Getting to my goal weight was a LOOOOOONG road for me since that first diet lunchbox the year I was 10. The ups and downs, the diet with no results, the losing 10 and slowly putting it back on—and usually more, the frustration of figuring out the newest diet craze. I’ve been here twice before—once was sometime on the way up, but I have no recollection of when that was. I was here and down to 115 for my wedding—that was an arduous diet for the purpose of looking good to my bridegroom and for posterity. It’s always been a struggle with the attendant guilt and feeling deprived—and the question of how quickly can I eat again in the back of my mind. I was on a “diet” of some sort for 40 years. With little lasting result.
I lost the last 15 pounds over the summer and early autumn, 2012. The interesting thing was that it was ridiculously easy. I didn’t do anything crazy like starve myself or use “supplements” or drugs. I didn’t hit the gym six days a week. I didn’t limit myself to vegetables or eliminate carbs or use any of the nutzo diets we know, love, and loathe. I didn’t even give up wine!
I did slow down. I did pay attention to the food I consumed and enjoyed every bite.
I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was satisfied. I used a lot of plastic wrap over my unfinished plate that summer.
I played with my food. I played with portion sizes and types of food to learn what satisfied me, and I learned it took less than I thought.
I walked the dog.
Most effective, I started facing my stuff rather than stuffing my face. I realized I was taking in a lot of calories trying to stuff down my feelings and follow that with a food chaser. When I stopped trying to bury or drown my feelings, I saved a TON of calories.
It’s not magic, nor will it happen by accident. It takes some letting go of old habits, comfortable as they might be, and taking hold of new ones. Will your stomach growl? Maybe, but the attendant feeling around that will be different. It’s a signal. That’s all. It doesn’t have to be a panic alarm. Will you sometimes struggle? Perhaps, but that’s part of learning and change. The key is to keep at it and not beat yourself up over the blips.
