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Why is it that...

July 30th, 2006 at 01:15 am

It is so hard for me to be slimmer?

I have done great things. I’ve quit smoking, and quit drinking and using. I’ve paid off debt and built savings. Yet I have never, without noxious drug usage, been at a normal weight.

I’m fairly alternative, I don’t wear a lot of make up, I wear boyish casual clothing, I’m not looks oriented, and I have a very accepting My Guy. I’m not trying to be a Skinny Minnie. I’m 5”3-1/2” and I’d adore being 150. Shoot, 160 would be fine.

My BMI is now 32.6. Being 150 would put it at 26.2. That’s still overweight!! This means that I have been unsuccessful at getting to my goal which, by the numbers, should be reachable because it’s still overweight.

I have been doing okay with my Credible Threat Challenge, but not good. When I am upset or bored I eat in greater quantity than I should. I should be grateful for slow weight loss, let alone not gaining.

I hate that I can’t think myself slim. It’s all about increased activity and decreased calories. Healthy foods and portion size. Getting myself moving. All the answers are out there. It’s really not rocket science. Move more, eat less. Eat less, move more.

I’ve got the healthy foods down pretty well; we eat a lot of high nutrient foods, and few empty calorie foods. I don’t have portion size down, and I don’t have moving down. I get headaches and every cold or flu out there; I know being slimmer would likely help with that-certainly not hurt-but I let it get in my way. Horrible headache? I eat a cheese sandwich to make me feel better. Yeah, I know.

I plan on using August as a new starting point. A time to develop new habits.

My plan:
Use my exercise bike at least 4 times a week.
Walk to work twice a week.
When I am in a bad mood, treat myself to a homemade sugar free popsicle or to homemade fat free popcorn. (I will train myself over time to not treat bad days with food.)
Make my lunches ahead of time to make sure I am getting good portions for snacks and lunch.

7 Responses to “Why is it that...”

  1. baselle Says:
    1154223060

    The exercise will help, but I feel for you. After 8 months I've only lost 15 lbs. I don't own a car, I walk everywhere, including that mile a day to get home. All I've lost is inches, and don't kid yourself, I'm still around your BMI. It's my eastern European constitution--all calories go into winter storage. Smile
    I do have some additional advice - eat breakfast and split your lunch in half to eat throughout your day. It means that you'll finish your meal when you are 70% full and the front loading of your meals means when you get home you won't marathon eat at night.

  2. jodi_m Says:
    1154227988

    I don't want to give unsolicited advice...but can I tell you what worked for me? I don't do fad diets - never have - and when I heard about this "South beach" craze, I thought it was a fad. That is, until someone explained it to me. No white sugar and white flour. All whole grains. Lots of veggies. Lean meat and eggs. Low-fat dairy. Eat as much as you want. Lost 8-15 pounds during phase 1 (two weeks), then stabilize at about a 1 pound loss per week after that so long as you are on phase 2. Phase 3 is to maintain your weight. I lost about 8 pounds in the first two weeks, then continued to lose until I reached my goal of 20 pounds (prepregnancy weight). I have since mentioned the diet to several others and it has worked for them too.
    Anyway, if you are at all interested, get the book out of the library and read it. Then make up your mind. Phase 1 was a little difficult, but I got through it by telling myself that I could do anything for 2 weeks. Honestly, I did not find it hard to live by the diet (actually, "lifestyle change") after phase 1. We're pulling for you!

  3. contrary1 Says:
    1154228112

    Between us, we could write volumes as to what to do. But, I'm in your group of not being able to accomplish weight loss. At least enough that anyone in this world would notice here. Steadily moving down, but WAY slower than I'm happy with.

    I too, should consider using my treadmill more often (now that I've found my shoes). And, I agree, it must be portion size here that is problem number 2, as I'm eating rabbit food at this point, most everything is coming out of the garden and is green.

    Drat and Darn to all this slow weight loss. I have not always been this size, so it is doubly cruel I think!!! I do think getting older re sets everything so loosing weight is not the same as it was when I was in my 20's or even 30's.....but that can't be my excuse.

  4. LittleGopher Says:
    1154232962

    You are doing so great with your minimum wage challenge - maybe from that you can figure out what really gets you excited in spending less. Then you might try to find similar ways to get newly motivated with your credible threat. You've made a great start with your list of new habits.

    I, too, could lose a few, and find it harder than ever, now that I'm in my 40s. My most successful times were when I could really focus on what I was eating and making sure I got enough activity. But with four kids and an old house filled with a passel of pets, my focus waivers way too easily.

    I look forward to reading about your weight loss journey. Hey, maybe you'll be as inspirational for others in weight loss as you have been in your minimum spending. Best wishes!

  5. flinnie Says:
    1154248138

    When I learned that I had a heart probleh in 1999 it was all I needed to hear.
    I became a vegetarian,walked as much as I could, lifted weights. Lost over
    50 pounds. I think that I was afraid of dieing....Seven years has passed
    I have gained all 50 pounds then some back .
    I am at the point now whereif I do'nt loose some of this weight I just might
    have aheart attack or strock ....all my father family died early from heart problem I do'nt wont to follow in ther foot step,
    Like you I eat very healyhy but, just too much of a good thing. I walk every
    day.May be we can motivite each other.
    Iam tall all most 5ft and9in,weight 209.

  6. ima saver Says:
    1154265162

    i went on the low carb (adkins) diet two years ago and lost 18 pounds. I have kept it off, but can't seem to lose anymore. I admit, I am cheating by eating sugar. I need to go back to sugar free foods.

  7. LuckyRobin Says:
    1154664818

    I think the hardest thing about being overweight is that you can't quit food. You can quit cigarettes, you can quit drinking or using drugs, but you have to eat to live. You can't go cold turkey on food. And there is way more to it than eat less, exercise more. We are very complex creatures, we humans and what works for one does not work for another. It's too bad there is no one size fits all diet. We eat for so many different reasons. To celebrate things in life, to console ourselves when we are sad, to cheer ourselves up on a bad day, because we are bored or angry or to punish ourselves for being overweight, even. So little of eating has to do with actually nourishing our bodies. So much of it is tied up in our heads and our culture.

    That being said, try cutting out all high fructose corn syrup and MSG from you diet. You have to read a lot of labels, but it makes a difference of about ten to fifteen pounds. Both of these ingredients make foods highly addictive, causing a more-more response. And MSG can cause you to retain anywhere from 2 pounds to 5 pounds of extra body water.

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