Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Post-vacation update

    We left for our vacation on the 19th, and were gone for a week and a day.   We had a great time.  I was concerned about gaining weight while on vacation, but I didn't really want to "diet" either.  I tried a "middle of the road" approach.  I still ate a lot, and it sure was good!

    We were very active this vacation.  We went to the San Diego Zoo, and that place is not flat!  We walked up and down hills and stairs all day.  The next day we went hiking and toured the USS Midway.  We also spent two great days at Disneyland, and lots of walking is inevitable, as is eating treats!

    I decided to wait a few days after returning home to weigh in.  I figured it would take that long for my body to get back to normal.  So............ I stepped on the scale this morning......and....... I weigh exactly what I did on the 18th, the day before I left!  I'll take it!  Honestly, I can't believe it, because I really have no idea about weight maintenance.   I know about gaining, and I know about losing, but I don't know a lot about maintaining.  

  You see, my ultimate goal, after the weight loss, is to be able to maintain my weight.  Just about anybody can lose weight, but keeping it off is another story.  This vacation is a victory in that after it is over, I am right back on track to lose.  I didn't gain one ounce. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Cravings and resistance

5-18-2016

Today has been good so far, no irresistible temptation.  I was down .2 from yesterday which can mean absolutely nothing or it can mean that I am losing weight.

We are headed off to a vacation for a week.  Don't intend to diet, nor do I intend to pig out.  I might make a few bad choices.  I don't intend to weight myself for at least 3 days after I return.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

For the record

This post is not really interesting, just an idea that I am researching.

Dealing with monthly hormonal changes is challenging while trying to lose weight.  I am going to start tracking my perceived ability to resist temptation.   For example, the other day, I was not technically hungry, but I really wanted to eat everything in sight and I did eat more than I normally would.

So for the record, today, May 17, I feel quite able to resist temptation.  There is chocolate pie in the fridge, and bread everywhere, I am fairly content to sip my tea until I get truly hungry.

What do I look like now?

If you thought I was going to post  photos of myself in workout gear like everyone else does......well, you know me! Still, for the sake of the weight loss blog, I thought that I would visually document changes.   I will try to wear this same outfit in a month and see if there is any visible difference.
This one is from 2014.  Honestly, can't tell that much of a difference, yet.   I was heavier then, but it is not so easy to see differences when you dress modestly.  That is also another reason that the weight creeps up.  Loose-fitting clothes are, most unfortunately, "forgiving" and you don't realize just how much you've gained. 

Monday, May 16, 2016

What if I gain the weight back?

That happens, you know.   It happens a lot. It happened to me after I lost 50 pounds in 2000.
There was a lot going on in my life in the years following the weight loss, and I lost focus.  It is depressing, for sure, to gain back the weight after all that effort.

Let's consider the alternative.  What if I had never lost that weight?  Where would I be today?  Probably over 300 lbs.  Definitely discouraged and with horrible self-esteem.  I would probably have marital problems due to the fact that I didn't care enough about us to take care of myself. Ashamed.

There is a lot said about yo-yo dieting, but I say this: at the very least, they are trying. It's not recommended, but it is a whole lot better than doing nothing.  Those of us who are overweight will fight this fight all our lives. Every pound lost is a victory, and even everyday that we can maintain is another day that we did not gain weight. Victory. 

Friday, May 13, 2016

External control vs. Internal control




Based on the quote from my last post, I am thinking about what it means to me.  I think that I am on the right track.  Extreme dieting is not my thing.  Sometimes, I eat things that I would never have considered eating in the past while dieting.  Things like chocolate and ice cream.  Not a lot, just a bit.   I'm happy.  I can keep this up.

I have been mulling over dieting, dieting programs, fat farms, the Biggest Loser, and diet food.  All these things represent external control.  For example, if I had the money, I would have joined a program like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig.  I would have paid, and they would have delivered the food to me.  I would just have to follow the system, and submitted to its control.  I probably would never have joined the Biggest Loser, but it would have been nice to go someplace where everything is controlled and portioned.  Someone to tell me where to go and what to do.  If I followed a diet, like I did as a teenager, I would have a list of things I could and couldn't eat.  I would submit to the portion control of the diet.  I would measure and weigh my food.  I would eat what they say when they say.

I would do that for a while.  I would lose weight. I would be miserable.  Eventually though, I would want to break free of the rules and portions and nasty diet food.  I would want to be able to go anywhere and eat.  Because I would be hungry, I would go overboard and then give up.  Fail. Again. Gain the weight back.

Internal control is quite the opposite.  I learn to control myself.  What a concept!  The Bible calls it temperance, which means "self-control"  I learn to eat what I need, when I need it, and base my portions on need rather than desire.  And because I am in control, I won't rebel.  I won't need to.


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

A great quote

"The key to your success is actually liking the life and diet you're living with 
while you're losing the weight."

Yoni Freedhoff
Italics mine



This quote is simple, and like a lot of simple things, it is true. Even if I lost 100 pounds, I can never go back to the way things were, and I can't want that.  I have to want the life where I am headed.

An encouraging article

30 minutes or 3 miles


Some people do great at extreme workouts.  Some, but not many.  I don't.
This plan seems manageable.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Exercise, the pros and cons


 There really aren't any cons to exercising.  Exercise is great for so many things besides weight loss. That is why I began exercising faithfully over a year ago.  I had no intention of dieting, and I had no illusions of weight loss.  I did know, however, that I needed to move.  I needed to stretch.   I needed to be able to run a block without getting winded.  (I am still working on that one!)

 Basically, I had accepted the fact that I would be at this weight forever.  I decided that if I wasn't going to get thinner, at the very least I could be fitter and stronger.  I knew that, in order to continue to serve the Lord over the years, I needed to stay healthy.   I also knew that, going into my 40's, I needed to work at staying as flexible as possible, although I have never been very flexible. Honestly, it was a great year.  I was and am proud of my perseverance.

 The Weighdown program which I generally follow does not encourage exercise. The reason being very simple, and more about your mind than your body.  Most people who need to lose weight end up trying to use exercise so that they can eat more.  The whole point of Weighdown is to learn to eat less.  The other idea is to eat regular food in smaller quantities rather than to eat large quantities of "diet" food.  They know that you can only eat "diet" food for so long, then you revert to the original.
So, when I lost 50 lbs. 15 years ago, I didn't exercise all that much.

Now, I can say that I exercise, regardless of weight loss.  That being said, the exercise has made my current weight loss journey much more fruitful.  My goals for exercise are still the same.  I want to be fit and strong so that I can continue to do what God needs for me to do. 



Progress and a request.

So....this is a weight loss blog therefore, there must be weight loss.  So.....there is!
As of this morning, I have lost over 16 pounds.   My starting date was Feb 2, 2016.
In a little over 3 months I have lost over 16 pounds!

Here is the sad/discouraging thing.  I have so far to go!  It's like a family that is 100,000 dollars in debt.  They can pay off 20,000, which is a lot of money, and a lot of effort.  But they are still 80,000 dollars in debt. If you see someone who is trying to do something hard, like losing weight, paying down debt, quitting smoking or drinking, be an encourager to them!  Pray for them!  There is still a loud voice inside that keeps telling me that this is a fluke, and that I am going to hit a plateau any minute.  I fear that I will give up and get fatter than I was!  It wouldn't be the first time. Satan is all about discouragement. These thoughts are not from God.  God is the one who gives me strength.  He gives me power, love, and a sound mind.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Waiting....until I am really hungry.


One of the main goals of my weight loss program is waiting to eat until I am physically hungry.  You may not "get this", and if you don't, you are probably skinny.  Naturally thin people usually only eat when they are hungry, otherwise, the "forget" to eat.  I have never forgotten to eat in my life. Ever. 

The whole reason for the weight gain is because I repeatedly ate more than I needed and when I wasn't hungry.  Right now, I am not really hungry, per se, but I really want to heat up the leftover Orange Chicken from yesterday.   I won't, but I want to.   This is where the willpower has to factor in.  It's not because I am hungry, because I am not.  I just want it, and that is not a good reason to eat.
  I am not suffering, and I can wait. 


Of course learning to wait until the right time is a big part of life, in so many areas. So many people are in debt because they wanted something right now.  Even if they didn't need it right now.    Some people are in bad relationships because they wanted to be in a relationship right now, instead of waiting for God's leading.   My thing is that I have to wait for is the "green light" of a stomach growl letting me know it's really and truly time to eat.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Combat discouragement!

There is so much that we could accomplish if we didn't get discouraged and quit.   Life is hard.   Weight loss is hard.   Developing Christian character is hard.  School is hard.  Controlling your tongue is hard.

We lose out on so much because we get discouraged and quit.  We can't just not be discouraged, we must combat discouragement!  Fight!  Fight hard!  Encourage yourself in the Lord.  Cast down all thoughts of defeat.  Anything good is worth fighting for. If I don't succeed, I can diligently seek the reason for the (temporary) failure.  I will find a way!

Whatever it is that you quit because it was too hard, take up again.  Fight the good fight. Endure hardships as a soldier of Christ.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Going hungry vs. getting hungry



Most of us shy away from dieting because we don't want to go hungry.  We've tried that in the past, and quite frankly, didn't like it.  I get weak and cranky.  And, on top of it all, there is a feeling of martyrdom and unfair suffering.

The Weighdown style of eating does not include going hungry, but getting hungry. Once you are truly hungry, you eat anything you want.  Not as much as you want, but anything you want.  I have discovered that once I get to true hunger, (not boredom) I really think about what it is that I want.  And since I can't/won't pig out, I think I am beginning to choose more wisely.  I mean, I can have a donut, but do I want it?  Sometimes I do!  Sometimes it's just enough knowing that I could if I wanted to, but I choose something else that is better for me in the long run.  Now, instead of obeying a diet, I get to choose. I get to live with the results of my choices.  Freedom!

I have lost 14 pounds in 3 months.  I am good with that.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me!

Eat less.


The news today and yesterday concerning weight loss were not good.  It said that most of the Biggest Loser contestants regained most of their weight, and some are even heavier.  This is really discouraging because we want to believe that once we lose the weight, we can eat "normally" again.

I am coming to terms with the fact that if I intend to lose more weight and keep it off, I must be vigilant about my weight for the rest of my natural life.   This is not what I want.  But the fact that this bothers me proves to me that I am still hung up about food and that it still holds too much of my affection. This is the real battle and the true goal: Not to be "addicted" to food.   I hate using the term "addiction" because nowadays an "addiction" is an"illness" that relieves me of responsibility.  If I want to, I can look around for someone or something to blame for my weight gain and I will find it.  I won't do that.    I take full responsibility.  It is the only way to get out and get ahead.

Good news is that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13  I will do my part.  I will eat less, and I will exercise. I will be vigilant about my weight so that I cannot fool myself. God will give me victory.  He will perfect that which concerns me. Psalm 138:8

Monday, May 2, 2016

You must do what works for you

I am so pleased to have lost more than 13 pounds in 3 months.    Thrilled.  Ecstatic.  But what I find annoying is that, in spite of what I have achieved, people still feel the need to give me advice on weight loss.   I have no desire to lose weight any faster than I am now.  My goals is to lose it slowly and hopefully, my body will adjust along the way to a new reality.   The long-term success of weight loss programs in not very good.

I have learned that many people lose weight on different programs, and there is not a one-size-fits-all for dieting.   I think my way is best, of course, or I wouldn't be doing it or losing weight.  But I cannot deny that people on other programs have also lost weight.

If someone you love is trying to lose weight, encourage them!  No matter what path they chose, it will not be easy.