Four Weeks: So Far, So Good

Hurrah! Another week has passed on my eating program without major mishap. Today marks the end of four weeks on the Learn To Be Thin program.  I haven't gotten this far on the program in many, many years.  But despite such success, I feel wary.  I know that I've been leading a rather controlled existence, staying away from family get-togethers, avoiding going out to eat and other troublesome situations.  I can't ever get complacent, because I know I'm a long way from where I want to be with changing my eating habits.

This situation reminds me of when I decided to stop smoking, many years ago. I had to fight the urge to pull out a cigarette (or more likely, bum one off someone) and light up, especially at those times when smoking is the normal thing to do (at a bar, for instance).  And at times I would light up, thinking that one cigarette wouldn't hurt me. But like most smokers trying to quit, I finally had to admit I was fooling myself.  One cigarette always leads to more. And more.

It's the same way with eating certain foods.  I'm not ready to have "just a bite" of a brownie or a slice of pizza.  And there's no point in going to an all-you-can-eat restaurant because there's only one way to get your money's worth at those places.  So, I stay away completely.  But I must admit a certain wistful feeling when I see what my husband calls "my old buddies," such as the mid-afternoon muffins and milk I used to get at the coffee stand on the skywalk where I now take my daily walk.  Just yesterday I risked a glance in that direction as I passed, noticing that there were a couple of muffins sitting there, waiting for someone to buy them.  I worried for just a moment that other people might be cutting back, and how would that affect the servers at the coffee stand? Would they lose their jobs?  Then I recognized that thought as a version of the Martyr Subterfuge, the one that says, "I must eat, no matter how bad it is for me, because I'm helping someone else" (22).  And I kept on walking. 

One thing I did have a little trouble with this week was practicing the "Thin Gourmet" (TG) technique. With this technique, you take a different approach to your food.  Instead of the "famished dog" approach, where you barely taste the food you're gulping down, with the TG approach, you take your time, savoring each bite.  The idea is to slow down the process, pay more attention to what and how much you are eating so that 1) you'll stop eating when you're full; and 2) you'll actually enjoy the flavor and texture of the food. 

Shirley suggests practicing the technique at times when you're least distracted, preferably when you're alone and you have time to eat slowly.  The process is this: Pay attention to how the food looks and smells. Take small bites, chewing each one thoroughly and swallowing before picking up the next bite.  Put the utensil down while you're chewing instead of prepping the next bite (maybe the hardest step).  Stop and take breaks every few bites, sip some water or just rest for a moment.  And throughout the process, pay attention to the state of your stomach, and as soon as you feel full, stop eating.  Shirley suggests you take at least 20 minutes to do this exercise.

I tried it a few times last week, but it was pretty difficult.  I'm used to eating at a steady pace, not paying attention to what I'm eating, not chewing well, not stopping when I'm full.  Just putting the fork or spoon down during chewing takes an effort.  But I'm not giving up.  This week, I'm going to practice this at least once a day.  I'll let you know how I do.