Okay, here it is... the secret to my success: The Harry Potter diet.
As an avid reader (and re-reader) of the books, moderator of Harry Potter forums and writer of Harry Potter fanfiction, you might call me a "Harry Potter fan." It's one of those innocently guilty pleasures that I can live out online without my friends knowing the full depth of my obession.
While rereading the books recently, I began finding tidbits of healthy eating habits and created my own Harry Potter diet based off of quotes or occurances from the books.
THE HARRY POTTER DIET
1. Before almost every quidditch match, someone makes a fuss about Harry eating his
breakfast (usually bacon or other meat). It's good advice! Begin your day of broom-riding with a healthy, non-sugary breakfast.
2.
"Music is greater than any magic done at Hogwarts" says Dumbledore, and it truly is! It has been my magical motivation to avoid sweets. I used to buy a snack every day at the vending machines (unhealthy AND expensive) but now I save those 5 dollars a week, and buy myself 5 songs from iTunes instead.
3.
"Hearing voices nobody else can hear isn't a good thing" Hermione says in The Chamber of Secrets. You know which voice she's talking about... that one in your head... no not your conscience, the other one. The one that tears you down when you look at a skinny person and tells you that you'll never be thin. The one that tells you that if you eat a doughnut, you'll be happy. Take Hermione's advice, and stop listening to that distructive self-talk.
4.
"It doesn't do to dwell on dreams and forget to live" Dumbledore tells Harry in Sorcerer's Stone. Sitting and thinking about working out won't get it done! Why sit and dream of a good body, when you can live, and work hard to get that body?
5.
Before I hit the kitchen, I tickle a pear. In order to get into Hogwart's Kitchen, you have to find the picture of the bowl of fruit and tickle the pear. So, before I go into the kitchen for a meal, I let myself have a pear or other fruit to hold me over until mealtime. I find that if I don't turn to fruit in-between meals, I end up like Ron, my mouth so full of food that I can't speak properly.
6.
Everyone enjoys a Butterbeer now and then, because life's too short to deny ALL culinary pleasures. When I'm upset or stressed, I know not to act like Winky the House Elf and drown myself in such harmful pleasures.
That's my secret. I also tend to have a Harry Potter book close at hand at all times. When the cravings get bad, my last resort is the book. Nothing is better at keeping my mind off food than my favorite book. By the time I read 10 or so pages, I usually find the craving is gone.
Hopefully that wasn't too nerdy for y'all,
Progress Pics - 2, 4, 6 weeks
You look great!!!
(Not with food, of course LOL)
