Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Tyranny of Cravings with Your Online Pilates Instructor

“I know. She’s going to tell me to eat low carb.”

Let me put it this way, If an alchoholic checks into rehab, does the treatment team say, “Lets tell the patient that he can only drink martinis?"

That is what our many diet experts have been saying by recommending fat free low calorie snacks and fruit to people who sincerely want to eat right but have become addicted to spiking their blood sugar. In our respect for these educated professionals, many of us have unwittingly increased our cravings and gained weight.

Reducing cravings is a matter of training our body to release more of the satiety and fat releasing hormones that are right there for you. You don’t have to take medications to reduce cravings. The reason that we crave is completely physiological.

The reasons you feel like eating when your body doesn’t need it are part of the thinking/feeling side of weight addressed in my Reflections for Weight Loss video series. Part three is coming soon.

The fact is that learning to stabilize our own blood sugar 24/7 is by far the most important thing we can do for our overall health. Yes, more important than eating "low fat." Our health care system is overwhelmed with people who have diseases resulting from too many high glycemic foods in their diet.

Some of the things I hear most often from my pilates students who struggle with weight are, “I eat a lot of fruit.” and “I don’t eat breakfast.” or “I eat a banana for breakfast.”

If you want to keep following the “I only eat when I feel like it” diet, you are not ready enough, not really eager and open enough to receive the new body and resulting health that are there waiting for you. One of my beginner mat pilates students just reported, "I've just been trying to follow your basic suggestions and people are saying I look like I've lost weight."

I eat protein every morning. Do I always feel hungry at that time? No. But I know that eating this way will make me feel alert and eat less for the rest of the day. Do I feel like having a mini meal at 4:00 pm? Not always. But I have learned to look forward to that time to sit for a few minutes and treat myself to some almonds and 85 dark chocolate or an apple and a slice of sharp cheddar, or even half a meat sandwich.

Scroll through the blogs for more practical help with and please share your experience with us.