Fat.

For a few years now, I’ve taken medicine for mild depression/anxiety. (Story for another day.) Today I saw my psychiatrist so he could check up on things, and he asked me how my appetite was.

“Come to mention it,” I said thoughtfully, “I’ve been eating, like, the whole world.”
(not pregnant)
He asked if I was stressed. Yes, I am stressed. He asked how that affects my eating habits.

My eating habits:

-no breakfast

-pathetic attempt at eating healthy while at school/work (carrot sticks, grapes, whole wheat english muffin with almond butter and banana slices...)

-come home exhausted, turn on the TV, and proceed to consume whatever strikes my fancy for the next five hours. OH, and if I have time to make dinner, it’s some heavy pasta thing with a green vegetable on the side to make myself feel better.

So, imagine my surprise when he has me step on a scale and I weigh a whole 20 POUNDS more than I thought I would!

All right, yes I’ve noticed. My clothes are too small. It’s embarrassing. I feel bloated and chunky all the time. I keep meaning to do something about it, like make time for the gym or stop buying snacks... but at the end of a long day, torturing myself by withholding yummy food just sounds so cruel!

But I tell you, stepping on that scale and discovering to my horror that I’ve exceeded my highest weight on my mission (Utah mission: we had a car, and every night was Thanksgiving dinner) was the straw that broke the camel’s back. (Is that a fat joke??)

So I’m doing something about it. Some people post before and after pictures of themselves in their underwear. HELL NO. Besides, my dearest, beloved sister-in-law did that and for one irrational moment, I wanted to shoot her (sorry Becca!) and I’m not naive enough to think someone else won’t want to shoot ME.

And this isn’t about looks. It’s about feelings. I want to feel good. I don’t really care what pants-size that means.

Giving myself fatty, sugary treats sounds like a reward, but that’s an illusion. The real reward is going out of my way to give myself something healthy. So this is my present to me.



(I did this when I got home from my mission and it was wonderful. I lost 15 pounds, felt awesome, and was set on a path of good eating for as long as my self-control would allow it.)


Sacred Heart Medical Diet



This 7-day eating plan can be used as often as you like. If correctly followed, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. After only 7 days of this process, you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and possibly 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.
(I’ve replaced the soup recipe from the site with one my mom came up with-- it’s the same heathiness only yummier.

SOUP:

• 2 cans diced fire roasted tomatoes

• one chopped onion

• 1 large can beef broth (no fat)

• 1 package Lipton chicken noodle soup

• 3 stalks chopped celery

• Some chopped carrots

• 2 cans green beans

• one red and one yellow pepper, diced

• sliced mushrooms

Put it all together, boil fast for ten minutes then simmer til veggies are tender.
Add worcesteshire or cholula chipolte for flavor.)

This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. You may want to fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day.

DRINKS:

• Unsweetened juices

• Tea (also herbal)

• Coffee

• Cranberry juice

• Skim milk

• Water, water, water

DAY ONE
Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY TWO
All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.
DAY THREE
Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.

DAY FOUR
Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.

DAY FIVE
Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX
Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SEVEN
Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.
By the end of the 7th day, if you have not cheated on this diet, you should have lost 10 to 17 pounds. If you have lost more than 17 pounds, stay off the diet for two days before resuming the diet again.

This diet is fast. The secret lies within the principle that you will burn more calories than you take in. It will flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time. Because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours before any intake of alcohol.

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

The basic fat burning soup can be eaten anytime you feel hungry during the seven days. Eat as much as you wish. Remember the more you eat, the more you will lose. You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days.

Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

DO NOT - DO NOT
No bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

DO - DO - DO - DO
Drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.
This diet comes from the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital that is used for overweight heart patients in order to lose weight rapidly, usually prior to surgery.