I ordered "BFL for women" and "Eating for life" from Buy.com for about 35 dollars. I had read BFL a couple years ago, thought it was good but didn't follow it. I bought "BFL for women" because I wanted some inspiration and I bought "Eating For Life" because I am always on the lookout for a good cookbook that will help me eat right.

First, I was looking at "Eating For Life". I was looking at the before and after pictures of people in the back of the book. It showed their "typical daily menus" which were incredible including candy, sugary sodas, fried foods, fast food, ice cream, etc etc. My mind went to "I don't eat that stuff! Why am I like this?" Part of it is frustration from the last couple months in that it has been hard for me to lose weight. Even when I was doing the gym and watching what I ate. I'm watching what I eat but haven't been to the gym in a few weeks. (Combo of going on vacation and then trying to regain my routine).

So then I start reading "BFL for women". She talks about the different phases in life. She says two specific things which I believe are for me. One is if you have a tendency to gain weight (obese parents, obese since childhood) then you have to workout harder and watch your food more closely. The other part was that as you get older, you have to eat less because your body doesn't need to eat so much.

Woah there... I don't think I eat because it is what my body NEEDS. Sure I try to eat the right types of foods, make sure I get in nutrients and all that stuff. I eat so that I don't start emotional eating or boredom eating. When I make my lunch in the morning, I make it so I have enough food that my body won't try to tell me "hey you are hungry, you have no food left, guess you have to buy something". I also eat because I enjoy food. I've reduced my portions, I've cut out a lot of high calorie food from my diet, you mean I might have do something beyond that?

In a sense, I have hope. Even if I am eating the "right" foods, maybe I'm just eating too much of them. In another sense, its frustrating. I wouldn't think I would need to get too restrictive until I weighed a lot less than I do now. Of course, I have to get back to exercise and make it a daily habit. As she says, you don't have to think twice about brushing your teeth daily, why think twice about exercising daily? (paraphrase)

NELLIE - Can't remember the last time I ate because I "needed to", I have to work very hard to not think about something tasty to chew or to finish off that last of something. On the other hand, DD seems to be able to eat what she wants and stop when she is not hungry any more, no matter how she has eaten. She likes only particular candy and won't eat it unless it is vanilla flavored taffy, she wouldn't think of eating any other flavor even if it means not having any. I hope to grow up to be like her.