Baby Step #2

Establish eating patterns that set you up for success!

On Wednesday, 1/9, we looked at the myths about when/how we should eat.  Using this data, along with a few other recent studies, my advice would be to start altering your eating patterns as follows:

1. Eat 2-3 meals per day, no more, no less.  You teach your body when to secrete grehlin, the "hunger" hormone.  If you graze, it will learn to secrete it all day long and your appetite will torture you.
2. Eat when you are hungry, not when the clock says to.  Don't force yourself to eat breakfast because it's breakfast time.  And don't wait until noon to eat lunch if you're hungry at 10 am.
3. Do not "snack" between meals unless absolutely necessary (going to chew your arm off hungry).  See above about grehlin
4. When you "snack", eat protein.  Greek yogurt, deli turkey, low-fat cheese stick.  Protein slows stomach emptying and almost all proteins are associated with a small amount of fat which causes a leptin surge, making you feel satisfied.  The lack of carbs in the snack also stabilizes your blood sugar, keeping your energy level steady and depressing appetite overall.
5. FYI, a "snack" by definition of the Bariatric surgeon in never more than 150 calories.  If you are trying to lose weight, most of your meals will average 300-500 calories, so a snack should not be 275 calories.
6. "Close" your kitchen after the dinner meal.  Once the table is cleaned off, no more eating until you wake in the morning.  All the studies on obesity and eating patterns show a repetitive pattern of escalating calories throughout the day.  IE, no breakfast, moderate lunch, huge dinner then snacking in the evening.  Some even reveal frequent waking to eat.  This is the one correlation between timing and obesity that is consistently found.  STOP.
7. No eating in front of electronics, EVER. Computer, TV, ipad, iphone.  Try focusing on your meal and the company instead.  Eating in front of entertainment or distractions leads to mindless eating, overeating and decreased satisfaction.  Instead try having a conversation, putting your utensils down between bites and savoring the food and the company.
8. Do not eat out unless you absolutely have to and then only if you know in advance what you are ordering and how many calories its going to cost you.  You have little knowledge and even less control about what you are being served.  Cooking methods are horrific, involving large amounts of fats, added salt, MSG, corn syrup and sugar (especially in chain restaurants.)  Portions are always 2-3 times more than anyone should eat (after all people want to get their money's worth!)
9. When you think you are hungry, drink first.  Thirst often masquerades as hunger.  Drink 8-12 oz of any zero calorie liquid and wait half an hour.  If you're still hungry, you have permission to eat.  Better yet, add a dose of Metamucil to that liquid and lose weight faster.  Studies show that people who take powder fiber supplements lose more weight, more quickly when dieting.  It likely serves to decrease appetite, increase speed at which you fill up and also improves colon health which is ALL good news.
10. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EATING!  This is probably the easiest and hardest for many people to follow.  If you are eating packaged foods, you have to learn to read labels like a detective.  That's why it's so hard.  So the easiest way to comply is to start eating more simple and natural foods.  Know how many calories are in an egg, what the real serving size is for meats (a deck of cards), how many grams of protein are in your favorite yogurt.  Break out your measuring cups and quit guessing.  And keep a food journal.  You'll be shocked at how inaccurate your guesstimates have been.

Next up:  Bariatric Surgery - Gastric Bypass 101