Brooke, Lena and I went to see "He's just not that into you" last night and it was just the thing I needed. I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend it and I think even the guys you drag along with you would enjoy it too ;-)
Then we stopped into Chapters and I picked up a book to read that I think will help me re-focus my approach to finishing off this li'l ol' weight loss goal of mine. I've never considered myself one of those "dieters" who gets "caught up in it" because I've tried to make sure that I keep the proper and realistic focus on health and weight loss, but I think when this journey has gone on as long as it has (which in itself is mentally challenging, taxing and exhausting) and the more you inevitably become exposed to the "the industry" in search for all the "right" information, the more your head
I want to "balance out my brain" so to speak because we all know that weight loss is about counting calories and creating a deficit through both restriction and exercise and while that is all true and scientific and undisputable, I have hopes that this book may help me approach that very thing more naturally, if possible, by learning how to "honour" my hunger and my body. I do not wish to keep flip flopping between "counting strategies" anymore with the hopes that doing so will be the mental shift in focus that I need. That is what I hope to get out of it anyway and I haven't started to read it yet, so I will most definitely post my thoughts about it as I go along and the things that resonate with me along the way.
I think that it's important to be a "responsible dieter" in that sense too. I know that many of you see me as having had tremendous weight loss success and look to me for inspiration in getting there yourself. Whether I like it or not, that does make me a role model to some of you because I've made my journey public. This is me, I am real, this is and has been my true journey and I've chosen to share it with you. I don't consider myself any more successful than any of you because there are many of us who share this journey with each other and we give and take all of the same things. But the fact remains, even though this blog and this journey is about me, I also want to be a good and responsible influence on all of you too :-)
There is an ultimate goal that I'm trying to reach here and my mental approach has always been "for keeps" and that means a life-long sustainable lifestyle that is realistic. So far I feel I've done a good job at accepting a healthy lifestyle on the nutrition side and I've never found myself eating foods that I don't enjoy. I've enjoyed every meal, I enjoy healthy foods and that part is conquered. I don't want to frig that up by getting too occupied with calories every single time a morsel of food goes into my mouth. That is the connundrum you guys, because it's pretty much necessary to have to count your calories in order to lose weight. That is always how it's been and the reason is because otherwise there wouldn't be a need to have to lose it because the calorie intake/expenditure would already be in a healthy balance.
Hopefully the book will either "solve" that connundrum. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a book, and hopefully it's not just another thing to make my head spin, but it looks like I'm about to find out!
Thank you all so much for your continued support to me and my blog :-)
12 comments:
I don't think the book will change your world, but it will most likely change your thought processes and give you new knowledge to help change your world!!!
I, for one, am glad that you continue to post your journey!
Thank you for sharing with us. You're doing the right thing!
Thank you for sharing, for people like you, who show me that there is a way to weight loss is that I started this journey to try my hardest to become a healthier me.
You are one of my role models, it encourages me everyday to keep this going.
KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB!!!
I beg to differ :).
Calorie counting is not the be all end all of weight loss solutions. I have lost weight successfully via both calorie counting and intuitive eating/making smarter choices. I find that when I count calories I will clean my plate just because I've counted it...even though I'm long since full. I believe that is why I feel better and lose better when I rely on wise choices and listening to my body, and I know I'm not alone in that.
It really isn't necessary for everyone to get super-technical about every bite that goes into their mouth. If that fits your life (and it does, for many people), then that is awesome, but calorie counting is not the only (or for some, the best) way. Sometimes it hinders more than it helps. Totally depends on the individual.
*Steps off soapbox*
Enjoy the book!
Angie, I am half-way through this book right now and it has blown me away so far! It sheds so much light on WHY we feel the need to overeat and how getting ourselves into this "good food" vs."bad food" thought process has made us want to eat even more instead of just giving our bodies what it needs and wants at the time of our meals. It really encompasses the whole dieting mentality and why diets don't work. Very interesting. I think you will feel a sense of relief when you read it. It will take some time to "change over" to this way of thinking and tuning in, but I am interested in trying it out - um, AFTER I get to goal - I know, I know - bad dieter!! ;)
Girl, I think that trying something new is probably just what you need. You've been doing essentially the same thing (points...calories...whatever) for a really long time and like you said it's exhausting and can tax your brain. I think that is why we all fall of the wagon sometimes....just to give our brains a break from all that counting and worry. Even if at the end, you don't follow the book at all...reading it might take that load off your brain for a while a let you recharge. Either way, goooood luck! And you know we all THANK YOU for sharing. :)
I am glad that you are able to move forward! I have missed your blogs, but in no way do I want you to feel obligated because of that!
I hope you find something in that book to kickstart you - and make you feel excited again!
Happy Wednesday!
i've read that book and it's great - very interesting and informative. it didn't really help for me because i'm not an intuitive eater. i can't just not finish the slice of pizza because i feel satisfied, not full. i wish i were. intuitive eating probably can be practiced enough to make it a lifestyle - it would just take some serious serious willpower.
I love reading your posts by the way.
I agree with Vanessa. Calorie counting (point counting etc) is not necessary to lose weight. I think that the information is so random anyway, who knows how many calories you really need in a day to maintain? What if you are a figety person, what about if your thyroid is over active? What about how your hormones are doing? Then who knows how many calories are in your food anyway? An apple is not the same as every apple. Even 1/4 of a packaged food is not necesarily what the box says (are you get an even 1/4, does it have more nuts than a different part? how accurate is the package info? etc). I think it's all a crapshoot, but I've said that before.
I think you know when you're doing well and when you're not, regardless of what the calories say, don't they usually reflect what you already knew?
Hopefully the book helps. It should at least help for when you do "fall of the wagon" and arent' counting, you maybe won't be as bad as otherwise?
thanks for being you and being continually honest, its nice to know that there are other people out there who go through the same things, it truly makes all the difference!
Angie....I have just two words. YOU ROCK! I love your blog, I love how real you are. And I even love that you are struggling right now, because it makes me feel less alone in my own struggling.So Mwah! right back atcha. ;)
Intuitive eating scares the crap out of me. I wish I could do it, but it seems the minute I relax with the counting, I gain weight. I know I've only lost about 10 lbs since September, but I'm coming to terms with the slow losses, and realizing that I am making more positive changes this time around, and that they will hopefully stick around WHEN I reach goal.
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