How I Finally Learned to Stop Crash Dieting

Before I had kids, I rarely thought twice about my weight or how to maintain it. That’s because I spent countless hours in the gym and at Central Park (I live in New York City) training for my next race. Since I was so active, my weight seemed to maintain itself, regardless of what I put in my mouth for fuel.

Fast forward four years, and I found myself with my first son, who, while adorable, sucked up all that free time I once had to run or go to a Spin class with friends. Suddenly, paying attention to what I was eating became extremely important. Pair that with sleep deprivation and a lack of energy to boil water (let alone cook an entire meal) and I found myself looking for a fast fix to help my jeans fit again.

My early 20s were full of some crazy diets — everything from juice cleanses to something called an “S” diet that I found on the internet in college (essentially, this diet was no snacking, seconds, or sweets, except on days that end in “s”). These diets had little to no longevity when all I had to do was focus on me, so I knew they would be even less helpful with a tiny human who needed me every second of the day. And while I wanted a magic fix to improve my diet, my weight, and my health, I slowly realized looking for one was only going to result in a dead end — and jeans that still didn’t fit.

After some trial and error, I finally found a methodology that not only helped me get back down to my pre baby weight but also made maintaining that weight second nature. And no, I don’t feel deprived on a daily basis!

Here’s what worked for me:

• I made sure I was truly nourished during the week (by eating three meals and around two snacks each day) so that I wouldn’t crash at night and fall face first into a pint of ice cream.
• I made sure these meals weren’t just empty calories, something I tend to crave when I’m tired. There had to be fruits and vegetables on my plate along with whole grains and protein at every meal.
• To help me avoid unhealthy snacks, I used Benefiber Healthy Shape twice a day (stirring 3 ¼ teaspoons into an 8oz beverage). Benefiber Healthy Shape helps you feel fuller longer with a clear, taste-free, completely dissolvable plant-based prebiotic fiber powder.^{* **}
• I did my best to sit down whenever I ate. This made me more mindful of how much I was eating and helped me listen to my body to know when I was full.

Even now on days that I find myself running around with errands and school drop-offs, I find if I start my day with fiber from healthy foods, I can make it through the morning without my stomach growling and certainly longer than I would if I was resorting to a juice cleanse or spending my time trying to remember what “s” I should be skipping that day.

^*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Use as directed.

^**Clinical studies show benefits with regular use.