Last time I lost on the BFC, I had a very distinct pattern-- lose, plateau, lose, plateau. Basically, I lost weight every other week. The off weeks, I usually lost nothing, or next to nothing. Well, folks, I've had two really awesome weeks, so I just know my weigh-in Monday is going to be a plateau. I'm good with that.
No, I'm not. I keep trying to pep talk myself and remind myself it's a long journey and I need to be patient. But I'm terrible at patience!!! I don't want it to be slow, I want to have big, dramatic losses every week! Every day would be even better!
But here's the thing: Yes, I'm trying to lose weight, but more than that, I want to keep it off. I am so, so tired of the yo-yo and so, so tired of being fat. I want for once to be a "normal" size. I know I'll probably never be totally satisfied with my body, but I'd like to at least be able to buy a "Large" at a store and have a shot that it will fit me. How amazing would that be??
And I don't ever want to go back. Ever. I want there to come a time when people don't even remember what I looked like when I was fat.
And I want to be healthier. For the rest of my life, I want to be able to think, "I'm so glad I lost all that weight because now I'm healthier."
All that takes time. I know it does. It's just--just--I want it all NOW! Or I want to be able to keep it all in view at least. And when I plateau, it's hard to remember that it's all part of the process.
Sigh. Oh well.
Blobba
The exciting chronicles of Blobba the Gut!
7/17/15
7/9/15
OMG, you guys! Seriously.
MyFitnessPal is my new BFF. Hubs and I started using the app to save all the food we were eating and I can't even believe what a difference it has made. Not only am I totally accountable now, but I also can see how few calories I'm actually eating on the BFC. No wonder it works!!
Here's what's amazing: I'm not even trying that hard. I just keep things within 20-40g of carbs per meal and it's like magic. My body doesn't want to gorge on meat, so my calories just keep themselves within the limits MFP created for me.
My favorite part is saving the data from the day and it tells me "If every day were like today, you'd weigh ____ in 5 weeks!" It's almost like I've accomplished that goal already when I see that number. It's a mini goal that I know is feasible! It feels awesome.
I can't rave enough about MFP. The food data is already in there most of the time. And you can see how you're doing on all your major nutrients each day. Love love love!
A couple weeks ago, I was seriously bummed. I hadn't lost very much and thought I had been doing pretty well on the BFC. At first, I had just cut out sugar and wondered why I wasn't losing when I have SO much to lose. Then, I started counting carbs more and I realized I had been way over eating. So I lost a little when I did that. Then my parents came to town and (as predicted) I fell off the wagon big time and gained some back. Finally, Hubs brought up using MFP and I thought, "Why not?"
I lost 4 pounds last week using MFP. That's a total of 7 overall now, which is great. The best part is-- I actually have hope that I can keep this up and see success!
Here's what's amazing: I'm not even trying that hard. I just keep things within 20-40g of carbs per meal and it's like magic. My body doesn't want to gorge on meat, so my calories just keep themselves within the limits MFP created for me.
My favorite part is saving the data from the day and it tells me "If every day were like today, you'd weigh ____ in 5 weeks!" It's almost like I've accomplished that goal already when I see that number. It's a mini goal that I know is feasible! It feels awesome.
I can't rave enough about MFP. The food data is already in there most of the time. And you can see how you're doing on all your major nutrients each day. Love love love!
A couple weeks ago, I was seriously bummed. I hadn't lost very much and thought I had been doing pretty well on the BFC. At first, I had just cut out sugar and wondered why I wasn't losing when I have SO much to lose. Then, I started counting carbs more and I realized I had been way over eating. So I lost a little when I did that. Then my parents came to town and (as predicted) I fell off the wagon big time and gained some back. Finally, Hubs brought up using MFP and I thought, "Why not?"
I lost 4 pounds last week using MFP. That's a total of 7 overall now, which is great. The best part is-- I actually have hope that I can keep this up and see success!
6/17/15
Where I get on a soapbox only to realize I don't know how to get down
When I was in high school (in the 90's), my parents tried the Montignac Method for weight loss. They loved it. Dad lost tons of weight very quickly. Mom lost a lot, too, but a bit slower. So, when I complained recently to my dad about not losing quickly this time even though I have a lot of weight to lose, he immediately brought up Montignac. After all, it worked for my mom when she was in her early 50's, so surely it should work for me in my late 30's. Mom came into town and brought the book with her. It was published in the mid-90's and (disclaimer) I don't know if there have been later updates or anything. I have read half of it and here's what I think: it's a lot of malarkey sprinkled with facts. But the facts form the basis of the diet, so it seems to work.
For those who don't know and who may be interested, Montignac suggest what is basically a low-carb diet. He focuses on the glycemic index actually, but limits higher glycemic foods to breakfast moistly. So, you can have your whole-grain toast for breakfast, but with no fats at all. Fats can only be eaten with proteins and low-GI foods (veggies). So, it's really Atkins with a high-carb start to your day.
Montignac is not a doctor or scientist; he's a pharmaceutical exec. So, he gets the jargon and probably has some understanding of the science behind digestion, blood sugar, and weight loss, but his exposition and anecdotes make me roll my eyes.
This one takes the prize: Apparently, in the 1940's, the "Indians" of Arizona were facing an epidemic of diabetes after having abandoned their "natural" diet and adopting that of the "pale faces" (seriously-- he uses that phrase in all earnestness). But lucky for them, the federal government made them go back to eating how they should. (How, exactly, did the government do that?) This resulted in diabetes being "completely eradicated". Wouldn't that have been nice? The sad truth is that diabetes continues to be an issue among Native Americans (and, might I add, the entire US population as a whole).
My point is, this guy seems to have stumbled on a great idea which obviously works for weight loss, but his book is filled with absurdities. Still, he seems to be on to something. While there are some strange quirks that don't seem to have any basis in reality (Ex: don't eat fruit after a meal or it will ferment in your stomach. Also, don't drink at all while eating.), this method was a precursor to South Beach, Atkins, and, yes, the Belly Fat Cure. I don't know if the creators of these other diets read Montignac or even had ever heard of him, but they are based on the same concepts. And many, many people have been able to lose weight following them.
Here's my takeaway: Limit your carbs to keep your blood sugar even because crazy blood sugar=no weight loss. Whole grains are always better for you than processed, refined flours and will help in your efforts to lose.
TL;DR: Maybe I should eat food that is better for me.
For those who don't know and who may be interested, Montignac suggest what is basically a low-carb diet. He focuses on the glycemic index actually, but limits higher glycemic foods to breakfast moistly. So, you can have your whole-grain toast for breakfast, but with no fats at all. Fats can only be eaten with proteins and low-GI foods (veggies). So, it's really Atkins with a high-carb start to your day.
Montignac is not a doctor or scientist; he's a pharmaceutical exec. So, he gets the jargon and probably has some understanding of the science behind digestion, blood sugar, and weight loss, but his exposition and anecdotes make me roll my eyes.
This one takes the prize: Apparently, in the 1940's, the "Indians" of Arizona were facing an epidemic of diabetes after having abandoned their "natural" diet and adopting that of the "pale faces" (seriously-- he uses that phrase in all earnestness). But lucky for them, the federal government made them go back to eating how they should. (How, exactly, did the government do that?) This resulted in diabetes being "completely eradicated". Wouldn't that have been nice? The sad truth is that diabetes continues to be an issue among Native Americans (and, might I add, the entire US population as a whole).
My point is, this guy seems to have stumbled on a great idea which obviously works for weight loss, but his book is filled with absurdities. Still, he seems to be on to something. While there are some strange quirks that don't seem to have any basis in reality (Ex: don't eat fruit after a meal or it will ferment in your stomach. Also, don't drink at all while eating.), this method was a precursor to South Beach, Atkins, and, yes, the Belly Fat Cure. I don't know if the creators of these other diets read Montignac or even had ever heard of him, but they are based on the same concepts. And many, many people have been able to lose weight following them.
Here's my takeaway: Limit your carbs to keep your blood sugar even because crazy blood sugar=no weight loss. Whole grains are always better for you than processed, refined flours and will help in your efforts to lose.
TL;DR: Maybe I should eat food that is better for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)