On occassion, I have trouble with feeling deprived if my family are having something that I would like but I know it would not be good for me (not that it is good for them either!). But, with a little planning, I am finding that there really isn't anything I can not have. Tonight was movie night and my children and husband like to have a root beer floats every once in awhile. I made one with diet root beer and diet ice cream and never noticed the difference between mine and "the real one" that they were consuming. My family had potatoe chips, I bought baked an ate a portioned amount verses mindless snacking. In the past, deprivation would lead me to a binge. I guess this journey is all about making choices and they can be either bad or good. I am happy with my new thinking and the ability to plan, feel success, not feel deprived and knowledge that I can do this for the rest of my life, not just for a mere few weeks or months. My family typically eats very healthy but those movie night snacks need to become healthier and maybe that will be another task for me at a later date right now, it is all about me (another foreign concept!).
How about you? What kind of changes have you made to make this permanent for you?
I have to say it is easier when those that you live with are on the same program, mentally. Not to say that there is deprivation but when everybody is eating the same thing basically, you don't really notice a difference. I have started serving dinner on salad plates and I told my BF that he can get seconds if he would like but I am finding neither of us are doing so. We are also on an exercise program together which is really helpful because we can support eachother. I've also started being a little more careful with the types of foods we are eating and how I prepare them. There are of course reasons for treats and special meals but they are very rare.
In general, I find it better not to have the foods you rather not eat in the house. I know it may be hard especially if someone in your family really likes something that is a trigger food for you. It also helps if you do the shopping "oh we are out of chips, that is such a shame, guess we'll have to eat something else"
The biggest lifestyle change for me has been exercise. When I am busy with exercise and work my body demands healthy food. I can't function on junk and exercise. Not possible.
I think removing the whole concept of "banned foods" has helped me too. I can eat anything I want, but I either have to control the amount, accept I will not lose that week if I eat a sticky toffee pudding with ice cream and cream, or up my exercise. I am in control of what I eat. That's a first for me.
I have also had to stop doing stuff. I love baking, adore it. I don't do that anymore. I miss it, but I swim instead!!! I used to spend Sunday afternoons baking, now I go out and exercise instead.
I love my life now, I feel like I am in control, and I enjoy life so much more. Sure I have my moments where I am sixk of the scales, but my actual lifestyle now, works for me.
I think the three big changes I've made are 1) daily weighing, 2) wearing a pedometer and 3) eliminating deadlines on my weight goals. Those three things have really changed my whole outlook!
I started daily weighings in mid-February. Daily weighing allows me to see daily fluctuations for what they are. I do my *official* weigh in on Fridays (when I change tickers and whatnot), but I weigh daily. It helps me feel more in control. I can see trends as they develop rather than being surprised by a sudden uptick on Friday (which may be gone on Saturday). For me (and I emphasize, for me) daily weighing is the way to go.
I also started wearing a pedometer in mid-February. Having it on now seems natural to me. Matter of fact, I forgot it one morning and felt positively naked until I retrieved it (only about 30 seconds later ). I find it has made me aware of moving more. I think it appeals to the instant gratification part of me. I look for reasons to walk so I can see what "reward" I get (oooo how many steps is it from here to the store?). I'm trying for 10K a day on weekdays and I'm getting closer. Got 4 out of 5 days last week!
In March I realized I wasn't going to make a weight goal I had set. I had planned to make X pounds by Y date. 3 days before Y date, I realized I still had nearly 3 pounds to go. It wasn't gonna happen and, rather than being thrilled by the nearly 13 pounds I DID lose, I was sad about not making the goal!
It dawned on me that, while there are a lot of things I can control (what I eat, how many steps I take, how much I exercise), I can not control at what rate the weight actually leaves my body. So, while I'm still going to make goals, I'm not going to stress out over making deadlines. I'll work diligently on my program and the weight will come off when it will. I'm confident about that. And letting go of the deadlines has been really liberating! Now I can concentrate on the things I can control!
There have been other changes (strength and cardio 5x/week, eating healthier foods, increasing water intake, etc.) but I think those three are the most significant.
Eek! How could I forget this one! Joining up here at 3FC!!!
3FC has definitely made a big change for me, in terms of attitude! Since I rarely ever talk about weight issues with my 3D friends, this place has been a wonderful outlet!
A place to share cheers, fears, tears and "Hear, Hear!"s (and thankfully, a place to get away from the jeers). 3FC gets a big thumbs up!
I really like what you said, Lena, about losing the "deadline" mentality. That's been a real motivation-killer for me in the past -- how humiliating to be a double failure, not "losing X-pounds by Y-date!"
I would have to say that the most important change I've made "this" time around is my attitude. I'm working on making life-long changes to improve my health, instead of "sentencing myself" to a diet. So instead of bemoaning the fact that I haven't lost 20# in 2 weeks, I'm looking at the bigger picture (which incredibly enough seems like it will result in a smaller me!)
I think for me the biggest change has been the exercise. The eating healthier part has been no problem. It doesn't even bother me when my DH and DD eat junk around me.
I had the hardest time just getting up and moving. There was always an excuse. The biggest excuse was always time. I have a 2 yr old and since she was born I lost any little bit of free time that I had to myself. Well in the past month I discovered that this was just an excuse. I have now made the extra time to work out in the morning and the evening. Sure my day starts off at 5am and doesn't end until amost 11pm, but I feel incredible. It was hard, but I'm glad I made this change for me.
Great thread. Great pick me up for Monday morning.
These are great. I think it is wonderful to see how others are succeeding and trying to find ways to apply the principles that work for us. I think consistency, awareness and movement (as I state on the bottom of each post) are my mainstay and when I follow this, I do well. When I get overwhelmed and stop looking after myself and start caring for everyone else instead (ie - work, family, commitments, etc.) I need to remind myself of what I am trying to achieve and how I need to do that. I read a post somewhere and I am not sure if it was here or not but it really made me think ...the woman quoted stated that she lost 120 lbs and that exercise to her is what dialysis is to the person in renal failure, or insulin is to the diabetic or chemo is to the cancer patient - a necessity not an option - compulsory. Interesting to think about, isn't it?
The changes I've made are the same as Jenaya and Lena. I eat pretty much what I want. Of course in moderation. If I go out to eat I choose what I would like and generally eat 1/3-1/2 of it. I take it home and eat 1-2 times more off the same meal. Depravation leads to binges with me. I do what I like in moderation. That's something I know I can do forever. I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. That truly helps. That way I am rarely hungry. It takes quite a bit of planning but its worth it. I also have gotten away from the deadlines for weight loss goals. I am just happy that I am losing.
I've had to make a lot of the same changes that other people have already mentioned.
Another one that stands out in my mind is that I have had to change my "all or nothing" attitude. I had this perfectionist vision that I would start a diet and I wouldn't screw it up for the rest of my life. Even though I read advice from countless people who had lost weight saying that everyone WILL "cheat" and it is inevitable and you must learn to get over it and move on, I just couldn't apply it to myself. So, I would promptly screw it up, sabotaging myself, just from the helpless feeling that I was going to "cheat" eventually so why even bother?
Finally, now, I understand that I can't just screw up the diet and start all over, fresh, the next day or the next week or the next month on a "new" diet. The slate isn't wiped clean over and over again until I can finally complete the rest of my life without failure. I understand now that the key to weight loss is having a PATTERN of healthy eating... a pattern that I will occasionally deviate from. And when I deviate from it, I should get back to the pattern asap, because I'm gonna have to do it sooner or later anyway.
I read a post somewhere and I am not sure if it was here or not but it really made me think ...the woman quoted stated that she lost 120 lbs and that exercise to her is what dialysis is to the person in renal failure, or insulin is to the diabetic or chemo is to the cancer patient - a necessity not an option - compulsory. Interesting to think about, isn't it?
I had a similar thought. I'm healthy other than an ability to pile on weight if I eat badly or don't exercise. Some people aren't so lucky. I can control my body weight by eating well and exercising, which can both be enjoyable. I love the food I eat at the moment and I love exercise. Some people are stuck with conditions that they simply can't do anything about, whether they want to or not. So I'm not going to complain about something that I can control in an enjoyable way. I have to do it, but at least I have a good degree of choice about how.
The biggest change I have made is to do some form of exercise every day, even if it is only for 10 minutes. Before, I would always psych myself out by trying to do too much too soon and try and set goals that were so high I could never reach them. But 10 minutes a day is nothing! I can always find 10 minutes a day to do something, even if it is walking in front of the tv. Also, when I started I couldn't do much more than that because of how out of shape I was. Now most days I do a lot more, but I can always just do 10 minutes if I don't feel up to it. So far this year I have been able to keep that up and I have done some form of active thing every day since January 1st except for two days when I was too sick to get out of bed.
The other thing that really works for me is counting calories. I have such a different sense now whether or not the calorie cost of a certain food is worth it in my daily total. I have always done this with my monetary purchases (i.e., I would pay $50 for that pair of shoes, but no way am I spending $100) and it is really interesting to see what I decide is worth it and what isn't.
I'm with Nancy on this one. I include SOME form of exercise every single day. Also, learning to LIKE lettuce, and that was a big one for me! Now I hate missing a day of exercise! CRAZY! LOL
Permanent Changes...what works for you?
). I find it has made me aware of moving more. I think it appeals to the instant gratification part of me. I look for reasons to walk so I can see what "reward" I get (oooo how many steps is it from here to the store?). I'm trying for 10K a day on weekdays and I'm getting closer. Got 4 out of 5 days last week! 
