Starting weight 187.4 lbs
Goal Range 115-125 lbs
Current Weight 124.0 lbs
Keeping off 63.4 lbs
Time in maintenance 4 years, 3 months
Age 50
Menopause 2+ years
Height 5'1"
Auto-Immune Hashimotos 1997
Food Addict in Recovery: 5th year
I'm holding steady. 123's and 124's.
No binge urges, no slippery slope thinking
Very stressful month with work stuff. It happens. Stress at work or at home happens. It's what I do about it -Meditate (or don't do anymore- like sooth with junk food).
What's working this month,1. Low Carb, Paleo-ish, abstaining from trigger foods template. 98% of my food is prepared at home, with largely unprocessed items.
2. Head Space app meditation package 10-20 mins
3. Prioritizing sleep over blogging and reading.
4. Walking 14-15,000 steps per day. 2 gym sessions per week.
Maslow's triangle. The prioritization of your habits will be a huge, huge tool in weight maintenance.
Read more about that here: Wiki Maslows Hierarchy of needs
I used to be a re-gainer, just like the Biggest Loser contestants. Until I got to my root causes, got some counseling about putting myself first and working on the basics, then working on the complex. For those who already have the basics of the triangle, there's much work to be done for finding root causes and getting personalized treatment of obesity.
When I'm stressed out, I prioritize sleep above all else. Blogging can wait. It's a hobby. Blogging is at the tip top of the life triangle. It's a privilege and will take a back seat to the basics.
What didn't work in the past- item #1 has a food trigger warning
1. Low fat, high carbs from WW frozen meals and Skinny Cow - used to be 2 points now 5 points- ice-cream sandwiches. Because they fit into my points for the day, but ignoring the fact I was eating them and morbidly obese and I really could not stop. The extra hunger hormone, the insulin, the glucose- perfect metabolic storm. I can't even with my prior food template.... painful.... physically and mentally. Food addiction sucks. Because you know what you can do with 1 point of M&Ms, stick them on the side of a Skinny Cow, and there's LOW FAT chocolate syrup and BOOM y'all I have a low points sundae. Lordy!!!
2. I did not take time out to quiet my mind. TV, eating the Skinny cows because I deserved them while watching the Biggest Loser. My daughter recalls this memory the most from my morbid obesity days. Oh my..... It's always better late than never. Now, I can laugh about it.
3. I thought I was running with the effective professionals by only sleeping 5-6 hours a night. I used to think I could get caught up on the weekends. I was very wrong.
4. I used to think 4-5,000 steps was "a lot" for the day. I still walked when I was obese, but it was a lot harder and my joints really hurt a lot. That inflammatory food and the extra weight. I don't miss it.
Next up, tool #2 for weight maintenance- one EVERYONE hates, but has been an essential daily habit for me and my slippery slope thinking..... Guess below....
Anymore thoughts on the Biggest Loser article? Good life coaches, shrinks, and a genetic match to a food template would go far for all of us, in my opinion.
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| Meditation by the beach is awesome! San Clemente, CA |
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| Cat #2 wondering if I will unpack my suitcase, read Steve Jobs or go to bed |
Karen, I follow you on twitter, but am super private w/ my weight issues. I am very obese, and live in socal. Where do i begin? I know myself well, and need the smallest about of info possible to begin. One moment at a time!
ReplyDeleteI get so overwhelmed and stop trying. I am a teacher, caregive parents, and have RA. One of my major goals is to get to sleep earlier. I find this is my #1 problem. Lack of constant sleep make me eat, eat and eat. It's a cycle that is killing me.
Anytime of leads you have I will appreciate. This is my first time on your blog. Wow.
Traci
Traci, I totally understand your need for privacy and your care giving. I would personally start with your doctor so you can prioritize what your highest risks right here and now.
DeleteHonestly, my biggest risk was myself. In 2002, I got counseling (CBT) for another issue, but then it morphed into me stopping being a doormat and setting boundaries. Do you know how mad people get when I say no? They all lived once they got used to the new routine. So, a shrink, if insurance pays would be my first stop. I had to learn to say no and STOP taking care of everyone else and start putting myself first. Get professional help so you can sleep and until you are on solid ground. Otherwise, I'm sad to say, but someone else will be taking care of you sooner rather than later, but a shrink will have access to county, state, and city resources for your family. You first. Always. Tough to transition, yes
I get the caregiving thing since MS runs in my family. I get it totally. But we all have limits. It's not good for the patient or the caregiver if you aren't sleeping. I've seen the caregiver suffer more than the patient. The shrink will help you with this. Most insurances offer 6-8 weeks low cost.
I can tell you when I was morbidly obese, my highest risk was my super high hs-CRP. I had heart attack levels (probably due more to the high grains and sugars). So, long story short, getting sugars, then grains out really reduced my risks. That started to quiet my binge brain ( 6-8 weeks on my commercial plan). From my reading, I've learned that just getting off grains can help RA and any auto-immune disease.
I may have been able to abstain using real foods with OA, but I couldn't stop myself, so that's why I went on the commercial plan first, then onto Paleo/Low Carb Higher fat. Once I got free and clear of my triggers, life became easier.
The cheapest, easiest way to start would be with the books It Starts With Food (Hartwig) and/or the Wahls Paleo Protocol (Terry Wahls' MD). Even if you stop and sit at the book store for 30 mins a visit, or get the books on tape, its a start . You will have cravings, binge urges, and other crappy thinking, so a 12 step group like OA could be a benefit for that. They will also remind you when you are not putting yourself first.
Start with sugars or grains.
Diet is 85%, once I could get started, then I could start on sleep, which is key. You can get free meditation podcasts and apps. Good luck. Removing grains and sugars will help you so, so much- IMO.
There was a beloved blogger long ago who took one step every week. Tiny steps. Whatever she started, she continued. So one week she figured out a system for getting her water in and then she kept doing that. Another week she started walking, and she continued that. If one thing a week is too fast, it could be something every other week. I have always remember that.
DeleteSugar and grain is a very good place to start, as Karen suggested.
Processed is another way of looking at it (if it doesn't have additives, then it does not have sugar added). That was what I did and for me that was simple.
Good luck.
We all started at the beginning. Don't feel alone.
I have now had a therapist for many years. I needed a lot of help. And it really made my perceptions more accurate.
What Vickie said....
Deletehttp://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
ReplyDeleteAnother link to Maslow.
My therapist had me read a lot about that pyramid, once upon a time. Always good for a re-read. Thanks for mentioning it.
She also had me read
Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey
I am NOT a self help book kind of person, but I enjoyed both Maslow and Jill very much.
Thanks, Vickie, I've not heard of the other author. Before I went trough counseling, I was always wanting the top of the list. I needed the basics first, then I could reach the rest. :)
DeleteGo to Amazon and buy good used copies of any book you need..very often under a dollar + 3.99 shipping. Build a small library you can rely on.
ReplyDeleteYES!!! Amazon is great. :) Thanks, Katie.
DeletePS Hi Tortie Kitty :)
ReplyDeleteMine is sitting on my chest sleeping as I type :)