When I was growing up, I knew many people who dieted. And I learned that when people dieted, they became cranky and when the diet was over, they gained it all back (and sometimes more). So I never wanted to go on a diet.
But last year, my mother joined Weight Watchers Online and during the year she got down to her goal weight. What’s more, she’s changed her lifestyle, she’s exercising regularly at Curves, and is having a blast trying out new and different recipes. That has encouraged me where fad diets never could.
Lifestyle change – that’s what I need. My biggest problem is that I love food. And will eat it. Usually too much of it. I need to work on portion control. So I’ve decided to do that. And rather than think of it as a diet, it’s a project. (Hey, anything to avoid the earlier thoughts I have about dieting.) I made up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my weight, my water intake, my lunches & dinners, snacks, deserts, and any (currently rare) incidents of exercise. I’m going to join Curves (and go in with mom when we can go together) and if I like it, I’ll get some exercise. (I think you can do it once for free.) If my Portion Control Project does work and I can change my lifestyle to include smaller portions (and hopefully lose some weight), that’ll be great. If it doesn’t, I might spend some money on Weight Watchers Online.
So, why am I going to try to do this? I’m still young (not yet to 33 1/3) but I am overweight (obese is the word). In order to cut down on future health problems, I’d like to change my lifestyle NOW rather than later. Who knows, maybe in a year’s time, I might be down to my goal weight. But if not, I’m not going to get all depressed and binge eat until I gain everything back and then some! (At least, I *hope* not!) Wish me luck!
Yay, good luck. ^__^ I’ve heard good things about Curves. I love food too, but I find that once I start getting active it’s easy to counterbalance what I eat with the energy I expend. Working out feels good too, in other words. I try to enjoy exercise as sensuously as I enjoy food.
But exercise… That’s like work! 🙂 Well, I get addicted to things easily, so maybe exercise will become slightly addictive to me. (I’ll just believe it when I see it.) Thanks for the luck!
I used to take novels in to my old gym and cycle whilst reading. My current gym has little headsets on the machines, so you can plug in and chose a channel to listen to – so I end up exercising and listening to BBC Radio 4. The biggest problem I have at the gym is boredom. Running? Not bloody likely (as Eliza Doolittle would say). Don’t be afraid to ask for a half-hour with a trainer – I got a guy who showed me how to use the cross-trainer so a) I don’t get bored b) it actually works on the muscle groups I want to work on (a slight beer belly at 25 is cute, less so when it’s bigger and I’m older) Good luck – I like the idea of converting something with dodgy connotations (diet) into something that fits your personal frame of reference (a project).
The neat thing about Curves (as I understand it) is that you work on an exercise machine for 30 seconds, then stand and jog 30 seconds, then get on another for 30 seconds, stand and jog, etc etc until 30 minutes are up. (Just circle the room hitting each device in the half hour.) There’s music constantly playing while you’re doing this, too. So boring probably won’t describe it. My biggest concern is the music… (I’m so picky, see?)
Oh we have that too. It’s in a sub gym of the main one and is called ‘express’ or something similar. It’s got a set of traffic lights which tell you when to move to the next machine. Mags
You can do it. I have no doubt about it. The hard part is keeping it off after you get there. 🙂 If I still had three joints that worked I might be joining Curves now myself. We do have them around here.
You can do it. I have no doubt about it. Thanks! I need all the confidence boosters I can get. 🙂 If I still had three joints that worked I might be joining Curves now myself. Tsk tsk! Remember how all that walking at Disney improved your knee! Start slow, that’s true, but ya gotta start. (Says she who has yet to actually do any exercise this project…)
(tried weight watchers.. doesnt work for me. but then I have to follow a gluten free diet anyway and ther’es other factors.) However… Good Luck!!!! I’ve seen so many folks suceed with it and I’m certain you’ll be reaching your goals in no time at all! =)
Thanks for the luck! As for WeightWatchers itself, I shan’t start with that. I’ll try it on me own before I pay anyone money to tell me what I already know (eat right, exercise). 🙂
well you’re mom has all the things anyway..I’d just use those for a few weeks and see how it goes. =) Me I”m trying a new approach – cause it seems my problem isn’t over eating.. it’s under eating (long story snipped here) and a few other things. I’m currently reading “The Schwarzbein Principle” (I & II), and “The Diet Cure” (that title is misleading). Both of these are books regarding metabolism, the current failings of the usualy american diet, problems faced by the population at large, ethnic/ancestral heritage, and several other very common sense things from a scientific perspective. Adrenal failure is also addressed. I’m not doing either of them much justice here. Suffice to say they aren’t so much a “diet” book more of a perspective and what they as either an endorcrinologist or biologist/nutriionist have learned through trial/error works for their patients. Both are easy to read. I”m learning a lot. =) for me it helps to understand the possible why’s of what may be going on.. cause for me it doesn’t appear to be diet.. something else is goin on. =) gosh I hope I made sense.
Well, I made sense of it. Good luck on your endeavor!
well so far so good. =) btw love your icons!
Thanks! I’ve been having fun with them. (Need more ideas, though, I still have 5 to make – I know what I’m making for St. Patrick’s Day, at least).
ooh.. BE interested in seeing those!=)
Come this March, it’ll be a year of Curves for me…and I still rather like it. Lost some inches, etc. But without portion control…(which I’ve not had)…no signifigant weight loss. So, you know, I may use your example as inspiration meself…
Cool – never been an inspiration before! 🙂