Dr. Michelle May

Eating Out

eatingEating Out

I’ve spent the last month literally on the road between moving, a speaking engagement and a conference. I faced many eating challenges, but my greatest challenge was eating healthy when eating out.

Meals

Generally, when I’m traveling I eat out, but it’s only a couple of meals—usually dinner or lunch. Breakfast, I tend to bring food to eat and many times for lunch, too, but my last trip, I had no way to bring an ice chest.eating Not only is it expensive to eat all my meals out, but I find it difficult to eat healthy. There are only so many salads I can eat, and honestly, even those can… Read More

Social Eating

victories Taking a new path on my lifestyle Sorry for the hiatus last week. I was at a writers conference and just ran out of time to blog. But I came home with a topic after being dependent on restaurants and conference meals. This has always been a real challenge for me, especially before my lifestyle changes.

Eating Challenges

That isn’t to say there weren’t challenges and that I didn’t overindulge, but I did so mindfully. I accepted that I was eating when I wasn’t hungry and with food I didn’t necessarily want. victories View from the plane flying into Seattle But, I didn’t stuff myself until I… Read More

Dieting Again

32639157_s Image courtesy of Okolaa at FreeDigitalPhotos.net I’m dieting again. The three most dreaded words in my vocabulary. Fortunately I haven’t used those words in almost two years, but they still haunt me. They lurk in the back of my mind. What if what I’m doing stops working and I start gaining weight again? Ever find those thoughts and fears becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy? In the past, that’s what it’s been for me, but I’m starting to feel more confident that what I’m doing is working, and will continue to work. I attribute much of this to the fact that I no longer deprive myself of foods I love until I lose weight or until I go off… Read More

Mindful Eating and Meal Presentation

Meal Presentation

Does meal presentation make a difference? I’ve always thought it doesn’t, but I’ve had a change of heart. I’m learning that how my food looks, tastes, smells and even where I sit can make a huge difference in weight control.eating For years, our table has been a clutter collector. Everything gets tossed there. About the only thing that doesn’t happen at the table is eating.

Mindful Eating

When I had young children at home, we ate at the table because anyone who’s had toddlers knows they are incredibly messy eaters. But as our children got older, it seemed we were always on the go and mealtimes became grab and run. And after the kids went off to college, we evolved… Read More

Is That All I Get?

Portion size

portion I wanted this much portion I chose this much Every time I look at my plate I think, is that all I get? Logically, I know the portion size is right for me, but I want more. My struggle is, how do I match up with what I want versus what my body really needs? This has been a constant struggle for me, and I’ve tried all the tricks. Use a smaller plate, eat slower, savor my food. They do work, but there’s still that little voice taunting me—more, more, more. Why do I see a normal portion and feel it’s not nearly enough? I… Read More

Fitness At Any Age

I’ve exercised all of my life, but I haven’t always been physically fit. In my late 30’s I was out of shape. I didn’t do much aerobic exercise, and it showed. After hiking short distances, I was winded and exhausted. It wasn’t until my mid-40s that I really got serious about exercise, and it was for two reasons. First, I found losing weight was not as easy as it was in my 30s. In fact, it was darn near impossible without exercise. fit Mountain biking at Mt. Shasta California Second, I was losing muscle tone and didn’t like what I saw. Since I’ve always been an avid bicycle rider, I started riding more. At the same time, I began… Read More

Blended Vacations

Blended Vacations

exercise Mountain biking Spense Mt. in Klamath Falls, Oregon In recent years, my husband and I are taking blended vacations. We do some sightseeing, eating out and relaxing. We also look for ways to explore the areas where we vacation by biking, hiking, kayaking or whatever exercise strikes our fancy. In the past, I’ve found eating out while on vacation a challenge. I want to splurge all the time, especially if we’ve been exercising. But if I’m listening to my body, that’s not always what it wants.exercise The two important takeaways from The Checklist Diet by Rebecca Clark that I keep… Read More

Hunger Signs

Hunger signs—what are they and how do I know if I’m having them? This is a question I’ve struggled with since I lost the weight two years ago. Eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. It seems like such an easy concept when I can define my hunger.hunger My brain says I’m hungry, but my body shows no signs of it, so which part of my body do I listen to?

Signs of Hunger

Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat lists these signs of hunger:
  • Hunger pangs
  • Growling or grumbling in the stomach
  • Empty or hollow feeling
  • Gnawing
  • Slight queasy feeling
  • Weakness or loss of energy
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Light-headedness
  • Slight headache
  • Shakiness
  • Irritability or crankiness
  • Feeling… Read More

Finding a Weight Loss Plan That Works for You

Weight Loss

Diane Carbonell recently posted on Fit to the Finish Why I Accept Other Peoples Diet Choices. weight Image courtesy of Marianne Oliva (c)/www.123RF.co I’ve been discussing weight loss for the past several weeks, and after reading her blog I wanted to clarify some points. I’m not a dieting expert. I’m a cheerleader, a motivator. I’ll be there when the burden feels too heavy, when you think you can’t take another step, when you think you will never lose the weight. I’m the one who will hold your hand, offer you encouragement, believe in you when you can’t. I don’t have answers, but I’ll be sharing what I'm learning. I am not a believer in fad diets. Not because you can’t… Read More

In Charge versus in Control

Being in control

I’ve always controlled my eating. In truth, I was never in control—food controlled me. Since high school, I’ve carefully monitored my food intake, and how much exercise I needed to maintain that weight. Ultimately, I failed and regained the few pounds I’d lost. As I mentioned in Tuesday’s blog, my weight started to increase and control and exercise stopped working for me.I’d always felt closely monitoring everything I ate was my only option, but then I read Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat, by Dr. Michelle May.

Being in charge

control Image courtesy of Ludmila Baryshnikova (c)/www.123RF.com  In the very first chapter, Dr. May discusses the distinction between being… Read More