I'm doing great sticking to plan. But I've just got to say that while I don't mind (too much) counting calories, I don't like counting out the whole day at once. I had to do that yesterday because I had an evening class, and I did it today because I made a really good dinner (lamb/feta/olive meatballs with tziki sauce and I want a solid portion of it! That meant I had to figure out what that would cost me so I would know what I could eat the rest of the day. I usually pack my lunch, so that needs to be known then by default I know what I have to spend on breakfast.
When the whole day is planned then there is an actual red stop sign that says THERE IS NO MORE FOOD!!! This is IT. That's all there is!! And if it doesn't happen to be enough then I will STARVE and am doomed to be unsatisfied and unhappy for the REST OF MY LIFE!!!
Irrational, I know. But emotions ARE irrational. That's why they're called emotions. The reality is that I'm quite happy with my food today. I had cracklin oat bran and a banana for breakfast--cracklin oat bran is high cal, but I learned a long time ago that if I want something, I'm happier having a less of that thing than more of what I don't really want. I could also have had 4 mini bacon quiches---but I was full, so I'm saving those for a snack later---this also helps with the NO MORE FOOD feeling. Yes, there is. There are four quiches and I can have them anytime. (Plus, if I'm desperate, I can have a banana, oatmeal or soup and a quest bar)
A word on those quiches. Ironically, I eat MUCH better when I'm trying to lose weight. I don't mean healthier, I mean better and richer. Those quiches are bacon and cheese in phyllo dough. The lamb meatballs are terrific. When I'm just eating whatever, I'll often go for something quick and easy and meh. But if I have 500 calories for lunch--then that lunch is going to be gourmet much more often. Thank goodness for those who create healthy recipes. I like the older weight watchers cookbooks too that list the calories. WW has truly great food, it's just the portions that strike me as ridiculous. 200 calories of anything will not fill me up for lunch unless I'm sick. And I don't need to restrict myself to that extent. Nobody does!! More ranting on Weight Watchers later I'm sure.
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!
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!
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