Oprah Winfrey - Food, Health and Happiness: 115 On Point Recipes for Great Meals and a Better Life

Maya Angelou, my wonderfully wise mother-sister-friend, once said, When you know better, you do better. Well, I thought I knew all there was to know about losing weight. Over the years Id interviewed every expert, Id tried every diet. For one brief moment, back in 1988, it seemed like Id found the secret: After a four-month liquid diet (which is a nice way of saying: fast), I practically leapt onto the stage of my show to reveal my brand-new body in a pair of skinny-minnie Calvin Klein jeans. To prove the point, I hauled out a little red wagon loaded with actual fat representing the pounds Id starved myself to lose.

And thenno pun intendedI fell off the wagon. As of course I was bound to do, I started eating again. I lied to myself. I broke promises to myself. I beat myself up. I let myself down. I felt like a spectacular failure. And the worst part was, I did this over and over again. My lowest moment came the year I was afraid to win an Emmy; I couldnt stand to think how fat Id look to all the pretty soap stars in the audience if I had to waddle up to the podium. It didnt matter that Id be wearing hand-tailored couture. In my mind, to my shame, Id be dressed in fat.

If Maya were here right now (and as I sit writing this, I like to believe she is), Id say, OK, if anyone knows better when it comes to dieting, its me. So how do you explain my endless struggles with weight? Why is it that with all this experience and information, I havent done better? My guess is shed probably smile and, in that commanding voice unlike any Ive ever heard, shed say, Well, my dear, when youre truly ready to know, you will. And as usual, shed be absolutely right.

You can tell yourself to eat less and move more, you can cut down on carbs (so long, lasagna) and salty snacks (goodbye, Mr. Chips), you can practice portion control and begin the day with a balanced breakfastat this point we all know the drill. But its one thing to be able to recite the rules of dieting, and quite another to fully internalize and know the truth of maintaining a healthy weight.

The reality is that for most of us, diets are a temporary solution at best. They last as long as our willpower holds out. But how long can any of us hold our breath before we need a gulp of air? Ive fallen into every trap, from The diet starts first thing Monday morning to Ill have the cheeseburger and frieswith a diet soda, please. Yes, Ive made every excuse in the book. The most recent: when I hurt my ankle while hiking in the wrong shoes. Afterwards, I couldnt exercise enough to burn even one calorie. But rather than just be extra vigilant and eat extra sensibly, heres what I told myself: You really should get back to protein shakes. Skip breakfast. Skip lunch. Avoid alcohol. Enough with the carbs. Do a cleanse. Which quickly morphed into: Im on vacation, though! I have a house full of guests. Were serving a buffet for breakfast. And it starts with pancakes and cronuts and bacon. But its true that I have to make better choices. I know! Ill choose the turkey baconand maybe just a jalapeo cheddar cheese bagel and one scoop of scrambled eggs with truffle. And some melon, because melon is super healthy, and Try that for a week with minimal physical exertion and Im here to tell you, its a half-pound-a-day weight gain, easy.