Tips from a yo-yo dieter

When I talk to people about weight loss, they ALWAYS say, "Ohhhhh!  Have you tried Weight Watchers?"  I respond, "Well, yeah I've actually lost 40lbs 3 times with Weight Watchers." They usually give me a confused look at this point so I go on to explain that it was the same 40 pounds that I kept losing over and over because I gained it all back EVERY single time.  No offense to WW, I think WW is an intelligent, doable program that has helped so many people.  The program works.  It wasn't the program.  It was me.  I couldn't handle the maintenance.  So to date, I've lost 120 pounds with WW, 15 pounds with wedding/masters stress, and 27 pounds with eating no sugar/no preservatives.  Hmmm...let's just add that up.  Grand total: 162 pounds lost.  Well isn't that interesting?  That's a whole person!!  Good grief!   

So here's the top ten of what I have FINALLY concluded after almost 10 years of trying to lose weight. 

1) Maintaining is WAY harder than losing. 

2) Just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you are mentally and emotionally ready to lose weight.

3) I can't imagine writing down everything I eat for the rest of my life, but I might just need to.

4) If I say I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 50% of the time, if I tell someone I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 75% of the time.  But if I enter it into loseit.com and see how many more calories I could eat in a day, then I exercise 99% of the time.

5) What works for all of your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers may not and probably won't work for you.

6) Weighing myself everyday gives me anxiety and depression.  Once a week is healthy for me.

7) "Motivation pictures" of skinny people do not work for me.  They make me want to go eat everything in my cupboard and then drive really fast to Dairy Queen. 

8) "Motivation pictures" of me being skinny do not work for me.  They make me remember that I wasn't any happier being skinny than what I am now.  Being skinny doesn't make your life roses.  I was just healthier (maybe...actually I think my body is healthier now than it was 25 pounds lighter, even with this extra fat)

9) Don't call it a diet.  Whatever you do, don't say the "D" word.  It will sabotoge you.  A diet in our culture means you go on it and off of it.  Hence the term "yo yo dieter".  Don't do it.  It's a lifestyle change, but only if you make it one. 

10) Start an exercise program that is realistic.  Sure you can do a month long program of intense ab work, and get incredible muscles for a few weeks, but when you stop, get tired or just don't have the time do your muscles really stay strong and lean?  Possibly, but probably not.

I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a nutritionist.  You need to find out what works for you.  Think about what makes you eat.  Think about why you don't exercise.  Get past the excuses of being tired or busy and really think about the reasons why.  We all know how to lose weight and how to eat healthy.  But what's really stopping us?  Why do we allow it to?  I don't know all the answers to these questions yet, but every day I'm getting closer.  It's not just to "look good" but I'm doing this to be healthy and not end up having to give myself shots because I'm diabetic, etc.  I'd love to hear what works for you and what your journey has taught you.  Email me anytime at spicycurrie83@gmail.com.