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Either extreme or in between, most if not all have at least some simple rules they follow. These rules are based on what others who have been there before us have shared. Whether from commercially published authors with actual programs for sale or from the opposite, folks like you & me who have an opinion and the gumption to share it.
What would some of the common or popular diet or exercise rules be which you yourself do not follow?
E.g. Only drink calorie free beverages, no red meat, do not eat after 7 p.m., never skip a meal, log everything, exercise only in the morning, etc. Dozens upon dozens of rules have been shared with us.
Rules, yeah... rules & I have a respect for each other but best friends we are not. With respect to diet & exercise and more specifically this mission I have had myself to play by the rules more that usual. Yet, some popular rules I just have to break...
- Bacon, the concept of giving up bacon is akin to practicing evil in my mind. I love bacon, it has so many uses. And I will always have it in my diet. Today, I choose to eat less of it and enjoy it less often, but enjoy it still I do.
- Exercise at a certain time, seems morning is suggested as best most often. My schedule allows for exercise but the time is not consistent day to day. Even if it were, I'd get bored if I had such a frigid routine that I exercised at the same time daily. I exercise whenever I can,whenever that time is.
- Leave some food on your plate. Never! Even when I was eating to be obese I didn't put any food on my plate that I was intentionally planning to waste. I know this rule is tailored to restaurant eating. But even there, garnish aside, if I don't eat everything I am served the rest comes home. Wasting food is disrespectful in my book. Drawing strength from pushing away food staring you in the face; there has to be a better way.
- Eat slowly. Why I have no idea, but I eat fairly quickly most of the time. No, I don't inhale my food like a jet engine sucks in unlucky birds. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. Chat between bites, sure. Upon reading rules that suggest putting down the fork between bites, or chewing each bite at least 30 times; I've just had to stand firm to who I am and rebel against this one.
Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!
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Leaving food on your plate - isn't that a cardinal sin? I was brought up just not to do this...how about just putting less on the plate?
ReplyDeleteRules i do not follow:-
Eat breakfast - i know i should, but quite often skip it as i'm not hungry first thing. I need to correct this and am working on it.
Don't eat after 6pm - that's unrealistic (especially if you try and eat 5 small meals a day instead of 3 larger ones), although i would agree with keeping it to a minimum, e.g.a fruit salad, yoghurt or a couple of ryvitas with peanut butter, cress and celery (from the F-plan).
Cutting out an entire food group, e.g. carbohydrates....no thanks. Personally speaking, denying myself anything doesn't work. Currently anything i want to eat is permissible, but i just don't indulge very often - i only eat meat about once a week but when i have it, O.M.G...i get so much more out of it than i used to.
Drinking diet shakes instead of a real actual, you know...meal. No, No, No.
Those are the big ones that i avoid.
Simple. I looked at your list and Phil's above my comment, and made sure I did the opposite. Perfect plan... Gotta love me...
ReplyDeleteThe only rule I break all the time is the one about regular exercise. I eat breakfast every day and I always get in my supplements and usually get in all my water. I don't drink with meals. I focus on protein first unless I'm being really naughty. The exercise plan is the one that defeats me and not because I am incapable but just because I can't seem to maintain any motivation.
ReplyDeleteThe main rule I followed, now it is just what I do but in the beginning to get my water in it was a RULE, no coffee at work until I had drank a liter of water, and no sodas allowed until I had drank the second liter of water. Water was a hard one for me, now I enjoy it!! not plain though, I should buy stock in Crystal Light :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Patrick. While I am trying to lose weight, I don't do much that resembles how I used to eat.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't work so well for me the first time, so I'm not introducing even a little of the old ways (love bacon, not going to eat any of it). I'm trying to learn new things, and to make the healthier habits stick.
I was part of the clean plate club too, but NOT anymore. I'm not chewing 20 times before swallowing my food, but I have greatly slowed my eating pace. I never skip breakfast anymore, because it gets the metabolism jump-started for the day. I am cutting out entire things (in my case, fatty foods). I am drinking a LOT more water. I guess my one hard and fast rule is low fat. If it is fatty, it isn't getting a chance to hit my tastebuds.
I'm a WW but I refuse to count points (shhhh, don't tell my leader). I want to learn to eat the way I'm going to eat for life and I can GUARANTEE you that I'm not going to be counting points in the nursing home.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have rules but have not put it into that deep of a context so let me try...
ReplyDelete1. Workout in the mornings every work day as if it were a meeting on my calendar (Dailys as we call it in the business)
2. TRY TRY TRY not to eat pizza or Pizza rolls from pizza but
3. Eat less than what I have grown used to
4. Look at the calaries and fat content of ALL food I eat and be responsible with it
5. Drink 84 Ozs of water EVERY day
6. TRY TRY TRY hard not to eat after 8:00pm
Leave food on my plate? I can't dignify that with a response... :)
Is the eating quicklly from Paris Island or San Diego....eat now digest LATER!
ReplyDeleteWhen i first started I folow the protien power diet 33 carbs per day. i recorded everything. Carrying a Journal in my cargo pocket even at work. if nothing els it was so thick it might stop a bullet heading toward my femoral artery.
Now I do not log anything, do not count carbs, I still don't eat slowly (too many military summer camps), I also often have mid night cnakcs (goldfish or chocoloate). There are still a few rules I do follow-
Now I don't like to eat after 7pm, No non-diet soda, try not to have any type of soda. Try to only have one meal a day that is high in carb. i.e. breaded chicken for dinner, then salad for lunch. tuna sandwich for lunch, then grilled chicken for dinner.
The thing is, a lot of the rules out there contradict other rules that are out there...
ReplyDeleteThe one that I absolutely break is "no eating after x:xx time. I tend to get shaky, headachey and grumpy if I don't eat a small snack within an hour or so of bedtime. It's not worth it for me to wake up in the middle of the night because I feel like crap.
I agree with Phil's rule breaker of eliminating entire food groups (carbs being the most popular). Variety is the spice of life so they say and I agree with all things in moderation. It's just that "moderation" part I still gotta work on...
ReplyDeleteI agree with so many of the rules being broken here.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy for me to answer the question by stating the one rule that i always try to follow: honor my hunger.
If my hunger gets in the way of any of the rules mentioned above, my own intuition and relationship with my body absolutely trumps what any rule might say. And I won't feel guilty about it.
If i eat the carbs, if I eat after 7pm, if I don't ask the waiter to take the bread from the table, if i eat every bit of food on the plate and then lick it....
the only thing that matters is if I'm being true to what my body is asking me for.
Eating only when I'm hungry....check and broken. I get up and leave for school within 45mins so breakfast is scarfed down even if I'm not quite hungry yet. And I enjoy having a snack/break about 4 before work so I'm not starving AT work.
ReplyDeleteI also watch TV, read magazines, etc when I eat. The whole "completely concentrate on what you're eating" shtick is baloney. When I try to eat in silence I eat WAY faster than usual so I can go watch TV or read something. Then I end up unsatisfied and want more food.
A life without bacon is not worth living.
ReplyDeleteIt really is about having your own rules, figuring out what works best for YOU. As for general rules they are a suggestion not a requirement. I'm with you on the exercise, I do it when I can even if that means being at the gym at 10 at night. I've never been a morning person and never will be.
ReplyDeleteAfter many failed attempts at weight-watchers, etc., I think my rules are pretty simple right now:
ReplyDelete1) No soda. I don't drink ANY soda. No diet, no regular. None. I always felt so bloated and blah after a soda. So, it's just water, milk and sugar free hawaiian punch for me. There have been times when I thought about breaking someone's arm for a Mountain Dew but I've managed to control those urges.
2) Protein first. I try to eat as much protein to plug up my band as I can.
3) It's ok to have a piece of chocolate. Note I said a PIECE. Not an entire bar. Or, and entire pan of brownies. But a piece - that's fine.
4) If you are craving it, have a small bite. I have found that if I don't indulge occasionally, I'll end up going hog wild on something. With the exception of soda. I could take it or leave it.
5) Eat SLOWLY. You are SO right in this!
I do tend to make it my way... no surprise there! I think that learning about all that is out there is important but once we get some learning, then we make it our own.
ReplyDeleteI do eat less than 2-3 hours before bed.. a small snack.
I don't think there is any specific time of day one should exercise besides the one that will be when you will do it. I am a morning person but if you are gonna hate life then, it doesn't help you.
My own workouts break some rules but it works for me & I have been at this a long time. I do always use proper form though.
I could go on but the key is to be sure it works for you!
I think I rebel against all those same rules, and a few more to boot!
ReplyDeleteWe all have to find our own path.
Lori
See...I agree. Rules suck. For me I just get pissed and say, F-em after a while.
ReplyDeleteSo my rule is eat healthy and count my calories. I totally agree with exercise whenever you can and however I can or WANT to. I'm easily bored and impatient so I have to mix things up. My rule is whatever works for me. Try it. If it works, keep it. If not, change it.
Patrick you crack me up. I personally hate rules. Rules are the reason why I turned into a fat cow. Gotta break the rules sometimes... :)
ReplyDeleteGive up bacon.. Not happening.. I do not eat as much and I have swapped to Turkey bacon lately, but I still eat bacon. I hate rules and try and stay away from them. :)
ReplyDeleteThe only rule I try to adhere to is to eat as healthily as I can and be aware of what I eat. I don't count calories or carbs. One thing I am trying to do though, is to eat more slowly - no scarfing!
ReplyDeleteBacon is a condiment. So, no worries.
ReplyDeletePatrick, you are like the brother I always wanted (as opposed to the two that I actually had).
ReplyDeleteITA agree with you on bacon, disrespect of leaving food on your plate, time rituals making me bored, and eating quickly.
My most-broken rule is the exerise every day business. Every day is my rule and I stick to it pretty well until my day becomes too busy. I won't do it if it takes time away from my family, which is so stupid because not doing it does take time away from my family by shortening my lifespan. Great, now I feel guilty. Thanks a lot, that makes you officially like family now.
Patrick, obviously your rules are working for you and isn't that the most important thing? What works for one, doesn't work for another. You are doing so well - you've obviously figured out what to do for you. You are an inspiration, Patrick and darn funny too!
ReplyDelete