I’ve never been successful on a ‘diet’ long-term. I’m one of those crazies who feels the second I’m on a diet, I start to rebel.
What do you mean I can’t have that??? Pfft! I’ll SHOW YOU!!! ***start shoving food in face repeatedly*** you can see how that worked out for me!!! So many times I read encouraging words like “just do it!” “just commit to it” well, like most of us, I ‘committed’ to a diet every Monday morning, and by Tuesday morning I was ready for a cheeseburger. That wasn’t working. Sure, it took me til I was FORTY and at 325 to realize ‘wow this isn’t working quite the way I wanted it to”
So, my plan was to ‘cut back’. That works for a while, you can lose a bit here and there but calories eventually start creeping up and up and up…. So I made a deal with myself that I could eat whatever I wanted, as long as I stayed within XXX calories. It was so liberating and freeing!!! Chocolate cake??? I ate it! Of course I verrrrrrrry quickly learned that that 700 calorie piece of cake was pretty much ALL I was going to eat that day hahahah. You learn to budget quickly. Your eyes eventually turn to things that are lower calorie but dense & fill you up – hey turns out that’s healthier stuff!! Go figure
a 250 calorie chocolate bar for a snack?? Hmmm no thanks, I’ll spend 70 bucks for an apple instead thanks. It’s my CHOICE, no one’s making me do it. I choose how I ‘spend’ my calories. Overall, I’d say I eat 90% healthy foods, 10% so-so foods, and for years it was the complete opposite. I also looked within myself a lot, figured out WHY I was eating the way I was, made peace with myself, and just threw my hands up on trying to fight some things -- snacking at night??? no can do! Tons can, I can't. But I can eat 1 bowl of cereal and tons can't do that, so it's just doing what works for YOU!!!
So my vote is for
old-school calorie counting and having some FUN! I SO make a game out of it, like I’m spending $1,500 to $1,800 every day heheheh