[Hermit Girl]

I have finally realized that commitment and success in whole-foods lifestyle must not be measured by weightloss. A real epiphany to me.

I need to continue perfecting my focus and efforts toward eating the best I possibly can, even when it doesn't show on the scale. Once I stop letting the WF commitment falter everytime I feel failure with weight, thereby gravitate to my old Comfort Eating Habits, I think I will have a shift. I need to habitually begin eating healthy snacks, even if my munchies before were healthy, I need to continue pushing for the fruit-as-snacks. EAt healthy BEFORE I allow myself to get hungry for old comfort foods. Don't look in the mirror, or on the scale for measurement of success, but by the checkout counter at the grocery store !

If the weight stays , I think that leaves exercise, and tweaking of portions. For now, focus hard on eating AS MUCH SUPERFOOD AS I AM ABLE ~ the rest will follow naturally. I do believe this .

[gardenerjoy]

Yay! An excellent realization.

I did a Whole Foods lifestyle for awhile. Then let it slip and gained a bunch of weight. A couple of really strange thoughts accompanied that. One was "If I can't eat something local and organic, I might as well eat junk." Another accompanied the realization that I'm capable of overeating healthy foods, which lead to something like, "well, if I'm going to overeat, anyway, I might as well eat junk."

I'm back to whole foods and no junk and losing weight, now. So, I wish us both happy, healthy eating!

[Rif]

The scale can be a source of anguish and frustration for me, so I pretty much only use it once a month or so, and am considering throwing it out altogether. When I started losing weight, I focused on regaining my health but as I lost weight, I let the scale become the boss, and began eating artificial sweeteners/low fat crap in order to control calories and keep the numbers dropping. Over the last year or so I've gotten refocused on the health aspect of weight loss/maintenance and feel that I am much better for it. So the scale can stay put in the cabinet and the artificial frankenfoods can stay out of my house. Life is good that way.

[girl81]

A replacement for the scale:

Each day make a 2 column list. In the right column, list all the healthy physical choices you made that day (each healthy food, walked the dog, took the stairs rather than elevator, meditiation/destressed, etc.). In the other column, list the negative choices you made (each unhealthy food, smoking, drinking, suntan bed, poor sleep, eating past fullness, etc.).
When you're done, compare the two columns. Each day, aim to make the right column longer than the left. Throughout the day, think of the columns as you make decisions.

[ennay]

I do find it hard to portion control whole foods sometimes. I am one of those people who got fat RARELY eating crap. I was raised on whole foods.

I never overate fast food because I always was super aware of how bad it was for me. So portion control is easy for me if I am eating crap. The small sandwich, yes and split the order of fries 3 ways.

I belong to 2 CSA's and during the summer I tend to gain weight because I have SO much yummy fresh produce to use up before it spoils. I saw it the other night when I was both clean eating and calorie counting. How hard it was to stop eating the roasted butternut squash and roasted beets even though I know I was done for the day.

"But they are HEALTHY".

Stunned me totally the first time I realised that my bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and raisins and milk and glass of oj added up to an 800 calorie breakfast. It is still an area I struggle with.

[silverbirch]

Originally Posted by ennay

I do find it hard to portion control whole foods sometimes. I am one of those people who got fat RARELY eating crap.

That's me too.

Originally Posted by ennay

Stunned me totally the first time I realised that my bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and raisins and milk and glass of oj added up to an 800 calorie breakfast. It is still an area I struggle with.

Yep. I did the same calculation and it was about 500 cals. Surprised me enormously.

I struggle too. Portion control, portion control, portion control at present (though it's not going fabulously well). I also eat a lot of veg. What do you do?

[yoyoma]

I also gained my weight primarily on healthy foods. I find that I have to steer away from starchy foods and strictly limit the serving sizes that I allow for foods like oatmeal, brown rice, lentils, yams, and squash. I won't eat white potatoes, and rarely allow even whole grain bread. Eating lots of veggies with some lean protein (salmon, chicken), NF dairy (yogurt), and healthy fats (nuts, flax) and a small amount of whole grain works best for me.

I have a much easier time sticking with my portion control by limiting the starchy foods even though I now include highly caloric nuts every day.

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Hermit Girl

If the weight stays , I think that leaves exercise, and tweaking of portions. For now, focus hard on eating AS MUCH SUPERFOOD AS I AM ABLE ~ the rest will follow naturally. I do believe this .

*For me* it would indeed NOT follow naturally. No, no, no. Not this former super morbidly obese gal. Eating whole foods is no hardship for me. I adore the natural healthy stuff and can easily not only NOT lose on it, but GAIN weight on it. In fact, I think it's almost easier to go overboard and overeat the "healthy" stuff if you're not mindful. One can easily get into that "but it's so healthy, a little (or a lot) extra can only be health-ier". *For me* I need to COMBINE a whole foods lifestyle WITH calorie counting. I still and will always need the accountability and FORCED portion control that counting my calories provides.

[Karen925]

Originally Posted by rockinrobin

*For me* I need to COMBINE a whole foods lifestyle WITH calorie counting. I still and will always need the accountability and FORCED portion control that counting my calories provides.

This is exactly my mind set as well.
Karen

[zarra]

It has been amazing for me to see how eating whole foods ALL THE TIME, along with portion control has given me the spunk and energy I need just to simply function each day....which has also given me motivation to exercise. Honestly, it is a little frustrating to me seeing a lot of people trying to lose weight, rely on fake "diet" foods that are just pumping them full of chemicals and fillers. It doesn't resonate with me how losing weight and getting "healthier" could be associated with those kinds of foods.

[marigrace]

Great thread ! I don't pay much attention to the scale anymore....there are much more accurate ways of measuring progress..the way I look, and feel, for instance...the way clothes fit, how my skin looks, consistant energy level, the fact that I'm no longer derailed by devilish cravings...this is all working for me. I do 1550 calories, measure fats, weigh the proteins, eat tons of veggies, and try to keep grains (especially foods made with flours) low.