Unleash your skinny self! Get ‘Naturally Thin’

Heavy habit
Have you ever thought to yourself, I ate too much, I ruined it, so I might as well just keep eating? Then you go on a tear because you’ve given up hope. Do you know that feeling? I compare this to buyer’s remorse. If you indulge in something, then sit up all night feeling guilty about it, you won’t be in any position to make balanced choices. You’ll just make it worse for yourself. The other day, one of my friends called me and said, “I ruined myself, I’m ruined.

I ate five cookies.” I remember that feeling — but I don’t have it anymore. I eat, but I don’t let guilt and remorse spur me on to a binge. Sometimes, I eat too much. But then I pick myself up and brush myself off. Instead of making this a reason to eat even more (where is the logic in that?), I remember: Your diet is a bank account.

Bank account balancing how-tos
This all sounds great in theory, I know. But how do you actually do it? Stay conscious of what you eat, and make conscious decisions about it. Food is not in charge. You are, so take charge and decide in a rational and conscious way what to eat.

Let’s say you had pancakes for breakfast. They’re fine — and starchy and sweet. So what do you have for lunch? Pasta? Of course not. That’s more starch. You are balancing your diet like a bank account now, so you know that because you had starch and sugar earlier in the day, now, you need protein and vegetables. So have a salad with grilled chicken or some vegetable soup. Or maybe you had eggs for breakfast. No problem. Pasta or a sandwich might be just the thing for lunch, or dinner. Balance your proteins with your starches; balance your fruits and vegetables with your sweets and fats.

Never have the same kind of food for two meals in a row. Get a little of everything, but not too much of anything.

Balancing also applies to amounts. If you have a really light breakfast, you can have a little more for lunch. If you had a really big lunch, go light on dinner. If you ate a lot all day one day, go easy the next day. Just stay tuned in to what you are doing, and you’ll be able to have the foods you really love — in a balanced way. This is how naturally thin people eat — without deprivation, without dieting, but in balance. Once you get into the habit, it’s easier than you think. Practice this for a few days and you will start to become naturally aware, honing your instincts about what your body needs and wants. When you become the fine-tuned machine that you are going to become, you will instinctively know what the next meal should be. You’ll know how to handle any food situation.

In Part Two of this book, I’ll go more into incorporating this rule into your daily life. But first, let’s consider some of the surprising obstacles you may find in your path, as well as some tools to help you.

Naturally thin thought: Balancing is not about counting calories, fat grams, carbs, or anything else. Don’t bother with this, because you won’t keep up with it. It takes too much time, and you are too busy. Besides, it is obsessive, and you don’t want to go there. Instead, you just need to pay attention, and tap into your common sense. This balancing is approximate, but it works. Just keep it in your head. The calories will work themselves out. Now it’s not obsessive; it’s not food noise. You know what to eat. Just listen to your food voice.

MORE FROM

How eating right can make you happy

How eating right can make you happy Over 50? Simple secrets to grow younger How one mom learned to translate baby cries Quiz: Test your smarts about children’s health ‘Stand by Her’: A breast cancer guide for men Cesar Millan: How to help your pup learn Mom's guide to a happy work-home balance The birds and bees: Talking sex with your child One mother’s battle to save her son from OCD The worst meals for kids   Add headlines to your news reader: