Deep Fried Breakfast, and a Tip for Dieting

This passed holiday season has reminded me of the convenience of the 21^st century. As Christmas came and went family members began their new diets – a quick fix for all that is wrong with life today.

My husband and I moved into our self-catering guest house last night at 19:00. The shops were closed but we decided to go to sleep hungry rather than get take-out. We didn’t have anything to eat for supper and we didn’t have anything to eat for breakfast. Just the thought gave me an empty feeling in my stomach. We planned that I would drop my J off at work (we have one car for the time being) and then go in search of food.

When we woke this morning we were so hungry we decided to see if we could find a fast food outlet at which we could at least get something to eat. After about a 20 minute search we parked outside one such outlet and went inside. We ordered a very oily and deep fried breakfast, and a cup of coffee. How convenient! Our stomachs were full...but not with the right stuff.

Today’s life is so convenient. We are lazy so we get pizza or hamburgers for supper. We don’t feel like cooking so we buy already made food at the grocery store. We buy frozen food that we can shove into the microwave for 10 minutes while we catch up with our favourite Soapie. We don’t feel like walking so we take the elevator. We are prepared to wait 10 minutes for that elevator but we aren’t prepared to walk 20 metres to take the escalator (which would probably have saved us some time had we done so). We’d rather go home and watch TV than go for a walk or go to the gym. The list is just endless.

We’d rather have something right now and not have to wait. So many things to make us comfortable and then we go on diet to lose a couple of kilos fast! But this in general is not how the world works. Things take time and you need to be patient. When I was at University my boyfriend wanted to treat me to an ice-cream, a donut, a slice of cake, everyday. I could see my jeans starting to sit tight and I could see the bulging at my “love handles” (For those who know me I was about 8 kilos heavier than I am now). I knew I had to start saying no. It didn’t happen over night. I started gaining weight gradually and had I not taken notice I might have ended up overweight and unhappy. I cut down on the sugar and lost the weight again.

Most overweight women seem to feel the need to diet. The need to be slim seems to out-weigh the need to be healthy. If this is you and you feel you need to diet, start by changing your lifestyle before you go on diet. Start by eliminating sugar and replacing it with honey. Then cut down on cheese and other fatty foods. Increase your portion of salad and cut out sauces. Do not get take-out. Cook all your own meals so you know what goes in (except for the occasional restaurant). Start exercising. Maintain this lifestyle for awhile. You may find you start to lose weight naturally. 

Remember everything takes time (just like anything you have to work towards). In all cases diets need to be supplemented by exercise, because lean muscle increases your metabolism which burns fat faster. When you are comfortable in your routine and are enjoying being healthy start your chosen diet (one that has a good track record and isn't too over the top). Lose the kilograms at a rate acceptable to you. Then once you are down to your ideal weight continue with the healthy living you achieved before you started dieting.

This approach will be easier on your motivation because you will have already established your healthy routine before you started dieting. You will not be shocked by your deprivation and then at the end of the diet feel like you need to be "on diet" for the rest of your life! There is a reason a woman is overweight in the first place, and if she returns to the same eating habits and the same lack of exercise once she has finished the diet she will just gain all the weight back again.

As a last thought, don’t be fooled by people who tell you grapes are bad, bananas are bad, and pumpkin is bad. The food we eat today in its most natural form was created by God who, after creating the world – the plants and animals – and everything in it, said "It is good"! God did not create us to be overweight and being slim is not a secret hidden by Him only to be discovered by those few lucky ones. It is all about moderation. The more varied your diet the better. And lastly, avoid deep-fried breakfasts!