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, January 31, 2014

Yes to carbs

Yesterday was not a fun day.  I figured out that even if I manage to get full on low-carb, it takes a lot of food to get there and I'm still not satisfied.  So, given that I don't like the low-carb days and also that they're of dubious worth---is eating that much cheese really good for me? Does just doing one low carb day even help? I'm going to give up those days and turn them into vegan days. I LOVE that there's not a sense of failure about this.  On the contrary! I've successfully completed several low carb days. I've learned that for me they are not a smart choice. I'm curious and rather excited to see how I'll feel about a vegan day. Lots of beans, veggies and grains. It sounds ok, and unlike low-carb, it will be very healthy.

Today is 2100--phew!  And I had an idea for rewarding myself. I've been loosely toying with all kinds of ideas. Clothes don't really motivate me, Food DOES motivate me but that's probably not the greatest idea, and I already do more relaxing than is good for me.

What I think I'll do is give Catherine $30--$1 for every good day I've had in January and tell her to surprise me with a gift card to somewhere.  Could be anywhere! Could be Olive Garden, could be target, could be Barnes and Noble.  But it will be both random and a surprise--very much in keeping with this whole project and my personality. I'm looking forward to it!!

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