Diet Duel-Mindedness

This feels familiar. It’s a mixture of salacious satisfaction and impending doom. 

Oh. I know why. I just ate homemade macaroni-and-cheese for lunch. A whole bunch of it. 

Let the perplexity begin. I’m finding myself in a very strange place these days. It must be because I’ve entered the adult world, because, until now, I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Or maybe it’s because my metabolism is beginning to fail me as I grow into the ripe old age of 23. Scary. My co-workers are doing it. My friends are doing it. My parents are even doing it! They’re all losing weight (or at least trying to. Some are more successful than others.). Regardless, I don’t think I’ve decided how I should be reacting. 

Some days I find myself being their cheerleaders. (“Way to go! Give those 5 pounds a shot to the groin Kung-Fu Panda-style!”) 

Other days I find myself feeling guilty. (“Yes. We ALL know that you’re dieting. Congratu-freakin-lations. Thanks for reminding me that I’m NOT dieting and that I’m pretty sure I’ve gained at least 10 pounds since I got married less than a year ago.”) 

Sometimes I take pride in my figure. (“I’m so proud of [insert name of starved person] for being so dedicated. Thank goodness I can still fit into that one pair of jeans that I wore in high school, which obviously means that I haven’t gained enough weight to have to care...yet.)

At other times, I find myself possessed by a Dove marketing agent. (“Why does she think she needs to lose weight? Be proud of your curves, girl!)

In the support of full disclosure, this schizophrenic reasoning probably has a lot to do with the fact that I split the majority of my TV time between Dancing With the Stars, Ugly Betty, Project Runway, and Drop Dead Diva.

What’s the reality? A lot of people are living unhealthy lives (myself included). Too much Zaxby’s, and not enough Zumba. So, sure, eating better and exercising is great! I really AM all about that. But it’s also a reality that we have a skewed perception of beauty. How many times have you heard now that the average woman in America wears a size 14? If you’re a woman, probably a lot. If you’re a man, eh…maybe never. 

So here are the solutions I’ve come up with for myself:

1. Just be supportive. (Encourage both the “own it” friend and the “hard core weight loss girl” because they both deserve it.)

2. Get a scale. 

3. Don’t diet. Adjust.

We’ve probably all seen both extremes of this scale. I’ve watched crash dieters lose 20 pounds in a month and gain it back in two weeks. And I’ve seen people make a drastic change and stick with it. For example, both of my parents have lost at least 175 pounds combined, and they have kept it off for a while now. They have completely changed their lifestyles, and it has really made a difference in their health, their well-being, and their happiness. If I decide that I want to lose weight and to live a healthier life, then I’m going to do it their way. By making changes that I can see myself living with forever (whole wheat bread, instead of white. Skim milk, instead of 2% milk. More fruits and vegetables, less carbohydrates. Yadda, yadda, yadda). Because, let’s face it. I love cake WAY too much to give it up forever.