I've been occasionally checking in on the blogs of women who are making an effort to lose weight through dieting, 'being careful', or through exercise, and I noticed on one woman's blog, her current weight is the same as it was about 5 months ago, at which time mine was the same as hers.
I now weigh a bit less than her, only by two or three pounds, but my point is really that I've not been dieting, have not spent hideous amounts of time concerned about what is going in my mouth, have thoroughly enjoyed what I've been eating, and have been liberated from the idea that I MUST lose some weight.
And yet, I have still managed to drop a couple of pounds from that time, whereas as this poor woman has fretted and tried for all that time, and is still at the same weight.
So, my question is, what would you prefer to have?
5 months of trying to diet, lose weight, exercise with a weight-gain intention, focus on 'being good', and still end up the same weight, but mentally scarred because you're still failing after all that effort?
Or:
5 months where you really don't know what the outcome will be, but you have enjoyed your food, never planned out your meals, never done exercise simply to burn off calories, and maybe you will lose a couple of pounds, or maybe you will stay the same, but you are no longer feeling like a failure because you are no longer trying to meet an unreasonable goal?
Dear friends and readers, your opinions please?
Well, I prefer option 2, but since it's pretty much what I'm trying to do and I either weigh the same as before or a pound or two more, it's not working, either.
While a full diet isn't for me, I need to find a way to cut my calorie consumption that I'll stick with. I do fine during the day, most days, but I nosh too much at night. And as my body slows down in middle-age, the old way of losing weight isn't working for me.
Posted by: Shelly | September 14, 2007 at 05:21 PM
Definately option 2 - I may not have said that a year ago but I can't believe how much me relationship towards food has changed! I don't obsess about when I can next eat anymore - Yes I still worry about my weight but now exercise and eat what I really want - sometimes it is healthier and sometimes it is very indulgent but without the guilt.
I have been there - dieting and remaining the same weight and feeling desparate because I don't know where I am going wrong and it's not a great place to be!
Posted by: Jomay | September 15, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Hi, I just discovered your fabulous blog today while randomly surfing for people like me who are trying to break out of the diet mentality.
I'd definitely pick option 2, even if there is no change in weight. Diets cause stress and stress is unhealthy, period.
Posted by: Freyjah | September 15, 2007 at 06:18 PM
Hi, I brought Beyond Chocolate a month ago partly thinking it would be another diet book that I would get all enthusiastic about, try it for a week and then fail miserably, again, but I haven't and I can't quite believe it! I put on a couple of pounds to begin with but decided not to worry about it. I now weigh myself once a week instead of every day and last week I'd lost 2lbs without depriving myself in any way. I don't stuff my face with chocolate as soon as I get home from work, which means I'm genuinely hungry when I have my supper (a first for me!) and, even more amazingly, I have to stop eating when I feel full up because I physically can't eat any more (another first!) I wouldn't like to say I'm "cured" but I feel extremely positive about this. I expect I'll have moments where I have to have chocolate, but I know it'll be okay.
Posted by: Trace | September 17, 2007 at 09:08 PM
Great to read your comments on this!
Shelly - I wonder if you might consider just being on a 'weight loss holiday' for now, and work through your relationship with food first of all?
Jomay - I agree! the idea of 'giving up' diets a year ago would have scared the hell out of me, but now I wonder what i was so scared of!!
Freyjah - so glad you discovered this blog and I hope you keep checking in - good luck on your journey!!!
Trace - there are always moments when you HAVE to have chocolate, why wouldn't there be? It's delicious! But the difference is you'll know you can have it whenever you want it, you won't feel guilty about it when you do, and you'll not beat yourself up after eating it. And guess what? You'll enjoy it without feeling like it's going to take over!
Posted by: Andrea Wren | September 20, 2007 at 05:36 PM
Number 2 of course! I'm still struggling to get there, but it is the best way to be in my opinion.
Posted by: Bliss Chick | September 21, 2007 at 12:53 AM