Early yesterday morning after drinking my morning coffee, I stepped on the scale and about had a heart attack: I hit a new personal high. (That makes things sound so positive.)
By mid-morning, I started feeling like I couldn’t breath. Maybe that’s what happens when you have no idea how to direct yourself to eat for the day. What the what is happening to you when you can’t even instruct yourself what to eat for the day?
Should I count calories? Avoid carbs? Slice and dice? Weigh before morning coffee? I had no idea but I knew I had problems.
Not real problems, of course. Because my family still loves me. (Except for the cat. I never really know how she feels about me.) And the sun rose and set yesterday with no issue at all. More like a difficulty. Uncertainty. A matter needing resolution.
Many moons ago, I had real problems with food. In my late teens I was a hot mess ~ me and food. And I learned some important things from really smart people:
- Women that mismanage food can damage their bodies and have trouble getting pregnant / sustaining pregnancy. (At 19, that info right there spooked me clear out of my food ‘issues.’)
- The scale doesn’t give worth. At all. Ever.
- Controlling food does not make bigger problems go away. Like fear, past hurt, or unforgiveness.
So, my current ‘problem’ is more about a lack of direction.
Since hitting my forties ~ I’ve had a lack of direction regarding food. And that lack of direction is creating an undesired abundance. Does anyone out there understand?
So, I’m just wondering: Does anyone have 3 Surefire Ways to Lose Weight? (And now you are wondering ~ did she just bait and switch with this post title?)
Please. Share your smart tips. I really am in a conundrum here.
Now, the good news is that I am meeting with Tatum tomorrow. And I know she’ll have something to say. Lots actually.
… to be continued.
And oh, click here to enter to win a fabulous personalized canvas from See to Believe Studios.
Let’s keep in touch, check out the ‘Good News’ Newsletter every Friday.
Related Posts
-
Wanna lose weight? Preload in style … for free!
-
10 Quick Ways to Sabotage Your Marriage
-
… it’s easy to lose perspective
-
… feel like you’re headed the wrong direction?
Sorry this is so long…maybe I should have my OWN blog!! But, Susie, you’ve hit on a passion of mine!
I have, by necessity, eaten a gluten/dairy free diet for years. However, I also found myself in that place of needing to drop some weight. The frustrating part for me was that I was exercising religiously and being very careful to watch what I ate–to the point that I had become pretty obsessive about it. Here is what I finally did that WORKED:
1) I spent time in the Word and became comfortable with myself just as I was. I don’t think I had EVER done that. I became OK with not exercising every day and quit looking at eating as a DIET!!
2) I met with some nutritionists and changed my view of food to one of sustenance and fuel. To some, this sounds boring, but it doesn’t HAVE to be. I am a wonderfully creative cook and I LOVE food. But, how much and what KIND of food do I REALLY need today to fuel my body and be as strong as the Lord is calling me to be TODAY.
3) This change, for me, looks a lot like the Paleo diet (The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf). It meant that, along with being Gluten/Dairy Free (no wheat/barley/etc), I dropped ALL grains–oatmeal, rice, buckwheat–along with no corn or beans. I eat good, clean meats–beef, chicken, pork, wild game (WITH their healthy fats)– and seafood. I eat LOTS of GOOD FATS–avocado, nuts, oils, coconut (the human body NEEDS FAT–about 50-70 grams–but it needs to be HEALTHY FATS! I eat some fruits in moderation (remember that fruit is STILL sugar, so you can eat too much). And I GORGE on all sorts of veggies–fresh, steamed, pureed, roasted, etc.!!
4) I put SLEEP above EXERCISE. If I can’t get to bed in time to get 7-8 hours of sleep (the amount I have learned that my body NEEDS), then I don’t let myself get up early to go workout. Our bodies MUST have rest to function the way God made us!
5) I joined a CrossFit gym and, instead of working out in the gym 1-2 hours 6 days a week, I workout 3 times a week for 45 minutes. The other days I am “active”. I ride my horse a few times, I meet friends to walk, I go for a short run with my kiddos, I ride the trails with my son…etc.
6) I have only dropped about 5 pounds, but I have dropped 2 sizes and I look STRONG! I feel GREAT, I sleep like a baby (first time in 15 years), I’m off all of my prescription meds, my allergies have virtually disappeared, I am calm, and I am better able to find the JOY in LIVING!
Many people will read this and say, “I could never do that!” I say, find what you can do and make the change. But DON’T sell yourself short of what you can and can’t do. You can do ALL things through Christ–even change your eating habits and LOVE it! You see, I became sick and tired of being sick and tired. I got frustrated with doctors telling me that where I was might just be “as good as it gets” for an 11 year cancer survivor and mother of 3 in her 40′s. I made the changed necessary to be the Daughter of the King that I’ve been called to be.
Now, it has become my PASSION to help other women in their quest to be HEALTHY (NOT SKINNY). Now, if only I could find the time to go back to school–maybe after our adoption…HA!!
Love the Lord your God and LOVE who He has MADE you to be. THEN, eat VEGGIES FIRST, healthy MEATS and FATS second (nuts, oils, coconut, avocado), FRUITS third, and the occasional sweet splurge to keep you on track! AND MOVE YOUR BODY!
Thank you!!!
Kristen, thanks for your post! I needed to read it.
I have struggled with disordered eating since my early teens (I’m now 26) and I’ve found that following a Paleo/Primal way of eating is the best way for me to take the focus off that dangerous “good food/bad food” mindset and the guilt that always followed when I missed a night at the gym.
But, the one thing I haven’t done is immerse myself in His Word. And I think that’s the missing link.
In the last month I’ve dropped a pants size by making one simple change: only eating snacks/desserts that are 150 calories or less. I’m big on dessert!
I have one splurge day a week but I make sure it is out – walking with a Starbucks drink or window shopping with some frozen yogurt. : )
Here’s my secret … a gluten-free, processed food-free, sugar-free, vegan diet … not by choice but by necessity. It isn’t fun, but I can eat as much as I like, everyday! Now on to the next thing … time to get more exercise!
1. Exercise with a friend or family member. Catching up while you exercise makes it so much more fun!
2. I listen to podcasts (sermons, lectures, books…) while I walk or jog.
3. Get a dog. They give you ‘the look’ and they get soooo excited when you take them out on trails.
4. When you want a treat, eat the real thing not some yucky low fat/non fat substitute. I use real cream in my coffee and real butter on my toast every day. Moderation with satisfaction!
5. Sign up for a race…sometimes a 5K can motivate you to get out the door. A 10K or a half marathon will scare me right out the door :)
Diets suck and don’t work. Making good choices and changing your lifestyle is key.
1) I eat what I call the “God” diet. If God didn’t make it, I don’t eat it. 5-6 “snacks” a day vs. 3 big meals. I have 3 veggies and 2 fruits a day. Smart protein choices (chicken, fish, nuts) and complex carbs (brown rice, oatmeal.)
2) Move your body everyday. Walk, run, dance, ride your bike. Just move. Getting out the door is 90% of the challenge. Once you’re out, it’s easy. Stop listening to the voices in your head that say don’t go. You can’t do this. Stay comfortable at home.
3) Ditch the scale! Let the way you feel and the way your clothes fit you be your guide.
4) I’ve got to add a 4th. Splurge and have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it!!
Not a fan of diets. Period. Diets tend to bring way to much emotional stuff into it for me personally. We all know how to eat healthy. Smaller portions or splitting meals out have been helpful.
And having chocolate almond milk on hand to curb the sweet tooth that hits pretty regularly!
And movement!
I am a huge fan of walking – at a fast pace of course – to help me get back on track.
Make it fun Susie, you look great.
iPhone App: Lose It! Set a goal….log all food, exercise. Use a BMI calculator…..also from App Store….hard to ignore the facts! Just do it!
I laughed out loud as I too have hit my new all time high! I have zero advice but I will be checking in to see what your wonderful readers have to say. So far I like “stretchy black leggings” the best :)
Yes, stretchy black leggings is the easiest by far.
And you, my friend, I can’t believe you have hit your all time high as you are so completely rational and self-controlled.
We shall see what readers and Tatum have to say.
Lord, help us both. ;)
1. Lots of spicy foods (jalapenos, pepper jack cheese) to literally burn fat and keep me from eating so much.
2. Few carbs – if I must have carbs, I have them for breakfast with lots of fiber thrown in so they leave my body quickly (oatmeal is great!)
3. Lots and lots and lots of water and green tea every day, NO soda or milk (though I do have Greek yogurt and cheese)
Susie,
I know how terrifying it is to reach the “all time high”. I reached it when I was nursing #6 at 40 years old. Tough decade. I did the low carb thing and lost 35 lbs and kept most of it off until last year. Last Easter when we took our family picture on the deck, I realized I had gained all of it back (I am now 50). I started sprinting/walking up and down my driveway. 5 laps equals one mile. I didn’t go completely back to the low carb, but I definitely watched it. No WHITE, no to little SUGAR, VEGGIES. I lost 20 lbs just in time for my daughter’s wedding, but have quickly gained back 5. Why did I think I could now eat the wonderful bread at Texas Roadhouse and Halloween spider brownies and all the delicious food at our Wednesday Night Dinners at church? So I am back to watching my carbs/ NO SUGAR/3 miles outside or 30 minutes inside of exercise a day until I get to my goal weight (10 more lbs oops now 15!). Obviously, I need to keep focused because it takes forEVER to lose it and just days to gain it back! Sometimes getting old isn’t fun….but God is good and his blessings are new every morning! :)
… spider brownies … ? Good that I’ve never met them.
“You may surely eat of every tree of the garden” Permission to eat what you please, minus the guilt! Perhaps adopt a french accent? The French seem to eat what they want without gaining weight!
Eat small portions
Eat often
Only eat when you have time to eat slowly, savoring every bite. Eating on the go isn’t worth it.
Don’t eat past 6pm
When you eat out, split your entre with someone or eat half and take the other half home for the next days lunch
If you eat FAST FOOD you will gain weight FAST
Never deprive yourself
Walk daily under the big blue sky (working out in a gym just seems like work!)
Use honey instead of sugar
Buy the cutest cup ever and keep it filled with water and drink from it all day long.
Don’t think about weight. Think about how adorable you are in your new profile picture! Cute as a button!
I’m pretty sure French women don’t own scales! Get rid of it. It’s just plain mean.
Don’t forget that french accent. ;-)
I like you.
I like her too.
Read “Skinny Chicks don’t Eat Salads” ! http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Chicks-Dont-Eat-Salads/dp/1605299979
The age old problem of maintaining a healthy weight is quite frustrating. Of course, not for people like my husband who forgets to eat and although he loves food, he doeslove it as passionately as I do. I would love to say that I can just count calories, but I am an all or nothing kind of person…and I like to feel full. So when I need to drop ten pounds (because I have been eating too many of my “healthy cookies” or drinking a few too many glasses of wine) I simply get off all sugars. (This means anything white. Sorry Ronne!) Even when I am at my natural weight, this is how I live: Lots of lean protein (no red meat) lots of vegetables and dark chocolate everyday for a healthy treat. Wine one weekend night only, occasional bites of a shared dessert, and walking on the tread mill or kettleworx three to five times a week. :( With hormones changing and metabolism changing….you have to change the way you think about food. Enjoy it…but watch WHAT you eat…and don’t watse your calories on nutritionally empty food. (Of course this is hard advice to swallow myself, as we are entering my favorite baking time of year!)
Hey, Susie. This is the woman that washed your feet at the CrossBridge retreat! :D
I’ve been doing low-carb/high-fat diet for a while now. I lost 15 pounds so far and have managed to keep it off. All the bacon and cheese you care to eat, coffee with real cream in it, and yummy, marvelous fatty steak…just no bread, or candy or pasta. Plus no exercise for the first two weeks. Music to my ears!! There’s a really excellent book called Why We Get Fat, by Gary Taubes–it will change your life.
Be blessed!!
Thanks, Katy!
Why We Get Fat is a great book, and after I read it, I also read The Glycemic Load Diet by Rob Thompson. The second book gave me a workable eating plan for life! Avoid the big 4 – bread, potatoes, rice and sweetened drinks! I’ve lost 25 pounds and feel great!
As an RD, writing it down is one of the most basic and effective tips I advise all clients to do!
As another reply said, weight watchers is a great, healthy way to reach your goals if you need the structure of the program. Accountability can come from something like Weight Watchers, a Dietitian, or a really good friend! (I have an article on it at website noted working4wellness.net/fooddiaries)
i am currently reading “How to outsmart the mid-life fat cell”. I am not too far into it but so far dieting makes them mad and they grow, but a variety of exercises help. You can’t keep doing the same exercise as they adapt to what you are doing and won’t shrink. They sure sound like cantankerous toots and there are millions of them! Oh and they said no one escapes some weight gain in mid-life and that we’ll never have that twenty-something body again. Hope this helps!
Low carb is the way to go for me…you can start off pretty restrictive, then it just whole foods, grains veggies, fruit & clean protein. Protein in the morning is my magic bullet. ABSOLUTELY NO sugar!! At the beginning a real kicker also…no caffeine :( drink warm lemon water….I sound nuts hehe but seriously after all these years it’s what works for me and it’s healthy & natural. I laughed reading your post!! Good luck, make your decision!!!
I’m with Tavia. Top THREE?
1. no sugar or processed food.
2. good protein and lots of veggies.
3. exercise with variety (heavy, light, fast, slow, fun and sweaty!)
I joined a CrossFit gym and started a paleo style eating habit and it’s been very beneficial! Find something that works for you that is sustainable and enjoyable. It’s actually a pretty entertaining game to see what you can make without the use of bread, sugar, and beans.
Well, um, leggings. Black leggings. Thank you God for this stretchy, forgiving, concealing trend.
I wish I had super-sexy advice, but the only thing that’s worked consistently for me is good old Weight Watchers. Yep, portion control and a food journal – along with an “accountabili-buddy” (my personal term for someone who can bust my chops if I eat too many chops) and a regular weekly weigh-in help keep me in check. I fall off the wagon but can easily hop back on. The weight loss is slow and steady and life gets to be normal – no “sorry, I don’t eat anything white” or “I only eat between the hours of 10 and 2″ moments.
Oh yeah, and I know this sounds weird, but cooking for others helps me with weight management. If I cook for the purpose of giving away, I don’t feel as inclined to eat what I’ve made. Yes, the Cupcake Queen has just divulged why she gives her desserts to others… :)