It's not a DIET, stupid!

Disclaimer: I'm NOT a doctor... obviously. I do have a lot of common sense however, and I know what has worked for me. You can use what you want and leave the rest, I'm just sharing what I know, read and see. You have to choose your own path.

You know you can't "diet", right? it doesn't work! Okay, well, maybe it works for a week, or a month, but whatever you lost with the last pill, shake, restrictive foods, skipping meals, whatever- it comes right back with a few extra pounds in tow, just to make you think twice next time! Even mentioning the phrase "I'm on a diet" in front of kids makes me cringe. It brings to mind food disorders and body dysmorphic disorder. Be conscious of your words around your children - it matters! they do listen, even when you think they're not paying any attention.

DIETS DO NOT WORK.

This is about your LIFESTYLE. This is about a choice, a responsibility, eating for your health, not just the scale. The weight comes off as a byproduct of eating healthy. It's not about counting "points" for yourself and letting your family eat whatever crap you can get in their mouth without them complaining. That's not to say that I don't alter my meal slightly from theirs just a tad. My husband can burn the carbs in whole wheat pasta, but with my sedentary occupation, those are converted to sugar and then right into fat. So I would choose spaghetti squash instead. But for the most part, we all eat the same thing when we sit down to a meal. Here is the basis for my overall nutrition and lifestyle and I think it makes the most sense for a healthy lifestyle. (NOTE: the vegetables say 1/2 cooked, 1/2 raw - that's because when you cook them, their nutrients break down and you are not getting the full benefit of the vegetable. Boiling the life out of them isn't going to give you the most important part of them. So balance this at another meal with a side of veggies that you can dip, or a salad with loads of raw veggies)
(click on the pyramid to see it larger)