Dolly Parton and the Psychology of Dieting

I never had to diet when I was young. Staying slim was easy since I was too busy to bother with food until necessary. Then, life changes altered both my diet and my metabolism, and I ended up on the diet merry-go-round.

It seems I must starve myself to lose a single pound, and that is a setup for failure, not to mention the damage to my blood sugar levels. I've tried many diets, but for one reason or another, did not find them sustainable.  

That’s when Dolly Parton stepped in with a better solution.

No, I don’t know her personally, but I remembered reading an interview with her several years back. The interviewer asked her how she lost weight and kept it off. Her reply was interesting, but at the time I didn’t need the advice and filed it away with other trivia — until now.

She said the only way she lost and maintained her weight was eating eight small meals a day. After trying everything else and failing, I decided to give it a try.

The next morning, I set up a schedule and using a calorie/carb counter, planned out my meals, staying within the recommendations of my doctor.

That first day, I discovered the eight-meal plan didn't allow enough calories in the morning to sustain my blood sugar levels, so I adjusted the meals to six and increased the portions accordingly. That worked better for me.

However, the biggest surprise came the first day. Knowing I only had to wait a few hours to have more, I was satisfied with the smaller portions, significantly cutting my calorie intake. I feel full, satisfied, and not deprived since I am not waiting to eat until I'm starving, or limiting my choices, only the amounts. The psychology of having more later, has made the difference. I think I'll stick to this one and actually see some weight loss.

Thank you, Dolly.