Day 4/5 ... Diet Confusion

A while back (in June, I think), I listened to "The 4 Day Win" book on CD and learned some interesting concepts about the Psychology of Dieting that I was able to apply to my dietary challenges on Days 4 & 5.

What is a "4 day win"?

The author, Martha Beck, suggested that by using a series of "4 day wins", i.e. "doing something that is outside your comfort zone for 4 days", we can change our habits and develop a healthier lifestyle. The idea is that if you can do it for 4 days, you are over the hardest part and can probably keep going for 30, 60, 90 days ... or the rest of your life.

She also pointed out that it is important to recognize the different parts of your personality as it relates to changes in dieting (or changing any habit).

Your mind has two parts and, according to Ms.Beck, there is the logical, intelligent part and the emotional, "animal" part. The analogy she uses for the emotional brain is your "horse brain", probably since she has experiences with horses and it worked well with her "horse whisperer" story.

My Little [scared] Pony...

In short, your animal brain will react to a reduction in food with fear and drive actions that the logical brain knows are not in the best interests of your body. The key is to make friends with your animal brain and recognize which part of your brain is driving your actions ... especially your eating habits.

Did I win on Day 4?

Day 4 and 5 were definitely "horse brain" days. I have been eating pretty good the past few days and was wondering when I would develop cravings for old familar foods. The answer... NOW!

The good news is that I recognized them for what they were... my Horse-brain. I was also prepared with plenty of salad fixin's and fruit. I also had some fresh summer corn and watermelon... very good stuff (even though I probably used a little more butter on the corn than I should have). I also picked up some rolled oats (oatmeal)... to keep my horse-brain happy. Day 4 was in the books and a success !

On Day 5, I had a strong desire for something cooked for some reason. I ended up eating a small casserole that my Mom had made for me and put in the freezer the last time she visited. It was a type of lasagna (with a little meat and plenty of cheese)... which I justified with the fact that calorie-wise I was still in good shape. Dessert was a large plate of watermelon (mmm... delicious).

Diet Confusion...

Around this time, I realized that I need to learn to prepare more healthy alternatives so that my "palette of choices" provides the variety and satisfaction that I need to make these changes successful in the long run.

Next step...

I have begun to investigate "vegan" recipes (since that is what a diet of primarily fruits & vegetables is called) and will post the results of my experiments. I am also finding that much of the "vegan" information on the web is mixed with a heavy amount of political, ethical and even religious overtones. I just want to eat healthy.

Disclaimer du Jour...

I don't have anything against beef or the industrial food complex ... except that their business model is flawed. Eventually everyone will come around to the fact that we need to eat primarily vegetables & fruits.

This means that there will be less demand for meat and other "lazy nutrition" (e.g. over processed, usually with high fructose corn syrup, but well packaged for ease of consumption). Healthy eating may not become mainstream in my generation (late baby boomer)... although it might as we begin to age and look for new ways to stay healthy.

Food Goal for August...

My near-term goal is to make sure I have a number of foods available that I enjoy eating and which are healthy for me. No more McDonald's Big Mac's, Quarter Pounders or French Fries... sell your stock in McDonald's if you have it !

Do you have any great, tasty, easy-to-make vegan recipes?

Please leave a comment below.

d.Mark "Dave" Wheeler