. Fat cells only shrink when dieting. If they are full of toxins, they can’t shrink.

* To lose weight, you only need to eat less. False. Your body will crave food when it needs nutrition. If you eat healthier, more nutritious foods, you can eat less.

* Exercise is not necessary for weight loss. False. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at any exercise level. One pound of muscle burns 35 calories per day.

* I don’t have to count calories if I am on a high-protein diet. False. Calories always count!

* To lose weight quickly, I should drastically reduce or restrict my foods. False. Your body will go into famine mode. Your metabolism will drop and you will plateau or even gain weight because your body will horde its calories.

* Chewing gum will ease my hunger. False. Chewing gum activates the flow of gastric juices and stimulates appetite.

* Artificial sweeteners will help me to eat fewer calories. False. These chemicals can actually increase your appetite and result in weight gain.

* It is better to restrict the variety of food I ingest each day. False. You may lose weight quickly, but it will not be a permanent loss because your body will recognise that it lacks nutrition. This will activate cravings to make you seek out foods that your body needs.

* It is better to concentrate on low-calorie foods when dieting. False. Low-calorie foods such as salad dressings contain vinegar and sugar, and neither of these has any nutritional value. It is actually better to use a higher caloric dressing made with an oil that your body can digest and use. In fact, checking the nutritional value chart will help you to recognise that some “low-calorie” foods actually have a higher fat content than regular foods.
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