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| The sun is setting on season 23! |
Sustainable: that word gets tossed around a lot in weight management. And, in weight loss.
I think one of my successes was letting go of what I saw in my minds eye as what was "sustainable" for the super long term and more for the short term. I saw my foods and activities as dynamic.
I like that idea- Michael Hyatt talks about it as "seasons" in a recent podcast. Season 0 was in beta... I can relate.
This time I made an early decision not to sustain the food template that I lost weight on for more than just losing weight. I used package foods knowing that what got me through weight loss would NOT get me through weight maintenance. "This is for weight loss only and that is OKAY" What got me through early maintenance would NOT sustain me through later weight maintenance. What gets me through my late 40's now (I'm 48) won't get me through my late 50's. It's going to change up, so will what sustains me.
I saw it as phase 1 and I also could see, in my minds eye, that I would need to experiment, develop, and work on the next phases- 2 transition. Phase 3 the first year of weight maintenance. I hear "I HAVE to be able to do this for the rest of my life". Nope, maybe for the next 6 months to a year. Yeah, probably that long. That's it. There are some basic things that, yes, I'll have to do for life. Abstaining from wheat, sugar, and dairy. Yes.
Then vs Now: The foods I ate in weight loss are not the foods I eat now in long term maintenance. The foods I ate in early weight maintenance are not the food template of now.
The foods I ate in the second year of weight maintenance are more like the template of now.
I was a lot more snacky and moderate carbs. That sustained me then. The transition to year two brought a tighter carb window. Rightly so with all my hormonal changes.
During the first 1.5 years of weight maintenance, I had to really fine tune my food template to deal with my emotional/binge eating. So many people say it's not about the food. Well, for me, it starts with food, then with my mind. I can't get a clear mind to work out long term weight maintenance without a clear food template. In that order. No other order is sustainable for me.
Rightly so, my brain chemistry and genetics , life in general demand it, as far as I can tell. Some of it I choose, some of it I get without a choice. I can choose to change up or I can choose to stay the same. I choose this! As best I can.
My 2 cents: Be willing to keep an open mind about sustainability both in weight loss and weight maintenance. Seeing it as a dynamic process and not static. I found THAT to be sustainable. Keep an open mind. Always. Tricky, challenging, but rewarding.
What's working now:
1. Lower carb window 40-50 grams per day for weight management and good sleep
2. Letting go of what worked early in weight maintenance and loss
3. Abstaining from wheat, most processed sugar, legumes, dairy, and nuts
4. Keeping a very open mind for the future steps (known and unknown) for a sustainable weight management plan
What did not work in the past:
1. Trying to maintain my weight using a higher carb window 70-120 that I used in year 1.
2. Trying to go back to my old moderation habits during my WW days in weight maintenance
3. Not connecting the food connection to my long term sustainability for body and mind.
4. Just looking at the short term and not changing to match my aging body, health conditions, etc.
What ideas about sustainability have you found? Does it pan out to the long term or do you change it up. Are you willing to change it up to meet the challenges- known and unknown? Here's to developing and being willing to change what is sustainable for yourself. In all life's seasons.
Great post as always, Karen! I have changed up my food as I have lost weight along the way. When I started out many years ago, it was more about the calories, and I could eat Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine meals and lose weight. That is not so any more. I went out of town recently and came back on Friday. I had not eaten a lot on Friday and ended up throwing a Lean Cuisine in the microwave for dinner, and sure enough my weight was up the next day. I attribute that to the carbs and not the calories.
ReplyDeleteI also constantly change up my exercise program. Exercise is critical for me in weight loss and weight maintenance. I now lift heavy weights and do interval training for cardio. I frequently change up my weight program in terms of weights I lift and my routine. My cardio tends to stay the same because I have problems with my knees. I recently injured myself on the leg press, and I was able to lose a few pounds during the rehab process. That taught me that food is so critical. Two years ago, I did a lot more cardio and was almost 20 pounds heavier. But that was because I ate more processed and carb-laden food.
Ali, I can so, so relate to being able to eat frozen diet meals and lose or maintain my weight. That was me in 98-99 when I lost about 60 pounds. That food is carb loaded. (I'm now pretty salt sensitive, too)
DeleteGlad you figured out the carb connection. I walked a half marathon in early 2009, 50 pounds overweight, fueled by carbs. I don't think my muffin top was ever so big, even when I was 70 pounds over weight. Here's to lower, natural carbs. :)
I really appreciate what you say here about it not necessarily being about "I HAVE to be able to do this for the rest of my life," but rather about "Can I do this for the next 6 months to a year and then see what is needed at *that* time?"
ReplyDeleteI also found Ali's comment above helpful.
Hi Hills, I have a sneaking suspicion that my genetics may play a role in why my weight loss works better on a lower fat, lower calorie diet. And I feel so, so much better eating more fat in my diet maintaining. I'm not sure I could lose weight any other way... or maybe I could. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
DeleteAgreed... I can relate a lot to what Ali said above.
Excellent post! Still IN year one of maintenance, and/but still tweaking. I have finally come to accept that milk chocolate is a complete NO. I'm still not feeling safe about even very dark chocolate; maybe I'll add it, but frankly, I fear at this point adding it. So I won't. I'm learning that self control really is the most important thing of all, food wise. If I can't control my consumption of a food, then I can't partake at all. I have more of a wiggly line to follow in the sand than probably you, because my body doesn't react violently / noticeably at all at non LC foods. So I must rely on my mind's reaction as the compass. Like you indicate, it's a learning process...even in maintenance. I never look at it long term anymore. Probably part of why I've finally become successful in maintenance. I just plot today's food. That's it. I have certain standards that I maintain, but since I eat food I love within those standards, I don't fret anymore about long term. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHonesty is the best thing when deciding to keep foods in or out of your food template, Gwen. I had to be 100% honest about eliminating nuts, dried fruit, dairy, etc.
DeleteThat's a lot of hard work, so kudos for doing the work that will keep in you in long term maintenance. I find what keeps me maintaining, also keeps me as healthy as I can be overall, beyond weight maintenance. Very important to respect that. :)
Great post, Karen! I think so often people are not willing to continuously evaluate what is and isn't working and then adjust things accordingly. Yet, it's necessary.
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea! Life is so dynamic. I don't think that any one plan (although that may be changing) are we ever taught that we may have to change up for either our health, our genetics, disease state, etc. Hopefully that will change over the next 5-10 years. Until then, it's good to have our eyes wide open. :)
DeleteHi Karen, I still heavily rely on weight management tools, rules, and habits. For tools, I food journal daily, careful food choices, measure portions, use smaller plates, eat only during certain times, quit eating for the day when my calorie limit is up, weigh daily, "eat like a girl" go to TOPS every week, etc...Maintenance is much easier with solid rules and habits than relying on relentless willpower, which I lack on my worst days. So habits save me. :-)
ReplyDeleteI still cycle through all of my tools, Marion. I track my food about half the year or so, in 1 month chunks or so- taking maybe another month off here and there. I find when I'm dialed in on my food template that portion sizes (except carbs- carbs always matter) don't matter because I can get the good brain signaling that I'm full or to go more protein or fat heavy on some days vs other. Solid rules and habits... Yes! Without those I would be so, so sunk. I love being able to look back at some of my old food journals and see what I really was eating then. And, the current tracking serves as a bit of a calibration, too. Tools, Rules, habits- they all rock- and so do you. :)
DeleteGood to read your post Karen and I do think having a 'clear food template.' is important.
ReplyDeleteEat real fresh foods, processed ones are not ideal at all
All the best Jan
Processed foods have probably stopped my progress more than I ever, knew, Jan. Even my last few attempts at WW didn't yield good results because I couldn't keep my hands off the 2 or 3 points bars, wheat, and that fueled my binging, I believe. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
DeleteI'm not commenting as much these days, but definitely still reading and your thoughts are always helpful/encouraging to me. I totally agree with your philosophy of sustainability. Right now, I'm using the word fluid as I try to determine the best way for me to shed a few (thankfully, only a few) pounds that I've found during Bill's recovery. Returning to something fairly strict is probably going to be my method to "sustain" me to a quick loss. Then a transition. A process we all know well!
ReplyDeleteSo good to see you back, Sharon. I'm so impressed that you went through a tough time in your life and only gained a few. Care taking is tough work- bravo! I do find that keeping on known foods and a rotating template of known foods works so well for me- loss and maintenance. Welcome back and the best to you and Bill. Here's to an easier rest of 2014 for you both.
DeleteReally great post, as always.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest, 24, male, no extra weight, watches it very carefully. He has changed things up similar to what you write, without having gone thru the obesity part of our histories. He has let a little bloat around the middle be his guide. He has noticed congestion, headaches, GI and let that be his guide. He COOKS. He eats whole foods. He has a dispenser in his kitchen for bottled water.
Very interesting.
Thank you Vickie. :) I like the way your son approaches and course corrects, as needed. Cooking for yourself in early adult hood is the key to long term health and wellness.Bravo for him for noticing those things and taking action.
DeleteI very, very deliberately teach my daughter something each month so she can have a full set of cooking (rather than baking) skills when she goes to college and for post college.
Most modern dorms have kitchenettes I've noticed. This month, pan sauteed kale chips have been a hit. Much cheaper than store bought and I can control the sodium level with sea salt. I've recently placed a glass gallon jar with an aluminum lid and a pouring lever (Kohl's dept store $12) for our cold water in our very old refrige. So good, no plastic. :)