Winning at Losing

What is it about dieting? Just when I want to stop thinking about food, diets make it the focus, to the point of obsession. I realized this in college when it got to the point that I couldn't go a day, or even an hour, without thinking about my weight, my body, and what I was going to eat, or not eat, at my next meal. It was bondage. For me, diets have a way of making things worse.

Thankfully, there is a way to be fit, healthy, and at an optimal weight other than following the latest trend for dropping pounds. It's an ancient approach, one that's been around longer even than Godiva, Hagen daaz or Ghirardelli (can you guess my weakness?)

Proverbs repeatedly warns about the downside of eating too much honey. Consider:

"If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit" (25:16).

"It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor" (25:27).

"He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet" (27:7).

Just in cast you think the solution is to just avoid the good stuff altogether, all these verses about not overdoing it are preceded by the one that says, "Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste" (24:13).

Hm. Eat honey. But not so much it makes you sick. That's a plan I can live with. And most days I do. I apply the principle of moderation in my eating by focusing mainly on whole foods: whole grains; fruits and vegetables, mostly raw or lightly sauteed (not boiled to death or fried); lean cuts of hormone free beef, chicken and bison, water to drink (with lemon, when I remember to buy them); and the occasional "worth it" dessert. As in, "that Twinkie is definitely not worth it, but that extra dark, expensive truffle, well, let's just be glad dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants."

So how do you stay in shape: lean and fit? And if you're not in shape, what's your plan for getting there? I'd love to hear from those of you who are already living it—especially if you're not naturally a size 6 or smaller and have some suggestions for those of us who also have to work at it—I know I still have a lot to learn. And to those of you who want to do better—we can encourage each other.