Don't eat the White Stuff!

As an experienced dieter, i.e. someone who had repeatedly lost the same weight over and over again, I was unprepared for the difficulty of losing weight when I hit middle age. I made the mistake of thinking that the same old methods would work for me but instead found myself trapped in the cycle of diet failure: Lose a few, gain a bunch!

In 2008, with an issue unrelated to weight loss, I found myself in the local offices of Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Tori Hudson, and though I didn't know it at the time, Dr. Hudson specializes in women's health. Had I taken the time to look up her credentials before going to see her, I would have found this on her "About Tori" page at www.drtorihudson.com: "In 1990, she was awarded the American Association of Naturopathic Physician’s President’s Award for her research in the field of women’s health care and 1999, Naturopathic Physician of the Year. Dr. Hudson is a national lecturer, contributor to many magazines, books, author, educator and researcher. She has 25 years of experience and expertise in women’s health utilizing nutrition, nutraceutics, herbs, natural hormones and other therapies to treat all gynecological and primary care conditions. Dr. Hudson is the Program Director for the Institute of Women’s Health and Integrative Medicine and is the Director of research, development and education for Vitanica, an herbal/nutritional supplement company for women’s health care products".

With all her experience and credentials, Dr. Hudson revealed herself as a warm and personable individual who takes the time to listen and understand, and applies her knowledge with an holistic approach that I had never before encountered. I was in the company of greatness.

What she told me changed everything.

As we age, our bodies (especially women's) are no longer able to metabolize starches as efficiently. If I wanted to lose weight at my age (50+), she said, I would have to stop eating the "white stuff". In other words, potatoes, rice, bread, pastries, noodles -foods with a high glycemic index, i.e. that turn to blood sugar very quickly- would have to be virtually eliminated from my diet. I walked out that day with a hand scrawled note on a 5"x7" page of clinic stationery:

"Breakfast:
Lowfat cottage cheese and berries
Poached eggs & veggie

Lunch:
Salads & protein

Snack:
Lowfat cheese
Apple with almond butter
Nuts

Dinner:
Veggies & protein

1 piece of bread 3x/week
Potatoes or pasta 1-2x/week"

That's it. That's the whole secret. For six months I avoided the white stuff. Fresh spinach substituted for noodles under the spaghetti sauce. Apple wedges with almond butter became my favorite snack. Salad with canned tuna or strips of chicken or turkey lunch meat became the daily midday meal, and if I needed something hot, I would cook veggies into a soup or even just hot steamed veggies with a serving of whatever meat was left over from dinner the night before. The words "berries" and "apple" translated to "fruit", and whenever I needed a snack, I would reach for either fruit or protein (slice of turkey sandwich meat always works great). Tricks from previous dieting escapades helped me fix treats that were tasty but contained more protein than carbohydrates: The Cuisinart whipped up delectables like almond creme mousse (that's what I call it): ricotta cheese, almond butter, sweetener to taste (try Agave or Truvia) and skim milk or nonfat yogurt to thin it for blending. To pump up the almond flavor, add a couple drops of almond extract. Yum! You'll feel like you've had a fabulous dessert!

The real beauty of it was that I didn't pay any attention to portion size. Maybe that's my stubborn streak showing, but I figured, if bread and potatoes were out, I would eat until I was satisfied. I also did not use "low calorie" dressings or sauces and bought organic whenever I could.

In those six months I dropped 21 pounds and 20 points off my cholesterol level. My previously slightly elevated blood pressure dropped back to normal. My energy was off the charts, and with the addition of one 45 minute walk every day, I found myself sleeping every night like a baby.

So here's the usual disclaimer: This is one woman's experience and is not to be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any weight loss program.

If you're anywhere around that magic 50 mark, think twice before you have another piece of bread. Really. Dr. Hudson knows what she's talking about, and I proved it works. It's not your imagination that losing weight is harder when you hit 50. Just remember that the "white stuff" is the enemy.