My friends often inform me that I’m naturally thin.

“Oh, no, no, no,” I respond. “I was a round kid, teen, and young adult. I’ve always been well-insulated. I lost slowly and didn’t lose the final pounds until my boys turned two and blah . . . blah. . .

blah.”

And I’m talking to myself.

Again.

Whenever friends ask “how I did it,” I’m happy to explain. But just as I’d start to share, they smile politely, and flee for higher ground.

Nobody wants to hear about my uphill trek (both ways, deep snow, and so forth).

Quick back story: For 14 years prior to Covid, I was a family travel writer. As we know, 2020 meant long days at home, so I created this blog — the Inspired Eater — to share the methods I used to to lose the 55 lbs. in the first place and still use today to keep those pounds off for 15 years (at this writing) without meds, surgery or creepy diets.

A suggestion: before reading this post, I hope you’ll first read Begin Here. Then this post will make more sense. 🙂

Tool One — Studies Say This Habit Is Vital.

This tool is one I can’t live without: I keep a notebook next to the fridge and I journal daily about everything I eat. I’ve written down my food intake for 24 years now and it’s the smartest thing I’ve ever done (after having kids and fur-kids).

Some of us track WW points (me), some track carbs, and others calories. Tracking is key to knowing how much we’re eating every day. Tracking my food has become such a habit that something feels wrong — like forgetting to brush my teeth — if I forgot to write down my food-intake that day.

Your journal needs to be easy and pretty. No keeping track on old envelopes or the like. You want to feel good about keeping track.

Give yourself time to embed the journaling habit into your daily life (a great ’09 study out of England concluded that we need to repeat an activity for sixty-six days for the habit to truly to become part of us).

Come On, Does it Really Matter?

“Who keeps track of their food every single day? That’s crazy,” a family member once said. But here’s the thing: developing and sustaining a smart eating lifestyle in our food-on-steroids world means playing a strong defense.

Track. It does a body good.

Tool Two: Best books ever for developing solid habits.

These two books are the best I’ve ever read on habits: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life by Charles Duhigg. And Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Ones & Break Bad Ones by James Clear.

I live at the library, but I recommend buying these two books. (A friend raves about the audio of Atomic Habits.)

Tool Three: Intermittent Fasting is the New Black.

Six years past menopause — I’m 56 today — this is one of my best invention hacks ever: combine several smart eating methods at once. It’s what I do to keep my weight where I want it.

I’ve found that combining the “Royal Food Plan” — breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess, and dinner like a pauper — with intermittent fasting produces incredible results.

Do you see how I’ve combined three Smart Eating plans?

• I track WW’s points like I have since ’97.
• I use the Royal Food Plan.
• I restrain my eating window from nine to six.

I don’t remember needing to combine weight loss methods in my 40’s, but in my 50’s: using two or three methods at once is a game changer.

Tool Four: Precision Eating.

Welcome to my most favorite tool ever. I call it “Precision Eating.” I rely on Precision Eating to clean up my weight — and how I think about food — relatively quickly if I’ve gained three or four pounds.

Precision eating goes like this: I eagle-eye what I eat every two hours from breakfast to late afternoon. Say I have a cup of chili at noon, I then check in with myself at two o’clock and if I’m even a tiny bit hungry, I eat ½ an apple or a teaspoon of peanut butter on a banana.

Bottom line, I don’t allow myself to get hungry. Period. And by avoiding hunger I maintain my Smart Eating habits.

I would love it if you’d share your favorite eating tools!

And remember health is hard (it’s not just your imagination)!

♥, Wendy

I

Photo by Erol Ahmad for Unsplash

In high school I once got an F on an algebra report card. (Not proud.)

I knew my parents would freak.

(Deep breath.) So I turned that F into a B avoiding my parents’ meltdown. (Really, really not proud.)

Later, I tore that subterfuge into a jillion little pieces, and stuffed them into my jewelry box where they sit to this day — 41 years later.

I still get nervous when I accidentally run across them.

If Only School Taught This

Point is, we’re not taught how to fail and then how to right our own ship.

We’re not taught that failing again and again makes us stronger, and that persevering with determination is one of the best character traits we can develop. Ever.

We’re never reminded of Edison famously saying, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

The Importance of Plan 2.0

We’ve all long asked: how can I stop myself from slipping (once called cheating)?

Thing is, everybody slips off the smart eating path (because we’re human and our food-world is on steroids).

A much better question is: After I’ve slipped, how do I get back on my smart eating path?

That said, create a strong and reliable Plan 2.0 for yourself. And please, don’t just keep your individual Plan B in your mind. Actually write out your entire back-up plan.

Having a written Plan 2.0 where we can see it everyday is a key to forever weight loss.

Here’s my individual back-up plan:

One

Let’s say, I find The Scarfer’s stash of chocolate. Before I slip, I ask myself: Do I want the chocolate stash I found or do I want to be a size 8?

Two

Let’s say I eat the junky food. My Plan 2.0 says, “take two inspirational podcast episodes and call me in the morning.”

And this is exactly what I do. I have a list of music, Netflix shows, and podcasts that put me into a different frame of mind. Also, if I’m overeating at night I grab a good book and head upstairs to brush my teeth and read in bed. I remind myself that I’ll feel much better in the morning.

And I always do.

Bottom line, I have a real Plan B that works wonders in helping me to contain the damage. I have a safety net of sorts. I stop the free fall of poor eating habits.

I don’t tend to slip in the daytime, but if I do it’s usually because I’m bored. My Plan 2.0 outlines what to do when life gets old. Don’t underestimate how being bored can send you straight to the Oreo’s. Create a Plan 2.0 and stick to it. Keep it front-and-center where you’ll see it daily.

Notice what I don’t do when I slip: I don’t beat myself up, call myself names and spin into the hopeless/helpless zone. Not only do I contain the caloric-damage, but I contain the emotional-damage too.

Three

The morning after a binge, I get right back onto my smart eating path — keeping in mind that slips are just part of life — and am extra gentle with myself the entire day. After slipping, I’ve bought flowers for my desk, once had a pedi, and another time let myself get cozy on the couch with a book during “work hours.”

You’ve Got This

Now for the fun part.

Take creating your own Plan 2.0 seriously. Journal-write about it and admit to yourself how — and in what quantity — slips happen in your life. (Good place to say: If specific foods are a problem, ban them from the house for the next year or ten.)

Plan how you’ll recover and only include plans that you can actually envision yourself doing. Plan 2.0s involve — like I said — flowers for your desk or kitchen, mani/pedis, cute new tops, a hair trim, and you get the gist. The last thing you should do is beat yourself up. In fact, the very opposite.

We’ve had it backwards the whole time. We thought slipping meant we should yell at ourselves when really it’s the most important moment to have our own backs.

No, It’s Not Just You

Remember it’s not your imagination. Losing and maintaining is rough. And after fifty? Rough squared. But with Plan 2.0 in place you now have a tool that you can count on forever.

In the comment below, share your most annoying slip behavior. When do you slip? Day? Night? At work? Weekend? And so forth. I’d love to hear from you.

♥, Wendy

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

My favorite cold-tote

The best book-desserts on the planet

Remember that 1980s hair conditioner commercial? A blonde tells two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on, and so on?

Pretty soon the whole screen is blonde heads?

Dude!! That’s how I learned compounding!!

Most importantly, we can use this ingredient to our advantage.

Math You Will Love

Here’s the thing: we’re over 50 – go us! — and are pre-, post- or smack in the middle of menopause.

Sweating the small stuff + compounding = pounds lost, marathons run, and jeans that don’t cut you in half.

In other words, transforming tiny changes into forever habits delivers the goods. And no, you won’t read lame advice like drink more water or get more sleep.

Because duh.

Let’s go.

How Sweating the Small Stuff Really Works.

Embed these moves into your very cells. They’re small, but once they compound they become powerful.

A Spoonful of Not-Sugar.

Behold a super tool that I’ve using for over twenty years.

I keep not one, but four sets of measuring cups and spoons always at the ready. I measure everything: ½ cup dried oatmeal, one cup frozen blueberries, ¼ of yogurt and so forth.

I keep my measuring friends in a big, easy-to-reach, bowl in the cupboard. Commit to measuring, and watch the results.

Try to Accept this One Truism.

Kardashians are proof that life isn’t fair.

That said, it’s easy to lament that losing and — later — maintaining shouldn’t be this hard. But we over 50s can’t eat like we did when we were younger.

Here’s our new normal: plan small bites (aka meals) throughout the day. Don’t let yourself get hungry beyond a five. (One being full, ten famished. I try to stay at a three, maybe a four. But if I’m inching towards a five, The Scarfer’s Ben and Jerry’s is toast.)

These Babies Are Your New Go-To.

These babies will figure big-time into your life. When you leave the house: Purse, keys, phone, sunglasses, bag of baby carrots. Make baby carrots a system like grabbing your phone.

Ultimately? You want to feel naked if you’re driving off without your baby c’s.

Eat Before You Eat.

I’ve eaten this way for decades, but it’s a vlogger who named it: “Eat Before You Eat.” I say this one a lot, but that’s because it powerful.

Instead eat:

• Half an apple with a teaspoon of peanut butter.
• A bowl of steamed broccoli (I know, snoozy. But your cells and mitochondria are applauding).
• A hardboiled egg (keep on hand when you need something fast).

Wish I Owned Stock in Toothpaste.

I’m convinced that toothpaste alone has helped me lose big and maintain the loss throughout the years. Here’s how it works: eat dinner, brush teeth. And floss. (Commit to the toothbrush for 66 days. You’ll see.)

That’s it.

Celebrate and Record Tiny Wins.

There’s no way around this one, you must create a better relationship with yourself if you want to maintain weight loss forever

You cannot sabotage the massive effort you’re making by calling yourself every awful name just because you happen to slip.

Your mantra: slips happen. It’s nothing more than being human.

Calling yourself names is the last thing you need when you’re trying to get back on the Smart Eating Path. Treat yourself gently: a hot bath, good music, and amp-up the compassion.

Celebrate your tiny wins whether that’s eating a daily bowl of broccoli or drinking a spinach-blueberry-vanilla protein smoothie each day. Keep a running list in your computer’s One Note or Evernote program.

Write a “Go Me!” line each day celebrating your little – but pivotal – wins.

The Coolest Part

Say you eat a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s every single evening for a week.

No biggie.

But what if you eat the bowl of fancy ice cream every night for a year?

Ohhhh, you wanted to fit into your bathing suit? Sorry, but compounding worked against you on this one.

But!! Say you use the above tiny moves – measuring cups, bites throughout the day, baby carrots, Eat before You Eat, and celebrate the tiny-wins – every day. . . for a year? (Heck, for even four months.)

Blond heads all over your screen.

Happy End of March, everyone!!

♥, Wendy              

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

Most of us get that we don’t overeat because we’re merely hungry.

Some of us developed a bad habit of overeating as kids. Others because of stress and/or trauma. And then there’s my personal favorite (and I know I’m not alone).

But before I go into my preferred reason for overeating, you should know that I tend to live as risk-free as possible. As in, not only do I wear a seat-belt, but I once floated the idea to friends that we should all wear crash helmets when we drive.

They rolled their eyes.

My Favorite Reason for Overeating

Turns out, when you’re ultra-cautious in life you’re also ultra-bored.

Back when, I was eating out of sheer boredom. And it wasn’t like I was bored for an afternoon. Entire days and weeks were snooze-fests.

The Prince is Bored Too

Many of us look to our life’s partner to put fun into our days. And I get it – we were raised on Disney princesses –, it’s tempting to think, “My prince is so boring.” But even if my husband booked a five-star cruise to Hawaii for a week of magic, the cruise ship would soon turn back into a pumpkin and I would return home . . .  still me (ribbet).

Your boredom belongs to you. Mine to me. And that’s the best news ever.

Why?

Because if boredom belongs to us alone — we can impact it big-time.

Six Ways to Drench Your Life in Excitement

Here’s what I’ve found that puts more excitement into my days:

The road to bliss

We’re all creators. Some of us cook and bake. Others knit, crochet or embroider. I write articles. A friend writes books. Another makes jewelry. One son draws. The other creates scores on his piano.

Unlike animals, human beings love to create. We build chicken coops, paint furniture, and fashion a beautiful photo arrangement over our couch in the living room. Each time my sister-in-law and her family move (Coast Guard), she transforms each basic home into a super cool, Pottery Barn-like jewel box, but without the insane price tag.

I’m committed to the idea that we don’t give enough awe and respect to the power of creating and how it affects our happiness. (Take me, at this very moment I’m stoked to be “talking” to you.)

Do you go for the gold?

When my boys were small, I wanted to be home with them 24/7 and thought being a professional writer would be cool.  

But then I realized – no — what I really wanted was to be a professional travel writer.

So for fourteen amazing years, I had the best time traveling with my goofy family.

That said, what is your golden dream?

Write and write and write about your dreams. Give your brain time to share the many nuggets that will spill forth.

Bette Midler Was Right

The older I get the more I want to re-connect with people I grew up with. I found one via Linked In, and another through her “old” email that still works.

Then there’s new friends. Dog park, Starbucks, library: people are everywhere (and everyone is looking for connection).

Why I scare myself daily

This one might seem like exploring your golden dream, but golden dreams are big like taking college courses aiming for a new career.

I suggest scaring yourself daily on a much smaller scale for maximum fun.

I was raised by a dad with sky high anxiety. Back in the day my dad would see rain and announce, “Everybody take cover!! Stay home!! People drive like maniacs in the rain!”

So for years, rain kept me home. But today I see rain and think, “Woo-hoo! Empty stores, banks, and post offices!!” Initially I was a little fearful re: driving in so-called bad weather, but today I love seeing rain clouds overhead. 🙂

Only you know what’s scary for you. Within reason, scare yourself every day and watch life become more interesting.

Your new hobby

We all have clutter-projects that need our love and attention. Mine is the fourth bedroom (packed boxes).

Chunk your projects down into baby projects that you can visualize actually doing. Put on your favorite tunes and putter your clutter.

A few of my favorite things

For many of us, reading a really amazing book is one of life’s greatest pleasures.

If you’re a book-lover, turning great reads into a new form of evening dessert is one of the smartest moves ever (here’s three to get you started: Cutting for Stone, A Thousand Splended Suns, and Pachinko).

One way to locate incredible books: check out a Facebook page called Bitter is the New Book Club.

Want to go even deeper?

But if you want to hear the most interesting talk on true happiness, listen to the Tim Ferris podcast on happiness hacks by Naval Ravikant #136. Super good!

I’d love to hear from you! What is your favorite way to bring excitement into your life?

♥, Wendy

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

My favorite cold-tote

The best book-desserts on the planet

At this point we’ve heard it a jillion times.

Diets don’t work. Exercise either (unless you’re aiming for the Navy Seals).

As I write we’re in early March and it’s a reasonable goal to lose eight pounds by early June (I playthe long-game with losing. Lose quickly and we gain it right back).

As over 50s, we know that going on a strict diet only leads to an annoying loop: down ten, up fifteen; down twenty, up thirty and so on.

But there’s a better way.

First Tell Yourself the Truth.

The nitty-gritty truth is that losing weight forever is super challenging. It’s not for the on-the-fence folks. It’s only for those who’ve hit bottom and have decided that it’s time for a life-altering change.

Second Create this Vital Habit.

As the kids say: I left it all on the field in “Aunt Bea,” but I’ll revisit this truism forever:

Any diet works. Take the Pop-Tart diet, the Saltines diet, or even fasting. Extreme diets are do-able for a day or two, until you never want to see another Pop-Tart.

Better: choose a structured eating plan that you can live with for life.

Two decades ago I chose Weight Watchers (not pedaling them) and I still use their (original) points plan. Whatever structure you choose — Keto-, Paleo-, vegan-, or low-carb — you need one that you’ll commit to “in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part.”

Swinging wildly from one eating plan to another. Not a recipe for success.

That said, when you begin a serious eating plan you might want to try pre-prepped food like Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. Long ago, Weight Watchers offered this type of food and I gave it a whirl for a month or so until I was ready to go it alone.

Why I Recommend Keeping a Daily Record.

Keep a pretty notebook with a pen next to your fridge, and record what and when you eat every single day. Recording food becomes second nature once you’ve established the habit.

Twenty years later, I still write down what I eat every day.

Why? Keeps us honest. And if you don’t write it down, it’s easy to eat way more than intended.

The Joy of Inexpensive — Yet Solid — Therapy.

Book-therapy is a thing!!

The two inspiring books that I’m currently in love with are The Elephant in the Room — One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson and Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins.

Both will fuel you for this tough trek we’re on.

But don’t stop at these two books: search Google for instant-inspo.

Tell Your Audience What Works & Why.

This strategy sounds funky, but trust me, it works.

Victor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist/psychiatrist, survived a Nazi concentration camp. Intending to survive, Frankl trained himself to notice every detail about life in the camp so that when the Nazis were wiped from the earth, he would teach new generations everything about his experience.

And that’s exactly what he did. (Read Frankl’s amazing book: Man’s Search for Meaning.)

I used Frankl’s insight into the human psyche to lose weight. As I was slowly losing, I’d pretend in my mind that one day I would teach others how I did it.

This interesting exercise works for many tough projects. I know of a woman who told her family members, “take notes” because she was on fire to build a super successful business. And she did.

Why to Eat Before You Eat.

Omg, this is such a fabulous tool. I’ve been doing this one for decades, but it’s a vlogger who named it.

Instead of beginning a meal feeling famished, instead Eat Before You Eat. Try half an apple with a teaspoon of peanut butter or a cup of soup before dinner. In the summer have a bowl or two of watermelon. This idea works with a banana, a small handful of nuts, or a snack-size smoothie.

Stopping at Five or Six.

I stop all eating by five or six o’clock. Same for my husband The Scarfer. (He might need a new name.)

Cutting out night time eating works.

I know the experts love to say, “a calorie is a calorie.” But someday they’ll figure out that a brownie in the morning with coffee isn’t the same as a brownie (or two) at night.

These day, I’m experimenting with the Royal Diet: breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper. I also combine my WW structure with both royal eating and intermittent fasting.

Now, if you’re ready to be down ten down by early June, let’s recap:

• Really understand the challenge that’s before you.
• Pick an eating plan that you can live with forever.
• Journal daily (even two or three times a week will deliver the wisdom).
• Read the Elephant In the Room (and other inspiring books).
• Notice everything to share with your audience.
• Eat Before You Eat.
• Stop eating by 6 p.m.

Embed these deeply — as in, you have red hair, green eyes, and you journal your food every single day — and remember that it takes 66 days to create a true lasting habit.

As always, I’d love questions! Email me at: Wendy@theInspiredEater.com.

And remember, it’s not your imagination. Health is hard.

Happy March everyone!

♥, Wendy

P.s. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

Some links may be affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. Of course you incur no additional cost.

I’m a huge believer in the power of books.

Great books fill in history holes (aka craters) from my school years, provide entertainment, and comfort me when life nosedives. And, as I’ve mentioned, I consider good books to be a perfect dessert (no calories).

If you’re also dropping sugar from your evenings try this hack: after dinner, brush your teeth, climb into bed and read, read, read.

The list of awesome books compiled here are either funny or inspirational.

And these gems are listed by alphabetical order — not by favorites. I honestly love them all.

Let’s go:

Fiction.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Hilarious and poignant.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. A masterpiece written by a surgeon. Mere coincidence, but I was reading Cutting for Stone while waiting to see a surgeon. As he entered the room he saw the book and said, “that is a great story.”

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. I’ve heard some readers love Dear Edward while some really don’t like it. I’m Team Love. Read to page 100 before deciding for yourself.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. So funny and so sweet.

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee. Standing ovation for this author’s second book.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Her first book snagged the Pulitzer’s Fiction Runner Up in 2018 and is proof that aliens live among us.

The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson – Funny and phenomenal.

Non Fiction.

Bad Blood – Secrets and Lies Behind a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carryrou. Remember Elizabeth Holmes, the young woman who invented a device that could do a full health diagnostic on “one drop of blood?” Welp, spoiler: turns out the device was empty. John Carryrou was the reporter who broke the story and wrote one page-turner of a book. (I think I inhaled this in an afternoon.)

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins. Awesomeness thy name is David Goggins (I suggest first reading Living with a Seal, before reading Can’t Hurt Me).

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. Word to the wise: don’t screw over Tara Westover like her parents did or she’ll write a book about you that will stay on the New York Times bestseller list for years and be translated into 45 languages. Just sayin’.

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. This book is awesome to listen to on audio. The writer took what could have been a dry topic – I mean, rockets and electric cars? — and made it super entertaining. As a husband, Elon needs work, but as earth’s reigning deity? Not bad.

Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry at his best, but you definitely want to listen to the audio version that Jerry voices. Fun. Nee. (Plus Jerry is the gold-standard in the dad and husband department.)

Living with a SEAL — 31 days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler. This book was written by the guy who married Sara Blakely the Spanx founder. (He founded a bunch of companies too.) They’re both cajillion-aires, but are very salt-of-the-earth people whom you’d love to have as neighbors. The book is funny and smart.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. Such a funny, wonderful, and true (ish) story, but definitely listen to the audio version to hear the various southern voices.

Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt. I grew up with Linda Ronstadt’s music and never thought much about her, but after reading her memoir I now get it: Ronstadt was a powerhouse in the rock world.

The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger. I’ll admit that I never read stories about concentration camps (too horrific), but this book is a five-star, don’t-miss wonder. The author — 94 as I write — shares stories about “boob” contests, her mother’s love of Gone with the Wind; and even an astounding escape from the communists in her country (a few years after WW II ended).

The Elephant in the Room — One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson. What a better world we’d live in if this book were required reading in all schools. A generation of kids with a deeper understanding and compassion for those with weight issues? Not only is it time, but Tomlinson is showing us the way.

The Color of Water by James McBride. OMG-audio-memoir alert! The story and the audio is phenomenal. As you can see, I love memoirs and have read many, but this one is unusually wonderful.

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance during the Blitz by Erik Larson. Wow. That’s it: just wow. (One cool thing about this book: problems seem tiny compared to Churchill’s challenge of ridding the earth of Hitler and his flying monkeys.)

Does this Beach Make Me Look Fat by Lisa Scottoline and daughter Francesca Serritella. Lisa made her mark by writing mysteries which I’ve yet to read, but her memoir books are hilarious.

What are three of your favorite books?

And remember, it’s not just your imagination. Health is hard.

♥, Wendy

Apply to life as needed. 🙃

Photo & stunning dress by Heart My Closet.

Long ago I read about a woman in her 50s who’d had it with life: something went wrong (again) and she was done. She planned everything down to the smallest detail i.e. she knew how she’d off herself and who would find her; she’d even cleaned her home.

But then it occurred to her: she’d forgotten to spruce up. She hadn’t even bathed that day let alone brushed her teeth. Not wanting anyone to find her looking scruffy, she got to work.

She showered, blew out her hair, carefully applied make up, added jewelry, and chose a favorite top to go over cute jeans.

And you know what happened next: she looked at herself in the mirror and thought something along the lines of, “I look too damn good to give up now.”

And therein lies my point. Call it what you will — shallow, frivolous, juvenile — being pretty does something to our self-esteem, to our zest for life.

I’ve wrestled with this notion for years: I mean, it’s not like Shakespeare had to doll himself up before getting down to writing. Isn’t it at least a teeny bit shallow to care so much about how our hair and nails look?

As my toddler once yelled, “I says no!”

For some reason you and I are wired to care about our appearance. It probably has something to do with attracting the guy two caves over back when we were cavepeople. But “why” isn’t what we’ll noodle here, just knowing that pretty matters is the tool you and I can use to our advantage.

How to Turn Pretty into a Tool

When we look great we’re much more likely to go the extra mile for ourselves. In my case I work out more and I don’t hide when someone knocks at the front door. In a nutshell, I’m more into me and much less likely to row of Oreos a snack.

Rather than making the effort to look nice only now and then, consider turning “pretty” into a system that you do every single day forever. Some call it “showing up for your life.”

You matter: show up like you do.

And please don’t use the excuse, “Nobody will even notice or care” to get out of using the Pretty Tool. You’ll notice and you’ll care, and that’s where the magic begins.

The Magic of Baby Steps

I’m a huge believer in baby steps. If going full-on glam sounds exhausting, plan a baby step like:

• Do your nails.
• Spend extra time fixing your hair in the morning.
• Buy a pretty perfume – and actually use it. My favorite: Flower Bomb. (Love, love, love!)

One and done won’t cut it in this scenario. The brilliant trick is to turn a manicure, an extra five minutes of hair styling or a perfume spritz into a regular part of your day. Like, forever.

Losing weight – and maintaining the loss – is incredibly difficult. But it is do-able.

I’m not special. If I can pull 55-pounds off and maintain, so can you.

Using our Pretty Tool is just one more awesome method to make our path just a smidge easier.

And please don’t think it’s your imagination. Health is Hard.

♥, Wendy

“What harm can two pizza slices — plus extra crusts — really do?” I asked myself last night (as if I didn’t know).

Turns out, plenty.

This morning when I stepped onto my feedback-device (we once called a scale), I’d gained which is likely just water weight, but still. (Being 56, water weight might actually be weight-weight).

Here’s the thing that annoyed me the most: the pizza wasn’t worth it.

Not at all.

Does this happen to you too?

Have you noticed that junk food looks omg delish until you actually eat it only to find out it’s bland, greasy or too-melt-in-your-mouth-and-disappear-ish?

How I take control.

First, a caveat: if you’re using and loving the intermittent fasting plan – limiting all eating to a specific window during the day – feel free to ignore this week’s post. (Or, better still, leave a comment telling us what you love about intermittent fasting.)

When my eating habits go teenage, here’s what I do.

I eat like a king for breakfast, a princess for lunch, and a pauper for dinner. (This plan isn’t mine. A weight loss author wrote about it in 1954, but the idea first appeared in a book in 1584!

Breakfast like a King.

When I’m breakfasting like a king I might have scrambled eggs with cheese and I’m not adverse to a waffle or three on the weekends.

Lunch like a Princess.

At noon I’ll have a healthy Kale Salad (salad kit in Costco’s walk-in freezer) with baby carrots, cooked broccoli, cucumber, and brown rice (I add the rice). I drizzle a very small amount of the Kale Salad’s dressing over the whole thing.

Around 2:00 I’ll have my second “lunch” which is relatively small. In the winter I might have a veggie burger on toast, a small burrito, peanut butter on toast, or onion soup (Trader Joe’s freezer).

In hot months, I’ll have watermelon or strawberries, avocado on toast, cold cucumber soup, a Popsicle, a small pre-made burrito so that it’s cold and you get the idea.

Around 4:00 I’ll have another very light “meal” similar to my 2:00 “snack.”

Eat Dinner like a Pauper.

I have something small for dinner and if I’m in the mood for an adult drink, I reach for champagne (lowest calories per serving).

When I Stop.

I stop eating by 6:00 p.m. thereby combining intermittent fasting with the “king, princess, pauper plan.”

I hope you’ll share what structured eating plan puts you on the best path for certain success. 🙂

No, it’s not just your imagination. Health is hard!

♥, Wendy

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

For years when I saw a commercial of a rugged Jeep Wrangler climbing a mountain road I’d practically start drooling. I need a rugged Jeep to climb a mountain road too! I’d think.

Then I met a Wrangler owner of a brand new gorgeous fire engine red Jeep.

Yeah. He paid $60,000 big ones for his beauty. A thousand a month (before insurance).

Thunk. (Over I fell.)

All I can say is: Thank you Mr. Jeep-Man. Because today when a Jeep drives by I swallow hard at the mere thought of sixty thousand dollars.

And that is how you reframe.

Reframing shortbread cookies

Now — since we’re not eating Jeeps — let’s talk smart eating reframes:

This morning The Scarfer stopped at a local bakery and bought a gazillion adorable shortbread cookies with raspberry filling. I took one look at the pile of beautiful cookies, and thought, hmm I can eat two or (likely a lot) more of these or I can fit into my bathing suit for a beach-trip in two weeks. My choice.

See the reframe? When I saw the cookies, I was all, “YES!!”  But I reframed to: these so-called “treats” are swimming in butter, sugar, carbs, salt and calories. I also know that one bad decision leads to many more poor eating choices.

Plus I’d much rather fit into my bathing suit.

Was eating one of the cookies worth starting a slow slide into funky-eating-ville? Not at all. I chose my good habits over The Scarfer’s cookie buffet.

How Did I Build This Muscle?

I’m a huge believer that the more we say “no” to our temptations, the stronger our “no” muscle becomes.

Try it for a day. The more you decline funky food, the stronger your muscle will be (and p.s. the “no” muscle works on keeping food out of the house in the first place too).

One more food reframe example

One evening my son made homemade brownies. And happily for all — that’s sarcasm –, there happened to be vanilla ice cream in the freezer.

My two sons and The Scarfer created beautiful bowls of layered brownie and ice cream, and settled on the couch for a movie. Did I want to join them?

Of course!!

Just the four of us, brownies and Netflix? That’s how families bond, right?! (Our intelligent brains will think up any kind of nonsense to trick us into eating massive calories.)

Here’s how I reframed those brownies:

I tell myself that it’s a passion of mine — and it is — to give my family a trim, healthy, happy mom who isn’t constantly complaining that her clothes don’t fit.

I always want the focus to be on my family – not on jeans that I can barely breathe in.

More Reframes

A few years back, I made a deal with myself: if I wanted a particular treat, I had to first look up the nutrition content. I’ve made a solid habit of using this reframe on the regular:

Today I always scan the calorie, fat, carb, and fiber count on a package before I toss it into the grocery cart. I also look at the serving size (often when a treat appears to be for one, it’s really intended for ten).

• At this point in the game,
• I cannot eat ice cream without thinking that a mere half-cup of Chunky Monkey is 300 calories with 18 grams of fat. A half-cup!!
• Or that a maple bar is packed with 240 calories and 11 grams of fat.
• And pizza? Holey-moley, google the calorie, fat, carb and sodium gram on your favorite pizza. Or maybe don’t. You’ll never look at pizza the same again.

Make reframing part of your life – and take your body back from the food-porn industry.

Remember it’s not just your imagination. Health is hard.

What is a reframe you rely on?

♥, Wendy

P.S. Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!

You know the scoop: I am an Amazon affiliate so if you buy something through a link at this site, I may receive a small commission that won’t impact your price at all.

I am not an expert, a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or a nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. ♥

Have I mentioned that I’m 56? And way past menopause? And that I still love to eat like I’m 15? That said, if we pro-age ladies (I read this somewhere) want to stay at our fighting weight, we need to eagle-eye our daily habits.

Back in the day I’d ricochet from overeating to starving. Back and forth I’d go. I remember thinking, “I don’t do drugs, alcohol or cigs – I’m mostly healthy.”

(Never mind that that my jeans were so tight I couldn’t breath.)

In my mid-30s I’d had it (some call it hitting bottom) and finally leapt off the roller-coaster for good. And so began my long road of learning to live — I prefer the word thrive — in a culture saturated in calories.

Here’s what took me years to figure out.

How I Changed a Really Annoying Food Habit.

In his amazing book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg writes about how important habits are to our brain.

Turns out, our brains are so efficient that they love to turn as many of our daily activities into habits so that it can relax. Our brains want everything running on automatic.

Duhigg explains that first we experience a cue, then we engage in the behavior (the routine) and then we get the reward.

Allow me to explain the most annoying habit that I’ve struggled with for years; it goes like this:

Now, let’s say I want to tinker with the above behavior and disrupt it.

The cue: After dinner (still time of day).

I ask myself what does the mass sugary calories really provide? My brain answers that after a long day it feels wonderful to chill while eating absentmindedly. After dinner, I just want to zone with Netflix and a lot of chocolate.

How I disrupt this annoying behavior: I get up from the dinner table and grab a prepared half apple, cut strawberries or banana from the kitchen. After my small fruit dessert, I further disrupt my routine by going upstairs, brushing my teeth and chilling with a good book (a really good book, not an eh book).

Heading upstairs gets me away from The Scarfer’s chocolate stash. And brushing my teeth provides the minty taste that makes food taste funny. Best of all, a great book allows me to kick back. Which is really what I need: time to chill.

Yes, I’ll miss spending evenings with my kids, but as I work to ingrain this habit (a solid 66 days to embed it) and the chocolate urge has passed, I’m more relaxed, and can rejoin my family (or keep reading).

Our Brains’ Preference.

Turns out, our brains don’t differentiate between good and bad habits. You want to walk the dog daily? Or eat more carrots? Our brains’ default is to turn every daily activity into habits. Just use “the cue,” “the behavior” and the “reward” for new habits.

Habits + time and you can keep yourself at any weight you feel best at.

I would love to hear: what new habit will you instill in your life?

♥, Wendy