Dan's Papers - August 1, 2008 - Goodbye Diet, Hello Consumption Plan

Losing weight is a piece of cake (or not). Almost anyone can shed some belly fat, lose a tire, say goodbye to the thighs. But not many of us can actually maintain that magical frame, where jelly rolls are kept at bay and jiggles stand at attention.

Though many overeaters have emotional issues that spur their consumption, there are still the lot of us that just need some practical guidance.

Let's start with the word "diet." The word alone is cause for anxiety and depression. Diet is analogous to hunger, misery and frustration. If you would simply change the concept of diet to the concept of consumption, you would feel a heck of a lot better. Tell yourself, "I'm on a consumption plan." This plan is focused on eating instead of not eating (yay).

Instead of assailing us with what we SHOULDN'T and WON'T eat, both negatives, the consumption plan is focused on what you DO and SHOULD eat. This invites positive energy, some optimism about your new strategy, and a glimmer of hope about the outcome.

Eating is a joyous occasion for most of us. Our lives and social events revolve around the family dinner. We need to keep celebrating food, and we can if we would simply make some changes in what it is we are consuming. There's enough food in the consumption plan to keep your mouth busy and your belly full all day - you will not feel slighted.

If you would just eat everything you are supposed to on any given day, you would not have much room for anything else. Guidelines for how much of each food group vary according to your age, weight, physical activity, etc. (you can go to mypyramid.gov for the latest nutritional chart recommended by the USDA). If you would incorporate the right portions of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains into your consumption plan, you would be pretty satisfied and not crave an abundance of junk food.

Ann M. Silver, a registered dietician, nutritionist, and certified diabetes educator with offices in Riverhead and East Hampton, has been counseling people with weight issues for years. She offers her take on weight management and what most of us are doing wrong.

"First of all, people don't eat enough during the day while they are active," she explains. "If people would just eat more while they are active, they would burn the calories... Sumo wrestlers purposely eat at the end of the day specifically for that reason." Uh oh... better start spreading out the calories.

She had another great tip, one that most of us are guilty of. "Eat your salad and vegetables first at a meal. As long as you are in touch with your hunger you will start to feel full after 20 minutes. By the time you get to the starch on your plate you won't want to eat as much of it."

I know what you're thinking - the whipped mashed potatoes or the ever so green asparagus? The buttery rice pilaf or the salad fit for a rabbit? The crusty warm bread or the bitter, boiled brussel sprouts? Come on, it's for your own good.

Here are a few other suggestions for your consumption plan:

. Put the 80/20 rule into effect. Denise Austin (yes, I have watched the perky blond exercise guru on occasion) claims that if you eat 80% good stuff and 20% junk you can make it through the day unscathed. This means between the celery and grape nuts you can sneak in some chocolate, wine or whatever your vice happens to be.

. Keep a food journal. You will be mortified to find out exactly what it is you are ingesting on a given day, believe me. Go to calorie-count.com and add them up. It's free, and enlightening. (bagel w/ cream cheese 600 calories, slice of pizza 400, handful of pretzels 150 - wow - we didn't even make it past early afternoon).

. No dice on the "I had to grab something quick" excuse. All of the fast food joints have grilled chicken, salads, etc. They take the same amount of time to order.

. Make it taste good. Who can survive on cardboard and gerbil food? Use herbs, flavorings and different cooking methods to tempt the palate.

. Snack, snack, snack. Turn yourself into a grazing nanny goat and nibble between meals. The (healthy) snacks will sustain you so that you don't cave at mealtime and eat everything but the tablecloth.

The strategies and useful tips for weight control and maintaining a healthy lifestyle go on, so obviously there will have to be future articles on the subject. Until then, concentrate on what you CAN eat and not what you CAN'T. It will make your consumption plan easier to swallow.