Re: Being to CRON

[Guest guest]

Welcome Bernadette,

I think it is interesting that you plan on reducing calories by spring. Is that because of the energy requirements of colder weather that you eat more now? I am having significantly more problems in colder weather with appetite than I do in warm weather.

How old is your child? I am a mother of six; 9-25!

kim

[Guest guest]

Hello Bernadette ~

As one who (at this moment) has navigated the waters of CRONing

successfully, I will suggest what worked for me (and what Dr. Walford

described in BT120YD).

I did not begin the CR part of the diet for about five months. I

changed my eating habits, during those first five months, altered the

diet I consumed to be in line with what Dr. W recommended, but I ate

to my heart's content! I was focused on the ON part. I cut out

virtually all junk food (excepting a daily SINGLE serving of dark or

bittersweet chocolate). Out went the cakes, candies, cookies, chips,

ice cream. I compensated by eating more fruit and filling up on

whole grains and veggies. I never stuffed myself, but I never walked

away from a meal or snack feeling deprived or lacking the needed

nourishment (and PLEASURE as well! That is important!...if you are

feeling deprived, you will fail; count on it). I found ways of

making the meals highly desirable.

Yes, there were thoughts of food, especially at the beginning because

I was always planning the next meal, thinking about ingredients, etc.

so that the relatively lo-cal fare would be palatable and enjoyable.

I didn't find such thoughts a burden, however; they were simply part

of my lifestyle. Eventually, as I mastered the specifics down and

developed my own version of Dr. W's recommendations, the thoughts

became less obstreperous. Ultimately the thoughts disappeared as the

diet became intertwined with my lifestyle, and the time to prepare

and cook the meals diminished as well, down to the point where it was

not at all intrusive.

Using this method I found myself losing about 1 lb of weight a week.

Consistently. Effortless. And with out any sense of deprivation.

It was only after five months that I began to reduced, consciously,

in small increments, some of the food I was consuming. Doing so, in

a gradual manner, I did not notice the loss of calories as " hunger. "

I learned to drink a lot more water to fill the gaps, and found

other " tricks " to spread out the fewer calories through the day. If

you're interested in those tricks, just ask (I posted them here, a

few weeks ago; Francesca can probably give you the number of the post

if you want it).

It seems there is a hard and an easy way to get into CRON. I

apparently stumbled into the easy way. Good luck on whatever " way "

you are traveling.

~andy

> With the birth of our son, I'm very interested in living long enough

> to see my grandchildren. So, while I've read Walford, I'm just

> beginning the program.

>

> I've started with reducing my daily calorie level to 1,800..with the

> goal of sustaining myself at 1500 by summer (or spring.) I eat 6

small

> meals a day, each continuing protein.

>

> However, I've finding that thoughts of food are always on my mind!

>

> I thought I would post here frequently to reinforce my commitment to

> CRONING!