Update on my progress

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Update on my progress
8
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 10:13pm
Okay, so I haven't been posting much in the way of personal weight loss info on this board in a few months. Part of the reason is that I have been wanting to avoid being attacked. But, I'm done with that. I'm going to be real on this board and use it for weight loss support from now on. I am reclaiming my intention to make this board a source of support.


Alright, so as many of you know I'm seeing a psychologist to deal with compulsive/binge eating. My pattern has always been this:

I pick a diet (ww, atkins, carb addicts, or my personal fav. calorie counting) and I get soooo excited about it. I buy the books, the food scales, the new fancy notebooks to track my info, etc. I eat a bunch the night before I start because "tomorrow it will all change." I calculate how soon I'm going to be slinking around in a size 8, what size I'll wear by my birthday, etc.

Two days in, I'm sooo excited, following it to the letter, measuring my grapes with more precision than they use to launch the space shuttle.

One week in, happy, losing weight, starting to crave other foods.

Eventually, grumpy, craving and I cheat. Then I may or may not try to get back on the wagon, then I binge on all the foods I "couldn't eat" before and I end up with a net weight gain.

Sooooooo, I'm done with formal dieting. I'm trying to attack the way that I eat rather than what exactly I eat. For instance, I'm trying to stop binges before they start, I'm trying to plan meals/snacks (for whatever reason, I have it in my head that snacks aren't okay, so once I start to snack, everything falls apart, I'm trying to change that).

I had a big realization this last week. I am a sporadic exerciser. For most of my life I've done really great on a plan for a few months (as much as 6-8) then just completely stopped. I realized that I always tracked the minutae of my exercise (miles, minutes, calories) and got more obsessed with the numbers than with actually enjoying it or being intrinsically motivated. So, I'm giving up tracking the workouts. I'm trying to have fun with it and do something most every day.

I haven't lost anything yet. I actually gained about 3 pounds over the last month because I had my gallbladder out and was forbidden from exercise (or lifting my son, which was awful) so I had family in town to help me lift the baby. This meant a whole lotta eating out and cooking things I don't usually eat. It's a little blip in the greater scheme of things, and it'll come off, but I thought I'd update everyone.

In any case, I'm done hiding. You'll hear lots more from me in the future!

Erin

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 10:32pm
Welcome back Erin!

Like you I haven't been around here for awhile as I just got frustrated with all the drama that was going. But I too have come to the conclusion that I refuse to let petty, childish behaviour stop me from succeeding in my goal.

Plus, given our binging habits I think we have something else in common! I've slipped a couple of times the past few weeks (a new cupcake shop opened up in my neighbourhood...not a good thing for me) but I am going to try to get back on track. I don't follow a specific diet - I try to keep up on the exercising, eat properly (which includes no eating past 7 p.m....that's my time of weakness...it's when I'm loneliest) and generally stay active.

My exercise routine focuses mostly on walking but I've also joined a belly dancing class which is fabulous. I try to keep my foods natural and organic...staying away from processed and junk food...and when I go out with my friends I stick to soda water and lime - I'm a sucker for martinis!

Basically I'm going to do this one step at a time. I want to avoid diets as I can not deprive myself of certain things (like chocolate) so I allow one day a week for treats. Since introducing my treat day (which is normally Saturday or Sunday) I find that I don't overindulge or binge as often as I used to.

So...let's take back the board and get fit!

Cheers

Lisa

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 10:33pm
Oh yea I forgot...I'm sooooooooooo glad you're feeling better after gallbladder incident! It is a painful recovery!

Cheers

Lisa

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 10:54pm
Oh its easy to get wrapped up in numbers and habits. We are trying to change the way we eat poorly and we end up changing it into another habit...sometimes I think its a worse habit lol Im glad that you have given up the "diets" and programs and numbers. But only gaining 3 pounds is great concidering! Keep up the hard work and I hope to hear about more good stuff in the future months :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 11:01pm
Bellydancing sounds like a lot of fun! One of my aquaintances teaches it, but I've never gone. I have a bellydance workout video and it's fun, it makes me sore for a few days afterward!

I'm with you on moving toward more natural, organic foods. I'm the only 250 pound vegetarian I've ever met! I stopped with meat when I was around 11 or 12 years old, and have gone on and off with poultry starting around college, but I'm off it again. I think the lower you can eat on the food chain, the better. Besides, I really love fruits and veggies.

Diet coke is one of my major downfalls, though. I was so good when I was pregnant, I avoided it like the plague, but now I'm back into a 3-4 can a day habit. I'm trying to work on that, too.

By the way, you've mentioned you are Canadian. Did you watch Mr. Dressup when you were a kid? I grew up in metro Detroit and we could only get Canadian television until I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I loooooved Mr. Dressup. I just recently found a set of DVDs of his shows that I'm going to buy so my son can grow up with him, too. None of my friends have any idea what I'm talking about whenever we've talked about childhood tv shows. (I was in college when I found out that the sesame street I grew up with and loved was different from the one shown on most American networks).

Erin

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-17-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 11:22pm
Oh Erin - your post made me come out of lurkdom here on this board as everything you said just hit home. Almost as if I were to have written it myself. Down to buying the fancy notebooks, calorie counters and scales. And every single time just set myself up to fail and feel like a failure.

I am now doing the same thing you are setting out to do. Although I don't exercise as much as I should, I don't feel bad about myself anylonger.

I hope everything works out for us. It may be a slow road but none the less, a much happier one.

Always know I'm right there with ya...

Kerry

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 11:30pm
I loved Mr. Dressup and his tickle trunk!!!!!! It was a very sad day when he passed away. I had no idea Canadian stations broadcasted into the States though. Did you see the Friendly Giant as well? We used to get both American and Canadian Seasame Street so I grew up with knowledge of both Spanish and English - it was great!

As for the bellydancing...if I were you I'd go for it and take the class. I know mine is filled with women of all ages and sizes and we have a riot! It's tough, and last week she was brutal with the abs, but you feel so good about yourself when you finish.

Good for you for getting off meat. I still eat some meat though not a lot...I try to eat more fish and sometimes free range chicken and avoid red meat. I do find it tricky getting my veggies in though. I'm a sucker for fruit but I tend to get a little lazy with the vegetables. Hopefully I'll make it to a few farmer's markets this fall and stock up on some squash, etc.

As for the diet coke...I used to drink it a lot years and years ago but I've pretty much come off pop completely. I'll occassionally get a Dr Pepper or Root Beer but that is a rare occassion. But hey, at least it's diet coke!! It could be worse!

So now that your back on your feet what are you doing for exercise?

Cheers

Lisa

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2003
Sun, 09-26-2004 - 11:15am
Yup, I think the friendly giant came on just before (maybe just after...) Mr. Dressup. I like that one, too, but Mr. Dressup was far and away my favorite. Casey and Finnigan were very cool, I wanted a treehouse like that in my back yard, too.

I don't think the CBC intentionally broadcast into the US, but we lived so close to the border with Windsor that we were able to pick up the signal. Today, though, a lot of the radio stations you hear in Detroit are broadcast out of Windsor.

I'm so lucky that a gym has opened at the front of my subdivision. It's very nice and very low-key. Most of the people who go are from my neighborhood and they are older family-type people, none of the spandex clad 20 somethings bouncing around in full makeup. I really enjoy using the eliptical trainer and doing weight training. I'm also trying to get out and walk in the neighborhood or around town nearly every day with my son. Ian's 9 months old now (amazing how time flies!) and I want him to grow up seeing physical activity as just a normal part of life.

I'll have to think more about the bellydancing. It really is all about having fun, and I know I'd like it. My gym also offers a cardio kick-boxing. The owner keeps trying to get me to try it, so I might go for it. I'm always nervous about doing group exercise, though.

Seems like we have a lot in common!

Erin

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
Mom
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-23-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 3:25pm
Note to the idiot in the library who can not afford a computer of his/her own to use

I am not going to say this anymore than I have to. You do not know our situations or will you ever know our situations. Some people cannot just exercise and eat healthy and the weight will come off. Some people have health issues that will not allow it. Did you know that if one is stressed not matter what they do, they will generally gain weight? Did you know that if you have polycystic ovaries the same is true and that you have to go in for test and take medication to help you control your weight?????

No I am sure that you were not aware of that. I did not see MD or PHD after your name. I think, though, I saw "I Gremlin04 am a complete and utter moron" Yeah, thats what it said after every one of your unfounded post. Get off the board. Go get some help, there are many psychologist out there that would have a field day with you.

Zo