Losing weight is a struggle. I totally get that. I've been struggling with my weight since I turned 35. But for me, right now, a big motivator to my dieting and losing weight is my health. Being so overweight, I was starting to have health problems -- and the problems seemed to be getting more and more serious over time. Being 57.5 years old, I just wasn't getting the "free pass" in that area that I was getting in my 30's and 40's.
Is being 100% on the IP Diet hard for me? Not really. I actually think that for me being 100% IP is easier -- since my body (my mind? whatever!) actually forgets about all the little cheat foods. I just get into a routine and it's not that bad or difficult (for me at least) -- it just starts feeling normal (like this is the way I am eating now).
My struggles have always happened when I stop dieting (and start occasionally eating those little cheat foods that I know I shouldn't). Then over time, I would find that I am eating the bad foods more and more and the healthy foods less and less -- and things just seem to snowball ... and I would eventually end up back where I started.
That's why this time I don't plan on stopping, but instead will make this "eating healthy and exercising" routine a lifestyle change.
But I am sure of one thing, if I was trying the IP diet at 90% or even 95%, I would have probably lost some weight, but not nearly as much, nearly as fast. And for me, I am really motivated to get this darned extra weight off, as quickly as I can in a healthy way ... and keep it off.
In any event, I am sympathetic to all with this weight struggle, I totally understand what you are going though. And by "all", I really mean one-third of all of America, which is the official number of American adults that are obese (BMI>30). That's over 100 million Americans.
If the best you can do is be 90% on the IP diet (or any diet) and lose a little bit of weight, that's still a good thing. We all have to find our own path. And believe me, when it comes to dieting, I have been there and done that. I guess the bottom line for me is even losing 1 pound is good, that's one less pound less you are carrying around causing health issues. So keep at it, in any way you can. We are all rooting for you.
As for my little weight loss chart, I am excited as heck at the prospect of perhaps being in the 240's in a month (4 short weeks, that's not that far away!!). And I know for a fact (for me and my body) that being 100% on the IP diet, I can make it there sometime in February. A "time and distance goal" that I am positive I could NOT reach if I was only 90% on the IP diet. But that's me, I can't really talk about anyone else.
I have a long way to go, but I'm committed to getting healthy and staying on plan. Actually my doctor said yesterday, "Don't cheat. Don't waste my time and don't waste your money." I plan to do neither!
Welcome, bluemonkey!! You're in the right place!
