This morning as I walked into church wearing a silvery-grey skirt and pale pink knitted top, my hair in a pony tail, and minimal make-up, a dear old lady said to me, "Stop there and don't move." I did as she asked but was a little perplexed. What did she want with me? Commands like that make me nervous. But I had to smile when she quietly did an imitation of a wolf whistle that was directed my way!
Oh how I needed that today.
This morning I woke crying. Crying because I'm overweight and I hate looking this way.
All my adult life I've struggled with my weight. The experts tell us that we should lose weight slowly because we put it on slowly. I disagree. At least about the putting it on slowly part. There are times when I'm sure I put it on quickly - as in overnight. It seems that I just have to sniff food sometimes to gain a few more stubborn pounds.
After last Christmas when I put on about 5 pounds and couldn't seem to lose it, I decided I would be more disciplined this year and not enjoy all the Christmas treats. It didn't work. I still put on weight and it has definitely made its presence felt. It also seems obvious that as far as it is concerned it's here to stay.
It's depressing. I eat what would be considered a healthful diet: complex carbohydrates, lots of fruit and vegetables, low-fat proteins (apart from half a dozen almonds that I eat daily), and I rarely touch cakes, biscuits, fried foods, snack foods, ice-cream or sweets, or, butter or margarine. I honestly wonder what more I can cut out of my diet.
I know to see results I need to get off this computer and exercise more. I told myself that this year I would walk every day - rain or shine. I've already failed miserably as far as that goes.
When I lost weight several years ago I told myself that I would never let myself get this size again. So what happened?
Life happened. As anyone who suffers with his or her weight knows, it's an ongoing battle. It's not enough just to lose it - you also have to keep it off and that means always - every single day - watching what you eat.
I forgot that. I thought I no longer needed to keep a checklist of everything I ate. I thought I could keep track in my head.
I was wrong.
I should have known better.
Well now I do.
Oh how I needed that today.
This morning I woke crying. Crying because I'm overweight and I hate looking this way.
All my adult life I've struggled with my weight. The experts tell us that we should lose weight slowly because we put it on slowly. I disagree. At least about the putting it on slowly part. There are times when I'm sure I put it on quickly - as in overnight. It seems that I just have to sniff food sometimes to gain a few more stubborn pounds.
After last Christmas when I put on about 5 pounds and couldn't seem to lose it, I decided I would be more disciplined this year and not enjoy all the Christmas treats. It didn't work. I still put on weight and it has definitely made its presence felt. It also seems obvious that as far as it is concerned it's here to stay.
It's depressing. I eat what would be considered a healthful diet: complex carbohydrates, lots of fruit and vegetables, low-fat proteins (apart from half a dozen almonds that I eat daily), and I rarely touch cakes, biscuits, fried foods, snack foods, ice-cream or sweets, or, butter or margarine. I honestly wonder what more I can cut out of my diet.
I know to see results I need to get off this computer and exercise more. I told myself that this year I would walk every day - rain or shine. I've already failed miserably as far as that goes.
When I lost weight several years ago I told myself that I would never let myself get this size again. So what happened?
Life happened. As anyone who suffers with his or her weight knows, it's an ongoing battle. It's not enough just to lose it - you also have to keep it off and that means always - every single day - watching what you eat.
I forgot that. I thought I no longer needed to keep a checklist of everything I ate. I thought I could keep track in my head.
I was wrong.
I should have known better.
Well now I do.
Comments
Ok, next. I had the hardest time losing weight after this last baby. NOTHING was coming off and we eat "perfectly"! Once every 6 months I'd have 1 chocolate: that was my special thing. I had to get up and move. I don't count calories, but I did have to make sure I ate enough to nurse AND still lose weight. I ended up eating more often, more food, less breads, drinking more water, taking 2 TBLSP of Olive oil, taking/eating Kelp (which the iodine in it is needed for the body's hormones regulating therefore your metabolism) as well as taking B6 & Pantothenic Acid and working out for an hour per day. It didn't matter what I did to work out, but it had to be enough to get my heartrate up and make me sweat! I got to the point where I could lose 3/4 lb per day. I lost 5 lbs the 1st month, 5 the next and 10 the last month. I would like to drop another 10-15, but we're going to see family again and that threw my workout schedule & put me behind for Thanksgiving, though I maintained my weight.
Since you're a couple years older than me (grin) I know that you shouldn't have any problem loosing the weight...it's the starting an exercise habit and sticking to it that is the hardest when you want to see the result RIGHT NOW!! I took my measurements from the beginning and I'm really glad I did-for all those days that the scale didn't move I would still loose inches and fit into smaller clothes.
So don't be upset. Ask God to give you wisdom in what to do and how to accomplish it & HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU!! :) I know that when my dh works out with me, it makes it soooo much easier to workout everyday!
I hope this helps and you find the right thing to do so that in a couple/few months you'll be posting how you've dropped this weight and you're feeling wonderful and all that good stuff!!
~Many, many blessings dear sis & just get up and do it!
But I do know how you feel. I lost 20 pounds two and a half years ago and did so well for two years maintaining my new weight. I thought the same thing you did; that I wouldn't have to log what I ate anymore because I'd learned how much and what to eat. Well, I was wrong. I started eating a little more of this and that and all of the sudden I'd put on weight again. Not as much as I'd lost, but at least half of it. At my age - and at Mike's request - I don't want to lose much weight now. But I do want to stay healthy and have some muscle mass. I don't like feeling mushy and jiggly in the wrong places or feeling weak. And since heart disease runs in my family, that motivates me as well.
This is something most women struggle with most of their lives. It doesn't help that we are constantly bombarded with unattainable "goals" of beauty that expect us to be dangerously thin and 22 years old for the rest of our lives.
These days I try to look at it as just staying healthy. If I'm within a healthy weight for me, that's good; I don't need to be model thin and "perfect" anymore. I just need to keep the heart rate up on a regular basis and do a little weight resistance to keep some strength. The rest will fall in to place.
Good luck with your goals; I know you can do it. I actually had fun the last time I lost my weight; I used myfooddiary.com and logged all my food, joined an online group there for support and enjoyed the process. I liked having control! :)
Like you April, last time I lost over 20 pounds. I felt good. Some people thought I was too thin, but those that knew me before children didn't think so (I just think everyone else was so used to seeing a plump Jules that they struggled with the new look). It wasn't long before I started putting on a few pounds, and I didn't mind. I knew that it would take a lot of effort to stay at that weight and as long as I stayed within the healthy range for my height, I was happy.
But I'm quickly moving out of that range and I'm not happy. Being short doesn't help either. I look so round.
BellaMama, thanks for your advice. I do eat fats - almonds and olive oil mainly - and occasionally will have a small amount of butter. I don't eat desserts apart from fresh fruit or yoghurt (or both) and I rarely eat bread. When I said I ate complex carbohydrates I was refering to rice, rolled oats, and starchy vegetables. At times it just seems that there's nothing more I can cut out of my diet - and that's when it gets frustrating and depressing.
However, I've lost weight before so I should be able to do it again if I just stick at it. My goal is nowhere as low as it was last time. I just want to look better and feel better not be super model thin. I suspect that the key is increased exercies. A friend sent me a link to "Walk away the pounds" DVDs. I'll let you know how I find the programme when I've given it a decent go.
Again, thanks for the comments and for being willing to share your experiences.
Jules