Link to the article
Read both the main article and the linked article about each style or cluster of people
I can identify with both the struggler and the poor eater example (Janis and Gertrude). However, I am not struggling so much (relative to my failed attempts at maintenance) and I'm not a poor eater.
Who I am: ME! And I take a lot of photos!
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| Red hot poker- Crystal Cove State Park, Orange County, CA |
I am a hybrid. I'm a weight maintainer, structured Paleo styled eater who weighs every day and still tracks my food most days. I walk 8-11 thousand steps a day, with some sprinting and weight training. I'm one meal away from eating off the rails at ALL times.
How I identify myself:
I don't entirely fit into the Paleo mold, but I do identify the most with that eating template.
I don't entirely fit into the Primal mold, but I do identify with the play, sleep, and carb aspects.
I don't entirely fit into the Weight Watchers mold either, but I do identify with the support aspect.
I don't entirely fit into the Take Shape for Life (Medifast) maintainers, but it did work well for loss & support.
I absolutely disconnected from my obese identity, but I do have old wiring and habits that still surface. I still remember what it was like to be overweight as a kid in the 70's & 80's. And yo-yo weights as an adult in the 90's and 2000's.
I'm embracing the second year of weight maintenance for what it is for me- a lot of work cooking and exercising, tracking, and enjoying fresh, real food. A lot of time outdoors. A lot of emotional work too, with some personal growth. It's not too much. If I'm consistent with what works and I respect and am willing to work at it. And, willing to change up my routine if my life changes. And it did a lot in the first year.
I'm very excited to sign up on the NWCR- National Weight Control Registry so I can add my data to the data of those who are long time maintainers. Very exciting. It's taken 40 years to reach this point. Sweet! (in a non-food sort of way. ) ;)
Feb 3, 2013 is the 1 year mark. I'm going to crush 2013. Did you read the articles at Dr. Sharma's? Learn anything from them?
Good practical info as always. I agree that a very, VERY important step to being a successful maintainer is spending the time necessary to identify who YOU are as a maintainer, how that process is uniquely YOU and how you will embrace that new YOU as you move forward.
ReplyDeleteTaking time this year to optimize the template has been key, Sharon.
DeleteI guess my style is most like that of the fictional "Mark" example. I saw a problem, I fixed it, what's the big deal (and, I should add, now that I've been on "the other side" for five years, I don't really *get* why others find loss and maintenance so hard. It sounds snide, I know, but honestly...once I *got* it, it's such a no-brainer that I look at my former self/attitude with a mixture of pity, scorn, and remorse. My weight history is different than that of the composite "Mark," but I did and still do follow a self-directed program of a clean diet and vigorous, non-negotiable daily exercise to lose the weight and maintain the loss. I weigh in regularly, never skip a workout, have few cravings, feel physically excellent, sleep well, etc. The "Mark" doesn't obsess over food and some would say I do obsess, but I just feel like I have made my safe little circle of foods that nourish, satiate, do not incite binges, are not "entertaining" or "snacky" and that's what I eat. I feel happy and never feel deprived. What I've gained by losing weight and changing my entire approach to life is far beyond whatever I've "lost" in the form of junk foods, emotional/social eating and "free time" wasted on TV.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Norma. I get it. For me it's the ability to stop myself in the old patterns. It's critical that if I find myself wanting to over eat that I have that clarity to say- Hey, wait a minute- that's the old me, old habit.
DeleteOnly way to clarity for me is removing that snacky food. It's so true Norma- I've gained so much more from removing food like popcorn or cookies. So much freedom to do other things. So worth it.
I loved this article / post :) thx
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it, Lap Band Gal. (Can't remember your real name.. too early in the AM ;) )
DeleteI subscribe to blogs on my google reader- so I can star up the blogs (usually as a passenger in the carpool) then I can go back to topics later in the week.
Keeping fresh and my head in the game will be key as the years go on in maintenance.
I seem to be more the "struggler". I learned very young that I could lose weight rather easily by just cutting back on my food. What I did not ever seem to learn was how to maintain or maybe I just wasn't willing to give up certain things during the first 50 years. Things are better now that I've found a way to eat and live that I'm comfortable with and that is healthy.
ReplyDeleteCaron, I was tweeting with another maintainer last night. I totally think that there should be some more maintenance tools and support out there with a variety of different styles of maintainers. We are out there. Hopefully those struggling with maintenance will be able to adopt those tools to build their own template. And ask a lot of questions.
DeleteI'd once read that we should spend as much time in an active, structured maintenance support plan and place for as long as it took us to loose.
So glad you found what works. You are a good resource. :)
Very interesting. I appreciate the link as I would never have seen the articles otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI most identified with Mark.
If my husband read the articles he would place me as a Mark too, as we were just talking about embracing reality, getting over one's self, very good boundaries, the big picture, no self sabotage, and just doing it in other parts of my life this week.
Good post.
The paperwork for NWCR might drive you a little nuts. You might find that you don't quite fit in the questions or want to rewrite the options. They are not fully geared toward clean eaters. But I continue to fill out their questionnaire each year. I am not sure what year I joined. It was after I hit my first maintenance level I think. So, I am probably an odd statistic as I went on to loose more weight (moved from top end of normal BMI to lower end of BMI) after joining.
Vickie- all good points- reality, getting over one's self, boundaries, big picture, no self sabotage- other parts of life- soooooo true. Love it. Addressing all of that has played a huge part in the first year.
DeleteThanks for the heads up in the NWCR paperwork. I hope that the smaller questionnaires will yeild more data.
I guess Julie and I are most similar. I have switched on obsession with another. Food to running. It works so far. I'm sure that as long as I keep running and eating the way I do now, my weight will stay off. Time will tell. Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteI hear you Leigh. Keeping engaged in a new activity is key. Promise us that if you cannot run that you will dive into another project or activity (I KNOW you will) :) Inspiring! Glad you stopped by.
DeleteI always enjoy your comments ..add me .
ReplyDelete" Sweet! (in a non-food sort of way. ) ;)" How delightful!
ReplyDelete