It's Only Ten Days

My sister (not Sahm, the other one) and I were commisserating about bottomless-pit-itis today and she had a suggestion that perhaps if one were to completely script their day with regard to foodstuffs, the tendency to eat too much would be reduced. This is the "structured diet" approach, where each morsel consumed is preplanned, thus taking the random nibbling and scrounging out of the equation.

Ok, total aside, but I am amused as hell that I managed to work the word "foodstuffs" into my posting today. Ha ha! How have a written a diet blog for over a year and just now come up with that one? Plus, I used "morsel." Whoo, good stuff.

Ok, so what do we think about structured diets? Anyone? Thoughts, opinions, reactions, emotions? My immediate reaction was, "Ewww. No way. It's not realistic, and it's so rigid, and I don't wanna, and what the hell makes anyone think I would stick to the plan, and, and, and..." And if I had that much of a reaction, I am thinking this is probably something I should try and is probably exactly the approach that would work for me.

Honestly now, I have a very good friend who approaches food in this way. She eats cereal or toast w/pb for breakfast, always a salad at lunch and a snack of fruit, and then dinner with nothing fried or processed or any crap. She allows herself rare treats on special occasions as I had proposed in my lecture to myself earlier this week, and she stays thin and healthy and feels good. I always thought that would be a boring way to live. Maybe not. Maybe excitement doesn't come from food (gasp!). This sounds an awful lot like one of those lifestyle change thingies that the medical profession is always touting. And that is where my reaction is bourne, I believe. I'm ready to get rid of this unhealthy weight, but not so ready for the lifestyle that supports it, or at least am not enthusiastic about that being my lifestyle. Ball of Confusion... and the band played on...

Sister Dear pulled out a structured eating plan that came with a workout video. They always send those "sample eating plans" with workout videos! They try to just sell you on working out and then hit you with, "If you really want results then try this eating plan of fish and hummus and brussel sprouts!" Anyway, the sample plan she read didn't sound horrible and is a 10-day plan. The materials said, "It's only 10 days..." So now I am considering it, but have to find 10 days where I could actually do it. I'm off on a vacation next weekend and the one after that (because I rock!) and I don't want to overhaul my lifestyle on vacation. What fun is that? But fun doesn't come from food?? So, I'll let you know if and when I start this nonsense, er, I mean good idea. (Can someone hand me that 5/8ths wrench? I need an attitude adjustment, it seems.) If it works I could rip off an A-team line and head my post "I Love It When a Plan Comes Together." Stay tuned. And tell me what you think of this idea!