Doing one thing different

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Doing one thing different
98
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 1:25pm
I am so frustrated with myself lately. I just don't know what the hell is wrong with me. I'm one of those people who has everything under control. I've been successful at everything I've ever tried-except managing my weight. I know it's not because I'm dumb or don't have willpower or don't understand nutrition. There's more to it than that. That's part of why I get so mad at thin people who make stupid remarks to overweight people like "why don't you try counting calories." Ugh.

Anyway, I've been counting calories and it is NOT working. I do well and get obsessive, then I get bingey and in the end (as with every diet) I end up gaining weight. So, I know I need to take a more behavioral strategy. So, I am hereby vowing to do only one thing different. From now on I am vowing to only eat when I am truly rumbly-tummy hungry. I know that making this one change will make a big difference to me. Even when I count calories or do ww or atkins I find myself eating when I'm not hungry because I have the calories or points or whatever. This behavior needs to end. So, I'm coming out here and stating that this is my new goal. Y'all can feel free to ask me how it's going because I probably need it.

Anyone else have one thing they really need to focus on?

Erin

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom

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Avatar for coffee_bean123
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-17-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 1:38pm

Have you heard of the Change One plan, from Reader's Digest? (Now, before you roll your eyes, LOL, give me a chance)


I recall reading it way back when...I haven't had a subscription to RD for at least a year, so it was introduced before that. Essentially you change one habit a week for overall better health. It sounds like a good plan, and maybe it would work for you.


http://www.changeone.com/


They are a sponsor of iVillage, so I'm sure that iVillage won't mind me posting the link.


I don't personally use the plan, but I've often thought I should. I've been struggling to eat healthier since January, and it's still a struggle some days.

Coffee

Coffee Coffee 2 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 1:46pm
Thanks for the link, Coffee! It looks interesting. I actually have a book called "Do One Thing Different" and I've read a number of books about strategic solution focused therapy, they all advocate chosing one pivotal behavior and focusing on just that in order to change a bigger problem. I've seen in work with clients, so I think I'm going to really hold myself to trying it as well. It's the holding myself to it that is so hard! It's so much easier when it's someone else's problems! :)

Erin

Edited for stupid spelling error!


Edited 4/25/2004 1:53 pm ET ET by oonagh96

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 3:02pm
I've been taking that approach since I've started this weight loss journey in January. I'm not doing a diet, or counting calories or anything like that. I'm trying to make changes one (or a few) at a time. So far the changes I've made since the beginning of the year are...exercise for at least a half an hour 4-5 days a week minimum, eat more fruits and vegetables (still working on that one lol!), limiting my sugar intake (I have an incurable sweet tooth), and drinking at least 64 oz of water a day. I'm also trying to make smarter choices when it comes to eating out and stuff like that. It seems to be working for me so far, I've lost 22.5 pounds since I started in January. I'm going on vacation in a couple of weeks, so after I get back I'm going to start on a new change. I'm going to try to cook more at home. DH and I tend to eat out way too much and of course that's not only bad for the wallet, it's also bad for the waistline. Now that summer's coming, it should be easier because we can grill outside more often.

Coffee, I've heard of the changeone diet and considered it, also. I just haven't bought the book. Maybe I'll give it more consideration if what I'm doing no longer works for me.

Erin, I think the change you're talking about making is a great one. I still have trouble with that myself, eating only when I'm truly hungry and stopping when I start to feel full. I tend to "nibble" on what's in front of me even after I'm full. I know it's bad, but that's another change that I'll incorporate when I come back from vacation.

Good luck, Erin. I'll get on your case and make sure you're living up to the new change if you want me to :-)

~~Linda

~~Linda

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 3:45pm
Thanks, Linda!

I'm glad to hear that a similar approach is working for you. I was looking at some pictures earlier today and it really struck me that when I was thinner I was not dieting, I was just eating somewhat better and never really ate unless my tummy was rumbly so to speak. Made me think about what I should do to get back to that body.

Erin

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 6:21pm
Thats cool Erin =)

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

Avatar for angelinoh
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 9:45pm
good luck finding something that works =)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-14-2004
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 10:46pm
erin,

i think its great you want to get back to listening to your body. let me know how it goes.

for me, strictly limiting the amount of calories to 1800kcal and walking two + miles minimum four times (hopefully five times, but didnt work like that last week) seems to be working in a slow and steady way for me. the calories are high because im breastfeeding. i think im gonna miss that when i stop breastfeeding.

watching calories is the one thing im doing differently. ive always eaten well (except for

my C A N D Y binges) but i tend to eat large portions of healthy foods. now i measure stuff. its weird and feels obsessive to measure, but im now, at least learning what a portion is.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2003
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 12:27am
Erin,

Good luck with your plan. I had a college professor who lost weight by only eating when he was hungry. I don't know. He never seemed that overweight to begin with, but he swore that was the only way to go. I am a huge emotional eater. I am working on ways to sub eating with other behaviors. It sounds great on paper, but I never think of it when I am having one of those days. Good luck and let us know how it goes. sharla
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2004
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 10:14am
That's one thing the dietian had to teach me over again...to eat when I was hungry and to stop when I am not full but satisfied. I am still trying to get that eating until I am satisfied down.

It has helped a great deal with watching and learning what my body likes and dislikes.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2004
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 12:22pm
>>There's more to it than that. That's part of why I get so mad at thin people who make stupid remarks to overweight people like "why don't you try counting calories." Ugh. <<

But Erin, it's really not a "stupid remark" that they are making. It all REALLY DOES boil down to calories, intake and output. Of course it's better to eat those calories in healthy nutritious food than junk food, but if a person takes in more calories than she burns off then she gains weight, and conversely, if a person burns off more than she loses. So it's always been, and there's nothing new under the sun that way.

Eating when you're only "tummy-rumbling" hungry can backfire though, and you should take that into consideration too. It's easy, if any person gets really hungry, to scoff down way too many calories and eat way too fast...just because of waiting too long.

Can I suggest a strategy that's worked for me. I plan my meals, so there's no random eating. I eat at mealtime, three times a day and wholesome meals, and that's it. And I keep a food diary in which I write down the foods, number of calories, and fat grams. It only takes a second to do, really. And that's it. I haven't had any problems losing that way, so maybe that could help you?

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