The Slow Mover Diet
Author’s Note: This was originally posted in October 2007, then reposted August 31, 2016, so several things may have changed. I have tried to edit the original, and the general guidelines are still helpful. I am attempting to return to the basic premises and offer them here in the hopes that they will be beneficial to others as well. I welcome additional thoughts and comments.
While my weight and health have fluctuated over the years, I continue to find it beneficial, especially in the midst of various stomach issues, to return to following a few helpful guidelines which I detail below in an acrostic of S-L-O-W-M-O-V-E-R.
(S)hare: Restaurant portions are huge. When eating out, share an order with a friend or partner. When not sharing, split the meal down the middle and eat half. The rest take home to eat another day. (This means I don’t eat as much in one sitting and it provides me with two meals for the price of one!)
(L)ocal: Try to buy local food from farms and farmers’ markets close to home. I find that I feel better when I eat locally grown food, either from our garden or someone else’s. Buying local helps support small businesses and family farms, which are more sustainable and better for the environment. There is an Eat Well Guide to find local farms and markets in your area. The Meatrix Films are great, funny, and informative too!
(O)rganic: Try to eat organic when possible. It is more expensive, but often, it is easier to digest organic foods without all of the processed chemicals. Most supermarkets have a pretty substantial organic food section now.
(W)heat: Stop eating wheat. Go gluten-free. This was based on the recommendation of my father-in-law and an article he gave me by Dr. Bruce West on how to naturally heal the gut. Some of the information is here. The basic idea is (rather than taking pills or antacids), one gradually eliminates a variety of possibilities from the diet. While Dr. West’s ideas are not without some controversy, this one has worked wonders for me. For a while I was drinking Mylanta by the bottle, and I rarely get heartburn now. Wheat can also cause depression, sores, and a variety of other health conditions. There are a lot of gluten-free alternatives out there, and I happen to like salads, which is a good thing when one is on the road! (I also don’t eat as many sweets, pastries, cookies, etc.)
(M)oderate: Eat well, just in moderation. Often, too many rules and restrictions can backfire into gorge fests and over-snacking. Some of the ways to moderate are detailed throughout this post.
(O)mit: Fast food, buffets, and seconds. After watching Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock, I try not to eat at McDonald’s very often, and I avoid fast food as much as possible. When I do eat fast food, I generally look for healthier options like salads, etc. Avoid eating at buffets because one tends to eat more. While there, limit yourself to small helpings of a variety of items and definitely try to visit the buffet no more than twice. When eating at home, try not to have seconds. Have good portions on the first go around and leave it at that.
(V)vitamins: I have taken a variety of supplements over the years, with mixed results. Do some research. There is a lot of good information out there regarding natural healing. Just a note: When I worked in the schools and especially during flu season, I had small bottles of instant hand sanitizer in my cars and a large one in my office. I am a hand-shaker, and whenever I do, I rub some stuff on immediately (once the person has left, of course!) (This is especially true now, after the pandemic).
(E)xercise: I am on the computer a lot and am not as active as I would like to be. I try to walk when I am able. I would like to do so more often. I think it is important to find an exercise that one enjoys because that way it will become something that lasts rather than feeling coerced. Walking is something that I can do anywhere, anytime, if that “favorite” exercise (for me b-ball) is not happening. (I used to walk dogs as a job and am trying to bike more).
(R)elax: I eat way too fast, probably from rushing through too many school lunches. I am still learning to eat slowly. Some helpful ways to do so: 1) take small bites, 2) chew slowly and thoroughly, and 3) put the eating utensil down beside the plate between bites. I also try to avoid eating on the run. This definitely ain’t good!
My goal is to avoid Dunlap’s Disease, which seems to be common among men, especially as we age. This is where the belly has “done lapped” over the belt. I would like to be more active and am still learning how to heal my gut. But if the gut is healthy, then the rest of me will be too. And the stomach is a great barometer for how slowly I am moving. So I continue to learn how to listen to what it is telling me!
Speaking of which, it is growling now, so I think it’s time for an apple or a carrot and hummus (organic?)!
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