Back in the swing...

carostad

Hi all. Took about a few weeks off from logging and just indulged during the holidays. I had planned it, so it didn't feel like I was "giving up". Looks like a lot of us did the same. I gained 9 pounds, but it's already falling off again. I managed to maintain, and even lose a little bit from Thanksgiving to my husband's birthday (12/23, poor guy!) but I gave myself the rest of the year off until my kids and I resumed our homeschool routine (1/5).

So, back in the game again. I'm really glad I gave myself the freedom and even more glad that I feel like I'm back in control again. For me, that's the biggest change I've made. "Relaxing my nutritional guidelines" does NOT equal "throw in the towel". It feels very good to know that I can recover from slipping. Not just good, but perfectly normal. I mean, who can really diet forever? And, with as much weight as I want to lose, it sure seems like forever to get there.

I realized the other day, I'm about halfway to my goal. We're taking a cruise this spring, and I pulled out my passport photo from 4 years ago. Holy cow! What a change! I wasn't even at my heaviest weight yet, but I was pretty close.

So, I'm back to slow and steady. Living the way I intend to live the rest of my life. I keep general track of my calories and maintain a deficit to lose, but I imagine eventually my needs will catch up and my calories will stabilize right about where they are right now. It's totally sustainable, although slow. It's taken me 2 years to lose 70 pounds, but they are permanently gone. I'm okay with however long it takes, and I really enjoy "dieting" this way.

Hope everyone is having a great new year. Looking forward to posting more and checking in with everyone.

Caroline

KnitOrMiss

Caroline, that is all true. I wish I could bottle this up to give out to all those people who go to extremes or just think it can't be done. I have gone down as far as 245, and as far back up as 272, but I am nowhere near the 335-350 I was in 2008-2010 or whenever it was... And I will never do so again. I know myself now...

I'm at 258 last time i got on the scale (Monday, I think), but I'm a healthier 258 than I was the last time I was 250-ish. So many things have changed. My cholesterol is down almost 30 points from my worst. My triglycerides, I've cut them in half, less than half, actually. So many little things here and there that add up to huge differences...

Hugs, and congrats! And OMG - the difference in those pictures is empowering.

C

wennim

Those pictures are amazing..I love your hair.
I took a step back over the holidays too. I plan on having little treats now and then once I am at goal so this was an interesting little test. It surprisingly wasn't as hard as I anticipated it being.

Being flexible with your eating habits is something that is going to be really important and it is awesome that you were able to indulge but realized it was not a permanent change.