Sonny Boy’s Diet

From: Maureen Allen, M.P.H.

    

The other day my neighbor commented on my golden retriever’s weight loss. She asked what sort of diet he was on to lose 20 pounds in about two months. I told her everyday he eats a cup of kibble and a can of green beans. She quickly said, “I’m going to the market right now and get some green beans!”

If only it were that simple for us. I feed the dog. He couldn’t read labels or count calories even if he wanted to. He cheats with an occasional tub of Smart Balance or toast he surfs from the kitchen counter on his breakfast recon missions. The diet wasn’t his idea in the first place.

When a diet is your idea, it can be relatively easy. Someone else has made all  the choices and the rules are clear. Many patients say they’re not tempted to cheat because a) It’s not an option and b) they are not hungry on the diet.

When did either of those things stop someone from eating! The point is, maintenance, done with skills and knowledge shouldn’t be so scary. Maybe patients would be wise to carry over those two caveats into the maintenance phase. For example, some foods probably aren’t an option if they trigger binge eating. Also, if you follow a regimen like Volumetrics, you learn to get lots of food for few calories. There’s no reason to starve yourself to maintain your weight.

Sonny may be catching on.  This morning he trash picked an empty supplement envelope I had prepared for a quick breakfast and licked it clean.

Comments

[Michele Miller]

Great story! I seem to have lucked out in the dog category, with our Goldendoodle Penny. She eats only as much as she needs - when she's full, she stops! She's my inspiration for eating right and portion control. :-)