This is NOT a diet.

pspenny36
pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
edited November 22 in Introduce Yourself
Hi all,


I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have been on diets, talked to nutritionists, tried fad diets, powder shake diets, low carb diets, people will make the food for you diets, etc.

I have donated to many gyms in my lifetime. (You know what that is, sign up for a gym membership, go for a few months, then just give them $20 a month to keep quiet about the fact that you DONT GO TO THE GYM)

I was 12 years old when it was brought to my attention that I was overweight. I don't want to say fat, because back then, I was only about 20lbs heavier than my fellow students. But it was noticeable. And they made me aware...everyday...that I was the fat one in the class.

So, 30 years later, after multiple diets, failures, successes, birth of one extremely handsome son, I am now at the heaviest I have ever been. I am convinced that the reason why I weigh so much now, (I am 135 lbs overweight with a BMI of 47) is because I have been dieting since I was 12 years old.

I refuse to diet anymore.

I believe my two saboteurs was my idea that I could lose weight fast, and if, and when I faltered or went off track, it was a huge failure... ..I would be so hard on myself and I'd give up and throw in the towel....then eat everything in the refrigerator.

I will not be my worst critic any longer.

I am now educating myself on what is in my foods rather than reading the calorie count, or the carb count, or the fat count on a label, rather I am reading what the food is actually made of.

Instead of dieting, I am eliminating sugar and flour from my eating habits. I am cooking more at home, and eating less out at restaurants. And so far so good. (As well as logging my food everyday on here. I do believe that helps a lot, and keeps you on track)

I am realizing, it took me this long to put on all this weight, its gonna take a LONG time to take it off again. And for once, I am OK with that.


Replies

  • Cup_
    Cup_ Posts: 43 Member
    Welcome!!! While not completely cutting out sugar (such as honey, agave nectar, grade B maple syrup ect) I have eliminated most of it. The same goes for processed foods in general. Also into the garbage went most products containing gluten (I did not realize the negative impact till I dropped it). I home cook everything and prep for the next day in advance. Though I felt the effects of these positive changes in my diet before I saw outward results, this change (coupled with daily exercise) has made such a difference! Even if progress is slow (as far as vanity is concerned lol), I am thrilled that finally I am on right track!! Keep at it!!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Well, okay. It sounds like a diet, and a rather restrictive one at that. But whatever you want to call it, best of luck to you!
  • EllieB_5
    EllieB_5 Posts: 247 Member
    I learned that I don't need to diet, per se, but change my diet. Whole foods instead of processed, and as many veggies and leaves as I can stomach. I found a diet app on Android called DietPoint. I don't follow the diet plans so much as use it for healthy meal ideas. They're not kidding that you can lose 10+lbs a month in a healthy manner that doesn't leave you feeling hungry. I followed the meal ideas for a week and lost 2lbs :)

    Just wanted to give you one more, potential, means of getting the weight off without "dieting".
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    Yes, I should have read what I wrote. I meant to say 'refined sugars'. I think I would definitely be setting myself up for failure if I cut out all sugars! ;-)
    I am incorporating a lot of fruits and veggies in what I eat, and I LOVE using honey as a sugar substitute.
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Well, okay. It sounds like a diet, and a rather restrictive one at that. But whatever you want to call it, best of luck to you!

    It's how you look at it. I am looking at it as a change in the way I want to eat and live a healthier life. I think the word DIET has taken on a life of its own and for me personally, it was psychologically damaging. Back at ya on the luck. :-)
  • wcnottingham
    wcnottingham Posts: 1 Member
    I was going to wish you luck, but you don't need luck. You know what you have to do, and I believe you can do it if you set your mind to it! Don't be too hard on yourself, and there is no failure!! The only way you fail is if you stop.
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    Cup_ wrote: »
    Welcome!!! While not completely cutting out sugar (such as honey, agave nectar, grade B maple syrup ect) I have eliminated most of it. The same goes for processed foods in general. Also into the garbage went most products containing gluten (I did not realize the negative impact till I dropped it). I home cook everything and prep for the next day in advance. Though I felt the effects of these positive changes in my diet before I saw outward results, this change (coupled with daily exercise) has made such a difference! Even if progress is slow (as far as vanity is concerned lol), I am thrilled that finally I am on right track!! Keep at it!!

    "Gluten" is starting to become a huge monster as well. I have a friend who has Celiac Disease and she truly cannot eat anything with gluten without it putting her in the hospital. I get what you mean tho. It's easier to weed out wheat products by looking for gluten free stuff. Thanks for the tips!
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    edited August 2015
    So you believe restricting certain food is a "healthier life"?
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    wcnottingham wrote: »
    I was going to wish you luck, but you don't need luck. You know what you have to do, and I believe you can do it if you set your mind to it! Don't be too hard on yourself, and there is no failure!! The only way you fail is if you stop.


    Thank you for your faith in me! LOL
    To write this post was definitely a therapy session at best and I think it helps to connect with all of you. Thanks for your support!
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    EselleMN wrote: »
    I learned that I don't need to diet, per se, but change my diet. Whole foods instead of processed, and as many veggies and leaves as I can stomach. I found a diet app on Android called DietPoint. I don't follow the diet plans so much as use it for healthy meal ideas. They're not kidding that you can lose 10+lbs a month in a healthy manner that doesn't leave you feeling hungry. I followed the meal ideas for a week and lost 2lbs :)

    Just wanted to give you one more, potential, means of getting the weight off without "dieting".

    Thanks, I'll check it out!
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    Debmal77 wrote: »
    So you believe restricting certain food is a "healthier life"?

    taking something like man made sugar is just resetting the way you eat. For example, before the 1950's, there was no such thing as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup.) If I cut that out, it's just being more natural in the way I eat. White bleached flour is also something man has created in process, so that also has import nutrients taken out of the original source. So, I am not really restricting anything that isnt natural. I am only restricting something that has been altered.....sorry, I am not the best writer, so I probably didn't get that part across.
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    pspenny36 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Well, okay. It sounds like a diet, and a rather restrictive one at that. But whatever you want to call it, best of luck to you!

    It's how you look at it. I am looking at it as a change in the way I want to eat and live a healthier life. I think the word DIET has taken on a life of its own and for me personally, it was psychologically damaging. Back at ya on the luck. :-)

    i have to agree with pspenny36. Diets for me never worked. we all should make healthier choice's. I used to eat a lot more red meat. and pasta and i always had seconds even after eating a lot the first time. now its time to make better choices. diets tend to be temporary and once you lose the weight (if you did) you go back to how you were eating before, and thats how the weight creeps back up.
    Slowly i started making changes. i stopped eating second servings. I stopped drinking soda (tho i never drank much) I asked my mom to stop buying red meat (we were really eating too much of it) now we cook more salmon and chicken. and if we go out. thats where i eat a burger.

    I eat farro or brown rice instead of white rice/pasta. i eat whole grain bread instead of white. i always make sure there's veggies in my food.

    if i eat fast food i'll get chipotle or panera over mcDonalds/burger king.

    Now that i think of it, These changes that I have made have been over a few years. of course we still need to be in a caloric deficit to lose the weight. the difference is that hopefully I wont have a heart attack due to what i eat. even if i was at a normal weight!

  • lucstone
    lucstone Posts: 41 Member
    "...what the food is actually made of." That's what it was for me. After a few years now of eating mainly fresh vegetables and fruits I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with it. Some friends and relatives think there is but I'm feeling better than I ever have on meds and being 190 instead of 240 feels pretty good too.
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    lucstone wrote: »
    "...what the food is actually made of." That's what it was for me. After a few years now of eating mainly fresh vegetables and fruits I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with it. Some friends and relatives think there is but I'm feeling better than I ever have on meds and being 190 instead of 240 feels pretty good too.

    that too. tho i still eat some processed foods. its not as often.
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    lucstone wrote: »
    "...what the food is actually made of." That's what it was for me. After a few years now of eating mainly fresh vegetables and fruits I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with it. Some friends and relatives think there is but I'm feeling better than I ever have on meds and being 190 instead of 240 feels pretty good too.

    That's awesome! You are an inspiration! I don't think there is anything wrong with it as long as you feel better and no medication!!!
  • pspenny36
    pspenny36 Posts: 64 Member
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    pspenny36 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Well, okay. It sounds like a diet, and a rather restrictive one at that. But whatever you want to call it, best of luck to you!

    It's how you look at it. I am looking at it as a change in the way I want to eat and live a healthier life. I think the word DIET has taken on a life of its own and for me personally, it was psychologically damaging. Back at ya on the luck. :-)

    i have to agree with pspenny36. Diets for me never worked. we all should make healthier choice's. I used to eat a lot more red meat. and pasta and i always had seconds even after eating a lot the first time. now its time to make better choices. diets tend to be temporary and once you lose the weight (if you did) you go back to how you were eating before, and thats how the weight creeps back up.
    Slowly i started making changes. i stopped eating second servings. I stopped drinking soda (tho i never drank much) I asked my mom to stop buying red meat (we were really eating too much of it) now we cook more salmon and chicken. and if we go out. thats where i eat a burger.

    I eat farro or brown rice instead of white rice/pasta. i eat whole grain bread instead of white. i always make sure there's veggies in my food.

    if i eat fast food i'll get chipotle or panera over mcDonalds/burger king.

    Now that i think of it, These changes that I have made have been over a few years. of course we still need to be in a caloric deficit to lose the weight. the difference is that hopefully I wont have a heart attack due to what i eat. even if i was at a normal weight!

    That is exactly what I am going for, and I don't think I am depriving myself of anything. thank you.
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