The idea for this post came from reading "Leaving Fatville" - an excellent blog about one woman's (@leavingfatville) ongoing 'battle of the bulge'. I began to think about why I struggle so much after having lost over 100lbs, as one of her posting led to a dicussion about keeping weight off once it has been lost. Or, as I like to call it, "The Impossibly Never Ending Story"
Whenever I diet, I need to start on a Monday. There is no other reason for this, other then I feel like Mondays are a new beginning. It commemorates the start of a new work week, a new 7 day cycle, and new episodes of my tv shows. Many people hate Monday, but when I am trying to get back into a diet and exercise routine, I anxiously await the days arrival.
If I start a new diet on a Monday, and somehow falter, or..umm "forget" to work out (oopsie) - I can't just pick up on a Tuesday. The week has now turned into a downward spiral of fast food, lounging in my pj's and talking about how next Monday is "seriously the day I have to buckle down and getter done!" This may have something to do with my undiagnosed (but obviously present) OCD. My brain won't allow me to comprehend a Tuesday to be the beginning of anything, other then a new season of American Idol.
The preparations for a life-style changing Monday, are as follows:
1. throw out the junk food - it can't be in the house at all, because if it is, I will eat it. 100%.
2. go grocery shopping - you can't expect to eat healthy on day one with no healthy food. logic people.
3. an exercise plan - when, where, what and how long. Without this information, I'm basically a lost puppy.
4. a goal date - there needs to be an end in sight on the starting Monday. A wedding, a romantic getaway, or even bathing suit season. Although, in all seriousness, who the hell is ever ready for that?
5. last but not least, I need someone else to start their journey on the same Monday as me so I don't feel:
a)intimidated by their progress being further then mine
b)alone in the world of rabbit food
c)have someone to complain with
It's taken me 4-6 years to lose 100+lbs, gain back a bunch, lose it, gain back a little, lose that, and then gain back 20. It is honestly never-ending. I'd like to blame delicious food, social gatherings, and Drop Dead Diva for making me hungry for 60 minutes an episode - but in actuality there is no one to blame but myself. The key is to not look at it as blame, but more as how you feel when you look in a mirror. No one can tell you what amount you have to weigh, in order to be confident and happy - that is completely up to you.
Just remember, if you jump on the bandwagon only to come crashing down, there's always next Monday.
6 comments:
This is awesome! I, too am a Monday starter. I did great last week, and this week being snowed in I have made brownies, pumpkin bread, pizza... you get the idea. I keep thinking, Monday everything will be normal again. I can start over on Monday.
So, how's your next Monday look!? ;)
Boy do I understand this. I've lost and gained more times than I can count, which is why my blog is called Thickin' and Thinnin'. Losing it is never a problem, but keeping it off has so far proven impossible!
being snowed in is almost a sign that you should eat unhealthy! Monday is coming up so fast so get it in while you can haha
Thickin and Thinnin' is a fantastic name for a blog - i wish keeping it off was the problem - getting started is becoming a problem in itself!
thx for reading :)
Part of the issue I think is looking like a diet as a quick fix to be started and stopped. I think real, permanent weight loss has to be a change of life, not just with exercise (in fact, much of the research shows that exercise has almost a negligible affect on weight loss because it is offset by an increase in appetite), but with the foods we eat. It doesn't mean we can't snack on the things we used to enjoy, but they should be the exception and not the rule.
Not sure what you eat, but most people find success with a low glycemic diet diet. The lack of sugary foods leads to way less hunger, and it's possible to eat that way for the rest of your life. I lost nearly 50 lbs once just be giving up carbs with hardly ever stepping in the gym and felt way better.
very (very) well put. I love the last line the best because it includes the words "hardly ever stepping into a gym and felt way better" Great work on the 50lbs, by the way :) thx for reading (and commenting)
It's almost counterproductive.. Your body is good at building muscle, and it can burn fat, but it doesn't like to do both at the same time. So often people who go hardcore at the gym are sacrificing their own weight loss efforts. In fact, you know where one of the highest rates of weight loss occurs?
During bed rest in hospitals.
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