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!







Sunday, January 19, 2014

A walk

It's finally a little warmer and the sky is blue today. I just had a lovely nap and I'm going to walk the 5K.  1800 cal yesterday wasn't hard at all. I made zucchini fritters to go with our turkey burgers and they were great. I wonder how much the oil had to do with the overall satisfaction? I really need to look into healthy oils. I made myself some popcorn with olive oil. Two tablespoons (240 cal) of oil to be exact. So, it wasn't a low cal snack, but it sure was a satisfying and filling one.  The oils on Flavor point and the miniscule amounts of nuts really do make a big difference.  I've always eaten a heavy fat loaded diet, but mostly in the cheese department. Has my body been crying out for healthy fats all these years?

 Sean reminds me on his blog that I can't do this alone.  Too true! I always forget that I must have God's help in this.  I feel a little like a mad scientist with my varied approach to things. I have no idea what happens if I eat few carbs one day and quite a few the next? Will my body just glom onto the new carbs? Today is high protein---I'm not trying to overeat, but if I eat a few more calories than I did yesterday will my body pack it on?  OR now that my mind is happier and my body is getting enough food on all days will my body sense that all is well and release the weight? We'll see, but for now it's walk time.

No comments:

Post a Comment