I have been struggling to lose five pounds for most of my adult life. I succeeded once by sticking to Weight Watchers, plus fasting one day a week. I maintained it for a whole year (go me!!!) by continuing to fast one day a week. Then I quit fasting, and it came back, slowly but surely. And it has been back for a whole year now. I know that five pounds seems like too much to some of you, and like I'm being ridiculous to the rest of you, but when my clothes are too tight, it feels like I'm being pinched all day long! No one wants to be pinched for hours on end. Typically the pinching occurs on my thighs, where fat rushes to first, and lasts longest. If I go even a pound over the five, and sometimes I go four pounds over, the pinching occurs on my stomach too! OUCH! I only have so many pants/shorts/capris that I can wear while hiding the fact that the top button is not buttoned! (The rest of my pants/shorts/capris are made so that flaps that are usually held down by the buttons, instead protrude out from under my blouse looking like I have the belly button of someone who is 24 months pregnant! )
The problem is I refuse to buy new clothes. I've been wearing more sweats and stretchy pants and shorts lately, which makes me feel so ?????????? Comfy! No, though that's true, it's not the word I'm looking for.... I guess the word is undisciplined, and kind of sad. Kudos to me for not eating any chocolate, my absolute favorite food in the whole world, for over fifty days now, BUT, I have made up those calories by eating sugar in any form I can get it. Wintergreen lozenges are one of my biggest weaknesses. (These pink little disks are sold at JoAnns and are wonderful! I am like an addict in that if I am within a mile of that store, it is all I can do to keep driving in the opposite direction! And seeing how I have eaten almost the whole pack tonight, I have to admit that I don't always drive by.) Smarties, suckers, graham crackers with frosting and/or marshmallow creme, cookies, Good & Plenties, UGH! Do you know how long I have to suffer on my treadmill to burn the 600 calories I've consumed in the last couple hours. DAYS! I would have to not eat anything and walk/jog for days!
Well, there you have it. I'm confessing my weakness, and asking for advice. Who out there has lost that last 5 to 9 pounds and kept it off for a good length of time, and how did you do it? I will begin my goal again tomorrow, maybe take the other bag of wintergreen lozenges that is 'hiding' behind the bag of ice in the outside freezer, to my daughter's house so I can't go grab it in a moment of craving! Maybe I'll go back on Weight Watchers again, knowing that if I actually stick to it, I could lose the pounds in a reasonable amount of time. And maybe I'll start fasting once a week again. The problem is that 'maybe' hasn't been working for me. Too often I just figure that I can blow off today and begin again tomorrow. But as they say, tomorrow never comes. It just turns into another today! Maybe confessing this to you, will help me to stick to a plan so that I can report to you, in a month or so, that I actually did it. That the five pounds are gone, and I'm out of sweats and back into jeans! Anyone want to join me?
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There are a lot of men who think that last five pounds are pretty damned sexy! I have decided to embrace the last 5 pounds and retain my curves.
ReplyDeleteSugar craving is, indeed, a powerful addiction and we all have our own personal version of the "wintergreen lozenge" that you so humorously describe. Through the years I have shifted my focus from outward appearance to what's happening on the inside. Sugar and fat are prime breeding ground for unhealthy cells; keep that in mind when the cravings hit. As of last Saturday I have been on a healthy eating plan along with exercise. After the last of the pumpkin pie is gone, I will have no more sugar in the house. The cravings do go away. People can give up cigarettes; why can't we give up sugar. Out of all my friends, you have always been in the best shape; perhaps it will help to think about the shape of your insides, too.
ReplyDeleteI do think about my insides too, especially when I'm popping little pink disks of Pepto- Bismol three nights in a row! Do you know they turn your tongue black?! I'm sure my insides love that. (At least I am exercising regularly.) Anyway, though I can't commit to eating really well this weekend, I'm going to commit to starting on Monday! And YES, people give up all kinds of more addicting things, I can do this.........on Monday :)
ReplyDeleteHey Jen It isn't the curves I'm so worried about, it's the clothes not fitting, and yes, it's the whole health issue too. I had decided I could embrace those five pounds, but then I'd have very little to wear! I couldn't wear half my clothes all summer!
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