Losing weight in spite of myself.

I began this blog in February 2011 as a way to help me not quit trying to lose weight, and to learn a few things. It's been an interesting and powerful experience. It certainly confirms what I've long suspected--that although I am a genuinely happy cheery person in the main, I am NOT a happy cheery dieter. I DETEST losing weight. I resent being overweight in the first place and I am a virtuoso in the art of self-sabotage. And YET--I'm doing it! I'm fighting and kicking and EATING all the way down, but the weight is finally going down. The plan I was following in February was a half-baked one largely based on wishful thinking. I gained a little weight and decided to get real. I knew I couldn't just join weightwatchers or count calories or do any one plan and expect to be successful. I decided if I was going to bother to make the effort to lose weight I was going to throw everything I could think of at the problem. And so I do. My real "Day One" for this blog is April 1, 2011. I joined weight watchers, I joined caloriecount.com (awesome website), I read the blog losingweighteveryday.blogspot.com religiously, I keep this blog faithfully, I joined the health programs sponsored by my insurance, I use the principles from overeater's anonymous, I use my church's 12 step program as well, I subscribe--and use--Healthy Cooking Magazine.



The result of all this? Painfully slow progress (About 20 lbs in 10 months). But it IS progress and like the little engine that could I keep on trying in my rebellious way. I have no intention of quitting. This is by far the longest sustained weight loss effort I've ever made in my life. Successful I think, because for the first in my life I've done this MY way--which I've discovered, involves a lot of pizza and restaraunt food. I'm convinced this is the only way to lose weight. For me it must be MY way. For you it MUST be YOUR way. Not weight watcher's way, not your doctor's way, but YOUR way. Any plan or idea I use is only a tool.

The latest plan to lose weight my way began on Oct 29, 2013. It really is my own crazy plan. As you'll see if you read that post. I've implemented the best ideas of all sorts of eating plans and thrown out the scale. A couple of months in and I'm definitely healthier. I'm actually enjoying myself. I won't weigh until April 1, 2014, so I'll see then if this works the way I hope it will.

There is no magic weight loss bullet. But there IS a great deal of magic in the discovery of what I can happily live with (very different from what weight watchers tells me I can happily live with) and still have the body and health I want.

Good luck to all of us on this journey. It's quite a trip!







Friday, August 12, 2011

132 Legs

Official weigh day at 190.  :)  I'll take it. It's only mid August and I have until the end of September to see 187. There was a time when that thought would have made me relax until about Sept 21st.  But not anymore. I accepted when I started this that it would take me about 2 years and I would work hard for slow results--and so I do.  Well....anyone reading this blog might debate about how "hard" I'm working. But I really--most of the time I AM making good choices and it's not without effort--some days are easier than others obviously.  I loved this morning's breakfast--a bagel with cream cheese, 2 slices of bacon an orange and a glass of milk.  I have spaghetti and salad for lunch with some wasa crisps with butter and garlic salt. On paper this sounds good, and it's ok, but not at all what I'm in the mood for. I don't know what I'm in the mood for, but I'm not going to think about it too much for fear that I'll figure it out and then be even more dissatisfied with my lunch.

Anyway! About legs. I have good ones and they're starting to make a comeback. I feel taller and when I cross my legs or really do anything there just seems to be a lot of length there. It's nice.  The old saying, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels" has some merit I think. I feel increasingly more and more comfortable. And I have noticed in the past that the better I eat the fewer colds I have. I've yet to feel super energetic or able to run 10 miles as other people say when they lose weight. I HAVE noticed a very slight improvement in walking to work (which is a gentle uphill) as far as speed and not being quite so out of breath, but mostly I just feel more comfortable and my clothes are looking better.

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