IMAGINE you could eat whatever you want whenever you want. Just think for a few moments about what would happen. Yes, you probably would gain weight the first week or two, because you were finally allowing yourself all the treats you have forbidden yourself for so many years. Now, (work with me here): if you can eat those cookies whenever you want, do you really think you need to eat them all the time?

If you are willing to risk this, you may find that, over time, food will lose its power over you. If you can have that bowl of ice cream whenever you want, you won't want it as often. You will find that when you do have it, you don't need as much to fill your hunger. You will find that what you have been hungry for is "the forbidden," which makes you feel guilty. Once the food is no longer forbidden you will no longer feel guilty, and you will be able to have smaller portions. It will taste wonderful and you will be satisfied. Try it.

This whole attitude came to me when I was in graduate school. My friend Anna and I were walking around the golf course. (I felt compelled to walk long distances then; I was in the health field, for heaven's sake). We were talking about a book entitled Fat is a Feminist Issue. Part of the book discusses women and weight in detail.

The author suggests an idea that seemed crazy at the time (the one discussed above): If you could eat whatever you wanted whenever you wanted, food would eventually come to lose its power over you, and it would assume a normal place in your life-instead of being an obsessive, time- consuming, guilt-producing activity.

Doesn't this seem outrageous? Scary? But, like I said above, try thinking about it! After the first week or two of letting go of this behavior, you will no longer need to eat as much of those cookies, the ice cream, or the potato chips. If you can eat them whenever you want, you will find that suddenly you don't want them as much or as often. You will find that these foods lose their power over you, they no longer control you, and now you are able to control your urges over them. These foods will now take a normal place in your everyday life, as a treat you enjoy, and not as a food that gives you guilt.

This food philosophy isn't for everyone, I know. Many people crave structure, and it's risky to try and live this way. It is difficult to trust yourself to make the correct decisions about the foods your body needs and the foods you want. It is scary to think you actually will be able to have the correct balance of foods in your life.

But I tried it. I let go of my guilt over food about 25 years ago. I've lost 30 pounds since then and I have kept it off-and I still eat chocolate and ice cream.