More notes from the book....

[from "Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates" by Jill Fleming]

** ""Change the way you think about your trigger food. Instead of thinking that you can't stop eating it once you start, think that you are the one who chooses to continue to eat the food. In the second scenario, you are in control, not the food. Remember, you are ultimately responsible for what goes into your mouth and body." (p.68) **

* Re: Carbohydrate Addicts / Carbohydrate Sensitive people: should stay away from or limit simple carbohydrates and processed foods. "...the fewer of these items you eat, the less intense your cravings will be. You will experience fewer fluctuations in blood sugars, which will help you feel more in control of your food choices." (p.69)

* Benefits of drinking water:
- helps rid body of fat & toxins
- keeps skin healthy & resilient
- helps minimize sagging skin as you lose weight *
- helps maintain proper muscle-tone
- will help relieve & prevent constipation
- helps suppress appetite
- essential for digestion, absorption of vitamins & minerals, circulation, excretion, transporting nutrients, building tissue, maintaining body temperature.
- more water intake = increased energy levels *
- more you drink = more your body craves it **

* "Another advantage of SLOWER EATING is that chewing your food thoroughly aids your body in digestion." (p.31)

* "When you consume fat following/in combination with sugar (ie: Coca Cola!), the fat is then more easily stored in your fat cells." (p.57)

** "Your attitude will determine your success... you alone are responsible for your body and its size." (p.11)

** "...the more positive choices you make, the more positive choices your body craves. The more unhealthy choices you make, the more unhealthy choices your body craves....
Remember: your body will start to desire more of the choices you predominantly make. IT WILL BECOME EASIER WITH REPETITION." (p.118) **

A New Hunger Scale

Today I finished reading "THIN PEOPLE DON'T CLEAN THEIR PLATES" by Jill Fleming. She claims it's "not a diet", and it has a Hunger-Satisfaction Scale! She says "don't limit your food choices". But, then she contradicts herself and suggests you eat mostly low-fat food! It's a diet, if you ask me! :-? Her Thin Choices program follows the following guidelines:
- eat mostly low-fat food choices
- have 8-10 servings of fruits & vegetables daily
- drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water daily
- get at least 7 hours of sleep
- breathe deeply for 10 minutes a day
- move your body for 30 minutes most days of the week

While these are all great suggestions, and they'll probably get you healthy and help you lose weight, I still don't agree with the "eat low-fat food" bit! I'm a walking-talking example that you can lose weight while still eating full-fat *REAL* foods ... so long as you only eat when you're hungry, and you stop when you're satisfied! :o)

Now, that all said, I have to say... I REALLY liked the Hunger Scale that Ms. Fleming uses in her book! I think I even like it *better* than the Thin Within one! This is what it looks like:

HUNGER - SATISFACTION SCALE (HSS)

10: Stuffed to the point of feeling sick (Thanksgiving full!)
9: Very uncomfortable, tired
8: Uncomfortably full
7: Feel you have eaten just a little bit too much
6: Comfortable, satisfied [stop eating]
5: Just noticing the first signs of hunger [slow down, if eating]
4: Hungry, ready to eat [Eat at this point]
3: Very hungry
2: Extremely hungry, irritable
1: Starving, can't concentrate, dizzy


Doesn't that make a lot of sense? I think it's great! And, here's why:

1) It doesn't give you a ton of room for humming & hawing about whether/not you're hungry & ready to eat ... either you ARE or you're NOT.

2) It defines / adds in the numbers for going PAST hungry to the shaky point (which I often do)

3) Your eating range should fall between 4 and 6 on the scale ... and this can be visualized like a Stop Light: 4=Green Light --Eat! / 5=Yellow Light --slow down & pay attention / 6=Red Light --Stop Eating!

I'm thinking that I'm going to give this new hunger scale a try ... see if it works better for me than Thin Within's did. Theirs seems to give me too much room for error... Just my personal observation.