Figuring it Out

This is what I've figured out so far: I like candy, I mean really like candy. And I don't know if I will give it up. I may at some time in my life. For now, I'm goog knowing that if it's there, I can have it. That being said, I am not going around swallowing Halloween candy by the bagful, albeit tempting. This is the interesting part. When I eat food high in fat and sodium, I crave sugar. Example, a lunch of a spicy chicken sandwich, fried zucchini with ranch dressing and a diet soda (I know, right?) makes me crave sugar about an hour after the meal. Every time. I also know, for myself, that diet soda makes me crave something salty. My substitute for that is iced tea.
I find it fascinating that I can read my body and it's cravings. I am beginning to see the effects of certain foods. At the same time, I am seeing that foods that I eat are not really my favorites. I go to lunch now, not just choosing the closest fast food restaurant (and I use that term loosely) but I think first and ask myself what I feel like eating. What does my body need right now.
It is a start kids and I am new at this. It's a learning process. It's not a diet out of a book or magazine, although I still read all of them. It's what is working for me.
And I'm good with that.

Change One

I've read that to lose weight you should eat like a thin person. Sounds reasonable. I know several people from work who are thin and decided to study them, while they weren't watching, of course. The results weren't that surprising. This is a very thin woman who rarely eats. Her diet consists mainly of cigarettes and coffee. Her breath is horrendous, but she's thin! If that is my ultimate goal, I thought to myself, then all I have to do is develop a taste for coffee and cigarettes, of which I like neither. Second person, again with the coffee, but she breaks it up with chips mid-day. Then back to the coffee-lunch is one of those coffee creations that you spend half a paycheck for. Don't have the money for that, and still not a coffee fan. But she's thin! Third person, and I'm beginning to wonder if thin is truly my goal, eats one meal a day, which consists of a gigantic sandwich loaded with everything. He is very thin and I asked him why he only eats the one meal. It turns out his hours at work are so that he goes to bed very early because he is up at 3 am to get to work the next day. He really doesn't have time to eat more than that. No coffee, though, thank goodness. I think all that caffeine has a huge affect on their bodies. My sister also drinks a million cups of coffee every day. She eats, well, she orders a lot of food. Then she picks at everything. Also, she never eats fruit. But she's thin!
To lose weight, you should eat like a thin person. I'll stay the way I am for now until I figure out what is best for me. I can be thin, at what expense? Or I can 'shop' around some more until I'm comfortable with a lifestyle change that will work for me, not one that I have to struggle with. Thin at any cost? Not for me. Alive and healthy is now my goal.