I've been thinking....
History
In 1990 I lost 35 pounds on Nutrisystem. I was at a normal weight and on cloud nine. Was it easy? It depends-I was always ravishingly hungry but stuck it out because it was only 35 pounds. Did I have a new WOL? No. I maintained for a few years and then the scale started creeping back up. By 1994 I no longer liked the way I looked in a photograph.
Mathematics
I haven't had a photograph I liked for 780 weeks now. Thats how many weeks it has been since I looked at that photo and saw myself getting fat again.
-For 416 weeks after that photo I gained weight.
-For the last 364 weeks I have been losing weight very slowly-and I mean s-l-o-w-l-y . It took 6 years to lose 15% of my body weight. In 11 weeks here I have lost another 10%
-I have been following SB religiously for 11 weeks now.
9/780=1.1% of my non-photographic phase of life has been
crave free. Why divide into 9 instead of 11? Its because my 2 weeks of P1 were not crave-free. Many days were actually miserable.
Chemistry
I realized during P1 just HOW MANY times I unconsiously grabbed for food. I always took my hand back out of the chip dish for one reason CHEMISTRY. I WANT THIS TO WORK. (I am crying right now) I WANT THIS TO WORK. When I put something in my mouth that isn't OP I change the physical chemistry which is happening in my body that is allowing me to stay OP without and I mean without craving and constantly feeling hungry. I spent 769 weeks WISHING I weighed less and living with the constant desire to eat something which lead me away from my goal.
What are my reasons to not dip into a off plan food for even a bite
1. History-learning from maintainers
2. Mathematics-I want to add my % of crave free weeks and subtract weight
3. Chemistry-I know its chemical
FOR ME because I don't crave and am actually beginning to develop a rational part of my psyche is able to rationalize a bite before I eat it and put it back down and be ok.
Am I preaching? I don't think so. Do I have all the answers? Definitely not. I'm just trying to share my experience 12 weeks down the road and maybe give someone who is P1 or crossing over to P2 a perspective on why it MIGHT(and only My opinion) just might be better not to start "dipping" into off plan foods.
Do I think SB is the only way to lose weight? Absolutely not! But today it's my choice. I like the "healthy" aspect of the WOL
Could I do this on my own? Maybe, but highly doubtful. I appreciate all the support I receive here.
Am I never going to have cherry pie or nachos again? No, but I think I will wait just a little bit longer. I really want a photo!....and...for me today its about the chemistry.
And...I guess I'll throw some ECONOMICS in. I notice on the daily thread there is a little fun thrown around. Today it was the DQ cake. I love the daily thread and havin' a wee bit of fun, but I can't AFFORD to not be dead serious right now when it comes to staying OP. Every time I cheat -I activate the Law of Diminishing Returns.
Have a great day everyone!