Well I tell you, I think about this topic a LOT, since I'm a 2 time huge failure.
I lost 150 pounds in 92-93, put it all back on, then lost 150 pounds again in 97-98, all the while swearing I'd keep it off that time....
But didn't, put it all but 20 or 30 of it back on.
So for the last 8 years, I wouldn't even try dieting again, I was so convinced that I couldn't keep it off, so why even try? Why go through all that again?
Something had to be different for me to try again. There had to be a reason that would give me hope that this time I'd keep it off. Without that, I just could not muster up the motivation to try again.
Then along came diabetes, which when ignored long enough soon becomes severe diabetes and deteriorating health.
I was going to go for gastric bypass surgery.
My insurance would cover it.
But a 6 month medically supervised diet was required for final approval. I chose low carb, because I was more concerned about controlling my diabetes than I was with achieving weight loss, prior to the surgery. (Both prior 150 lbs off diets, BTW, had been low fat low calorie).
Eating low carb turned my health around so dramatically, while controlling my hunger and cravings, I know now that this is the way I will eat forever. I passed on the surgery to stick with this WOE. I'm almost grateful for the diabetes, because in a way, it turned out to be the answer to "what's going to be different this time?" I can't go back to my former way of eating, with all the carbage. I'll die.
I realize another downfall I had, was thinking of the diet as something that would come to an end. Mmmm, in those former diets, I so looked forward to the day I could eat my favorite goodies again. Every day was a test of willpower. That's not sustainable for the long haul.
The closer I got to looking like a normal person, the more I believed I was doing so good, surely i could allow myself to eat like a normal person? So then we have bohemian's pizza box example up there.... yep, me too. That slippery slope.
I accept now fully, that the way I eat now is the way I will eat the rest of my life. In fact, when people ask what I'm doing to lose weight, what diet am I on, I tell them I'm not on a diet. I just stopped eating crap. I didn't get fat over night, and it will take my body a while to reduce to being whatever size it will eventually be with the way I eat now. That really does mark a drastic change in attitude for me.
So I believe I'm going to make it this time. This will be the last time I lose all this weight. I'm still working on some food issues, like when I'm very upset or sick, the urge to console and reward myself with food is very strong, and I wonder if I'll ever be free of that. But at least I'm aware of it this time, and continue to look for strategies.
BTW, today is a milestone for me... my 1 year anniversary of low carbing, and 1 year anniversary of joining this board. I just became a contributing member to honor the occasion.
I've lost 92 pounds, I've been the whole 365 days cheat-free, got myself off 4 different meds for blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and have normal blood sugars.
This morning my fasting blood sugar was 92. One year ago, the day I began this journey, it was 271.
Last edited by MizKitty : Thu, Aug-23-07 at 14:09.
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