People often wonder which diet is right for them. Low-carb? Low-fat? Slim Fast? Jenny Craig? Or maybe one of the books the Oprah had on her show recently? It all boils down to one critical question that you MUST ask yourself before you try any of them:

“Is this something I would I be willing to do every day for the rest of my life?’

If not, don’t bother doing it for even a day. As soon as you stop and go back to what you were doing before, your weight will come back. Sound familiar?

It doesn’t matter how scientifically sound the program is (and most are not – please don’t get me started on Eat Right for Your Blood Type), how fast they work (you will regain as fast as you lost), or even how many people have tried it before (is there anyone left out there who hasn’t been on Weight Watchers?)

What matters is whether you can do what they say forever. Not whether you should, but whether you can. So forget the hype, the nonsense, and the drastic diets. Make small changes, one at a time, that you can live with - forever. (Keep watching this blog for small steps you might take.)

Send your weight management questions to Michelle May, M.D. at  info at amihungry.com or visit http://www.amihungry.com.

This Thanksgiving, leave the stuffing for the turkey! Instead, experience maximal enjoyment from all the wonderful food by eating mindfully.

The key to mindful eating is to notice the details. Pretend you’re writing an article about your Thanksgiving meal for Gourmet Magazine.

• Focus on the people you are sharing your meal with, the interesting conversations, and the memories they stir up.
• Mentally describe the table setting and the ambiance. Notice the aromas, colors, textures and presentation of the meal.
• Before eating, take a moment to be truly thankful about where your food came from, including all the people who invested their time, effort and talent to get it from farm to plate.
• Put one small bite in your mouth. You only have taste buds on your tongue so the flavors of a large bite of food will be lost on your teeth, cheeks and the roof of your mouth.
• Notice the texture and flavors of the food on your tongue then slowly begin to chew the food. Breathe while you chew since flavors other than salty, sweet, bitter and sour actually come from the aromas.
• Set your fork down between bites; if you begin to load your next forkful your attention will be on the next bite, not the one you are eating now. And if you are focused on the next bite of food instead of the one you are eating now, you won’t stop eating until there are no more forkfuls.
• Sit for a moment and let the flavors and experience linger before you take the next bite.
• Notice as the food gently fills your stomach. Decide how you want to feel when you are done eating. Stuffed and miserable? Or comfortable and content?
• Remind yourself that you can eat more later or at another meal so there is no need to eat it all now and ruin the experience.

Mindful eating is a great way to enjoy Thanksgiving more while eating less. You’ll be thankful that you did!

Want to learn to eat like this all the time? Join me for an 8-week Am I Hungry?® Workshop. You’ll have the support of a small group as you learn how to deal you’re your holiday triggers and develop a lifelong non-diet approach to weight management. The workshop starts November 28th, the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. We will meet from 6:30 to 8:00 pm for four weeks then take a two week break for the holidays then start again on January 9th. (Near I-10 and Chandler Blvd.) This could be the start of an amazing new year! Register at http://www.amihungry.com/weight-management-workshops.shtml or send an email to  info at amihungry.com.

A recent study showed a link between home prices and obesity; the less expensive the neighborhood, the higher the rate of obesity. An article and comments in the Tribune give various explanations including the lack of availability of healthy foods and safe places to play and exercise. This is a complex issue so I’d like to add a few more.

1. The stress of living on a tight budget may lead to comfort eating (and perhaps even cause biochemical “survival mechanisms” to kick in).
2. Less time for food preparation and physical activity.
3. Fewer role models for healthy lifestyles.
4. Cultural norms about what is a healthy weight.
5. Food insecurity - inconsistent incomes and/or an unreliable food supply may lead to overeating whenever there is an opportunity.
6. When property, homes, cars and other things are too expensive, food is a relatively cheap way to experience “abundance.”

Once again we see that obesity isn’t simply the result of what people eat but WHY they eat in the first place.

Send your questions to Michelle May, M.D. at info@amihungry.com or visit http://www.amihungry.com.