The following poem is written by a teenager with cancer. She wants to see how many people will get her poem.

“Slow Dance”

Have you ever watched kids on a merry go-round,

Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight,

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.

Don’t dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly,

When you ask how are you, do you hear the reply?

When the day is done do you lie in your bed,

With the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down, don’t dance so fast.

Time is short, the music won’t last.

Ever told your child, we’ll do it tomorrow,

And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,

Cause you never had time to call and say, “Hi”?

You better slow down, don’t dance so fast.

Time is short, the music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere,

you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

it’s like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life is not a race, do take it slower,

hear the music, before the song is over.

###

I decided to do a little research after this poem was forwarded to me for the 237th time because I wanted to find out who this teenager with cancer actually is. It turns out this poem wasn’t written by a teenager with cancer.

However, I still really like it.

It reminds us to slow down. And that’s the name of the game when it comes to eating less.

Let’s try to make our next meal last as long as possible. Let’s do it for just our next meal and see how we feel.

Tips for us to follow:

1. Take a sip of water between every bite.

2. Put our fork and knife down between each bite.

3. If we’re eating a sandwich, put it down between each bite.

4. Use chop sticks.

5. Use our other hand <— this can lead to lots of laughs!

6. If we’re feeding a family, don’t put the bowls/plates of food on the
table. Keep them in the kitchen, so it’s not as easy to take more.

*Bonus*

The following is a poem written by a Body Tutor with a mission. He wants to see how many people he can help via his simple philosophy – consistency.

You better slow down; don’t eat so fast,
amazing how your food will last!

And if you do, you’ll eat much less,
your MBT will be impressed!

So please slow down; be in pursuit,
of wearing that hot bathing suit!

Many of us are traveling tonight and tomorrow so I figured I’d write this now. (Safe travels, if you are!)

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it’s all about gratitude!

It’s impossible to be thankful and unhappy at the same time. The two emotions cannot coexist. Thankfulness magically gets rid of every other non-happy emotion there is.

However, it can also be the start of a downward spiral until New Year’s Day – but then on New Year’s day we might feel tired because of the night before, and so the vicious spiral continues.

So here are 15 ideas for us to use tomorrow so we can remain on point.

1. Your life isn’t a Normal Rockwell painting

We all have preconceived notions on how Thanksgiving should be. We can’t choose our family so we might as well make the best of it, right?

Let’s try lowering our expectations. The less we are disappointed, the more we are likely to appreciate and enjoy the day.

Example, for the second time in my life (at least I don’t remember the first 4 years of it) my father and mom are going to be at the same Thanksgiving table. Weird!

This is going to be extremely awkward for my sister and me. As anxious as we are, I’m trying to go into it with out any expectations.

2. Wear your best belt and your tightest pants

It’s a lot easier to stop eating when we know we’re full. One telltale clue is when our clothes and belt starts telling us.

Sounds obvious, but stopping when we’re full is one of the harder things to do at the Thanksgiving table when everyone else is helping themselves to seconds, thirds and fourths.

It will be easier to stop if we wear very tight pants because then we’ll have to push away from the table when we’re stuffed. We’ll just be too uncomfortable otherwise.

3. Save your calories for dinner

If we want to be a great guest and enjoy the meal the most, skip the hors d’oeuvres. A good basic rule-of-thumb is let’s not eat anything that doesn’t require a knife and fork.

4. Always hold a drink and a napkin

Do we really need an appetizer before a huge meal? We can’t control what our gracious host does, but we can control ourselves.

Let’s make it harder to reach for something by holding a glass in one hand (preferably filled with water) and a napkin in the other.

5. To drink or not to drink?

Is alcohol a trigger? Our irrational mind tends to get a lot louder after a few drinks.

Alcoholic drinks are not only loaded with calories (especially the sweet drinks and the eggnogs!) but they are likely to lower our inhibitions and might trigger us to eat more than we really want to.

6. Don’t talk politics

My mom is very intense about politics. My mom can go from extremely calm to extremely angry in less time than it takes to break a wish bone.

If someone says something that annoys you – just let it go! If we’re annoyed, we’re more likely to overeat.

7. Focus on the special stuff

Let’s not waste our calories on large portions of food we can eat everyday. Let’s also limit the variety we have.

Let’s make a rule: Only two items on our plate at any one time. Having a lot of different items on our plate stimulates our appetite. But make sure the items on our plate are special.

8. Is it worth it?

Ask yourself, “Is this really worth it?” before you dig in. Many times, we’re just eating food simply because it’s available. Remember, “If this weren’t free, would I pay for it?”

9. Don’t make a diet faux pas

Just like we wouldn’t wear every accessory we own at the same time, we don’t need to go heavy on all of the sauces, gravy, dressings, etc. Less is more!

10. Small seconds are better than big firsts

Some people show their love through food. Research on memory shows that our Aunt Grace won’t remember how much we take, but she’ll remember if we liked it enough to take seconds, especially, if we announce it.

Try taking a little bit of Aunt Grace’s ‘famous’ mashed potatoes. Tell her how great they are. Then go back for seconds and say something like, “Aunt Grace, your mashed potatoes are so good I’m taking seconds!”

She’ll be really happy, and your body will be really happy because you’ll actually be eating less – even though you’re going in for round two.

11. Slow down!

Seriously! Slow down. Let’s pretend we’re NY Times food critics. Really taste each and every bite.

Appreciate the texture, taste and smell. Let’s put our fork and knife down. Take a sip of water. Engage in conversation. There’s no rush.

12. Forget the post dinner snacks

We won’t starve if we skip the late night turkey sandwich. This is a great time to focus on the family and not on the food. Besides, are we really hungry? Most likely, we’re just bored.

13. Plan activities

The holidays aren’t only about food, are they? They are about enjoying our company, having fun, watching football, and laughter! How about planning a fun activity?

A football game, a big game of monopoly, or how about that game where you have to guess the word while receiving clues? You can’t say the actual word though. And there’s a timer.

Ah, I got it! Catchphrase! (See what I did there?) All these can be tons of fun.

14. Come out of the closet

Eat whatever you like but only out in the open. No sneaking.

15. Perfection doesn’t exist

Most importantly, and this is somewhat counterintuitive, don’t sweat it if you make a dietary mistake.

Just like any other day, Thanksgiving will have its ups and downs too. There is no perfect day much less perfect Thanksgiving.

The key is to focus on how quickly we can recover. How do we do that?

Well, word on the street is that the tryptophan in the turkey is going to make us veryyyyy sleeeppyyyy and tired and lethargic – but in actuality, chicken has more tryptophan than turkey does.

Really it’s the overeating, and lack of movement that drags us down. Bodies at rest stay rest.

So, I suggest on Friday morning, if possible, that we get up and go for a walk or a jog. And if that’s not possible, let’s aim to move around as much as we can.

Finally, from the bottom of my heart, I want to wish you a very happy, healthy, and fit Thanksgiving!

All my best to you,

I know. It’s killing me too. Thanksgiving is a week away and there’s Free Freakin’ Food Everywhere – here on after referred to as “FFFE”. Let’s get used to it. Because there’s going to be FFFE for at least the next month between holiday parties, work functions, exchanging gifts, etc.

The hardest word in the world to resist is…wait for it…FREE!

We love free. We can’t get enough of it. Give someone a free piece of crap, and they’ll take it. Actually, they’ll wait on line for it!

Give someone free food and not only will they wait on line for it but they’ll get all their friends, and they’ll all wait on line together!

First, let’s explore why we have such a hard time resisting free food.

We’re hard-wired to like sweets. Give a baby something sweet and they’ll like it more than something unsweetened.

Now give anyone a combo of sugar, fat and salt and that becomes irresistible. And I mean that in every sense of the word.

Our brain loses its ability to regulate itself when we eat a combo of sugar, fat and salt. As humans we’re programmed to focus on the most rewarding stimuli – because back in the day – - we actually had to worry about surviving.

But the combo of sugar, fat and salt (pick anyone of your favorite unhealthy tasting foods and snacks) has a pull on us. It literally overrides our brain’s natural ability to regulate itself.

There in lies the true problem.

Give me a bowl of broccoli and I’ll feel satisfied.

Give me a bowl of cookies and I can keep eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them (you think I’m kidding?) – no matter how much I already ate!

We lose our ability to feel full when we eat irresistible foods.

If you put a plate of cookies in front of me, it’s going to be very hard for me to focus on anything else.

Why?

Well our dopamine (chemicals that make us feel good) levels are rising in anticipation of the reward. We can’t stop thinking about it…or can we?

Our brain works like that, unfortunately.

Now, without having to pay for it – which is an act that makes us stop and think, “Wait do I really want this?” we lose that precious time to choose.

There is nothing in our way. The floodgates are open!

So, besides me telling you the obvious to avoid situations where there is free food, we can fight back, and have a game plan.

In fact, having a game plan is the most important strategy.

Many times, we’re either going to a party, or a work event or some sort of planned function – that we can prepare for. The key is to mentally prepare for it.

1. For example, if we’re going to our friends house who makes the best xyz – let’s decide before we go how many we will have – if we decide it’s really worth it. Mentally rehearsing what we’re going to do before we go is a great strategy. Because when we mentally rehearse we’re thinking with our long term, rational mind.

When we’re tempted we’re thinking with our short term, irrational mind.

Whether it’s shooting a basketball and seeing the ball go in before we shoot, or envisioning what we’ll order and eat, it helps a lot.

But what happens if out of nowhere there’s just FFFE?!?!

In the next month or so, this is to be expected.

In this case, do not teeter. Do not waver. If someone put a plate of xyz in front of us right now choose immediately.

“No! I don’t want this. It’s not going to make me feel good. It won’t make me look better or feel better.”

“If I eat this now, I won’t feel good about myself later and tomorrow!”

But the second we start to entertain the idea, we’re going to lose. Never negotiate with yourself.

It can’t be a negotiation. It has to be a quick decision.

“Nope! Not for me!” “It’s not a part of my plan!” Next thought…

If we’re watching TV and a commercial comes on that’s tempting us in an uncomfortable way – what would we do?

Change the channel!

We can do the same. Think about something else. Talk about something else. Snap a rubber band on your wrist.

Remember: change that channel.

But here’s my favorite question I ask myself (yes, I ask myself lots of questions) when there’s FFFE, “If this weren’t free, would I pay for it?”

Happy almost Halloween!

Although Halloween can be a lot of fun it’s also a temptation nightmare.

No, I’m not going to encourage you to hand out whole grain crackers or raisins nor am I going to encourage you to give out individually packaged nuts because I don’t want your house to get toilet papered or egged! By now, I hope you appreciate the practicality of my tips.

So let’s get to it:

First and foremost, let’s make sure we eat a healthy breakfast shortly after we wake up. And let’s not forget about having some protein with our breakfast. If we fill up on protein, we’ll feel satiated for a lot longer.

Remember: If we’re very hungry, it’s very hard to make good decisions.

It’s important that we have lunch and dinner too. The #1 cause for eating poorly on the weekends is because we’re not eating regularly and we don’t have healthy foods available (that’s your cue, if you’re running out of healthy foods –> go get some!).

Temptations will be everywhere today, and tomorrow.

So, it’s important to ask yourself the question, “Is this really and truly worth it?

And because temptations will be everywhere, that means we’re going to be constantly asking our self “Do I want this? Do I not want this? Do I want this? Do I not want this.” —-> This is going to lead to discomfort.

Often we wind up giving in just to ease this discomfort so we can shut our damn mind up about the candy (or whatever it is) and not even because we want it so badly.

Being aware of this discomfort is very helpful.

Now that we’re going to be aware of it, when we begin to face the discomfort why not laugh at it? Pretend it’s someone tickling your feet. Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean we have to do anything with it. Let’s acknowledge it and move on.

“Did I want this 5 seconds ago?”

This is another question worth asking ourselves. Seeing a commercial for certain foods can instantly trigger a craving and make us feel good – because our brain will release some dopamine.

2 problems:

One. Although sugary, salty and fatty foods can make us feel good…it’s only temporary. Literally, the moment we’re done eating whatever it is, the good feelings it give us go away. The extremely fleeting nature of junk – makes us want more and more and more.

Two. 5 seconds before the commercial started, we weren’t thinking about xyz junk. It’s important to remember that. Just like 5 seconds before we walked into the kitchen at work, the conference room, the kitchen at home, the party, the refrigerator, the pantry – wherever – we didn’t want whatever is tempting us, either.

Bonus. Don’t have a pity party. “Why is everyone eating candy and I’m not?!” Either we feel deprived in the short term – or we deprive ourselves of feeling as good as we can.

I’ll be the first one to say, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, eating junk is a lot of fun. Lounging around is too. I love cookies and ice cream as much as anyone. BUT – I have never felt better from eating poorly and lounging around than I have from eating right and exercising. (I know you agree.)

Said another way – it’s more fun to eat healthfully and exercise than the alternative.

ALL that being said, if you want the candy so badly, and it’s really worth it to you, have a piece or two. But be sure to eat it slowly. It’s amazing how some of us dream of certain foods all day long yet we don’t even think about it when we’re actually eating it.

Think about it. Savor it. Enjoy it. However, be sure you pay attention to how you feel afterward.

Sadly, we usually realize, the candy (or whatever it is) isn’t as good as we imagined it would be.

Life is short. We might as well feel as good as we can right? So we might as well eat foods that make us feel good, before, during and after we eat them.

Having a game plan helps tremendously. If we can mentally rehearse what we’re going to eat before we go to a party, or even at home, it’s a lot easier to listen to our long term, rational mind.

Lastly, if you wind up giving in whether it’s planned, or against your desires, be forgiving of yourself. Don’t eat more crap to change the negative feeling you might get from eating poorly in the first place.

Ultimately, nothing tastes as good as being healthy and fit feels. And we all know it.

Just like we all know, saying “No thank you!” is very empowering.