Week 17, Day 3

I don't know why lately I can't seem to find food that actually satisfies me. I don't know what I want. Nothing we have in the house, for sure. But even the other day when I was at the grocery store, I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted. I think it must be partly the curse that comes with knowing that most of what I ate before wasn't really food. It masqueraded as food. The store said it was food. I think most people would believe as I did that it was, indeed, food. But now I know better. And nothing going into my mouth seems to give me the same "ahhhhhh...." feeling I had before. The temptation is to keep eating until I get that feeling. I think that must be what I did before and what a lot of people do. It's not so much hunger as it is a lack of "ahhhhhhh....." from eating.

Do you remember my telling you about the book I was reading, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan? Well, right now I'm reading his other book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. Same kind of thing, but more detailed in the actual production of so-called food, the travels and travails as it goes from field to table. It's a more challenging book to read, not the quick read that In Defense of Food was. I think that's because I keep having to put it down and digest (serendipitous pun) the information before I can move on and read more. Ugh. I'm so disgusted with the entire food thing. In America, of all places, how did we allow ourselves to get to this point where most of what's in a grocery store isn't really food? The world has looked to us for leadership, and we've let them and ourselves down. All for politics and money. It does give me much more impetus to visit the local farmer's markets this coming Spring and Summer. And it certainly gives me a lot more respect for the actual food I do eat. The way we do our food chain now is disgusting, but the way God intended it is really quite amazing.

Okay, back to the weight loss thing. Exercise: I seem to do the bulk of it in the evening, and as usual, I haven't done much today yet. I've done some leg lifts, and I'll do some upper body work later on. I'll try to put in some time on the bike, too. Food: A couple slices of french toast -- 7-grain bread, two eggs, and a drizzle of organic maple syrup, a turkey and cheese sandwich, and I'll have some yogurt later on.

Today's Tip:
For weight loss to be sustainable and healthy, it needs to be about not just changing your body but also changing your mind. Unless you change your mind about food, thus changing your habits and desires, you will fall back into the same old way of doing things when you reach your target weight. Weight loss, ideally, is about good health and fitness (instead of just a vanity thing). So learning about your food -- indeed, what food actually IS, what your body actually needs, etc. will help you develop a new healthy relationship with your food and establish the eating habits that will help you not only lose weight, but also maintain that weight loss and obtain optimal health as you go through life.