Focus on eating at right time

     By Kim Springer
     View columnist
      Ultimately, we all strive to become the best we can physically and mentally.
      Finding a way to achieve and maintain your perfect weight would be a dream come true because like the vast majority of the population, body weight is a major concern.
      Dr. Deepak Chopra has written a book titled "Perfect Weight." Chopra approaches medicine with a mind/body perspective and at times it is hard to follow his descriptions. On the other hand, this book makes plenty of common-sense observations, that if taken to heart, would help everyone achieve the perfect weight.
      First off, we live in a society of excess and our eating habits are seldom based on true hunger. By eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full, you avoid the emotional and societal pressures to eat.
      Eating is no longer an activity but a necessity to fuel the body. Hunger is a signal from the body that nutrients are needed and that it is prepared to metabolize the food to be consumed.
      When you eat food that your body does not need, it throws off this natural balance in your body and causes the unwanted food to be stored primarily as fat.
      Unlike many European countries, Americans tend to eat the largest meal of the day at dinner instead of lunch. We have molded our eating habits around our work day instead of what is best for the body.
      The body is optimally prepared to digest a large meal at noon when it most needs the energy. In the evening, especially after 6 p.m., the body has started to slow down and is preparing to rest. Therefore, it is not prepared to fully metabolize a large meal.
      Try making theses simple changes in your diet and see if you do not feel and see the difference.
      Start by eating a light breakfast of fruit and carbohydrates. If you are not a morning eater, Chopra suggests breakfast be viewed as an "optional" meal. This does vary, however, from the normal dietary recommendation of always including breakfast in your day. Find out what works best for your own body and activity level.
      Next, plan your largest meal for noon and try to eat at that same time every day. If you have to adjust by half an hour on either side of this time, that is fine.
      The key is to create a schedule which your body will soon come to recognize. After awhile, you will find that if you are late with your lunch you will feel famished.
      Finally, decrease the portion size of your normal dinner and try to eat earlier in the evening. After a couple of weeks, you will find that you are eating more when you are hungry rather than when the clock says it is meal time.
      Chopra's book also has many other suggestions to help you reach your perfect weight.
      He explains that the body goes through many cycles throughout the day and that cells are constantly renewing. In fact, you are already a different person from who you were when you first started to read this column.
      Knowing this, we can realize the magnitude of the body's ability to change. Genetics and evolution are also strong forces that we are working against when we try to radically change our eating and dieting routines.
      The complexity of the human body is amazing. For millions of years, the struggle to get enough food was the first priority of the human species.
      During times of abundance, it was natural for people to eat as much as possible since there would eventually be another period of scarcity. Now, in the 20th century, we work against these natural tendencies to try and regulate our weight according to the standard's of society.
      Finally, Chopra's book touches on a variety of issues that regiment our body types and tendencies. This book might not help you reach your perfect weight but it may shed some new light on how to go about achieving it in your own personal way.
     
     Kim Springer and her husband, Mike, are certified by ACE, NASM and ACSM as personal trainers. They can be reached at 233-9442, by fax at 233-9446 or by e-mail at springtrain@netscape.net.