I know what works for me. I know what I have to do to lose weight. You don’t lose 92 pounds accidentally (which is ironic, because you can certainly gain it accidentally!).
So why haven’t I been doing what I know works and logging all of my food and exercise? Because it’s time-consuming. And it means being accountable . It means NOT sneaking a few extra crackers or automatically having a chocolate-covered banana every night. And I like crackers and chocolate-covered bananas…
Clearly I have the maintenance thing down: Without putting in extra effort to lose weight, my normal eating habits – combined with my exercise – keep me at roughly the same weight, give or take 3 pounds.
But I don’t want to stay the same weight – I want to continue to lose weight! Yes, I’ve lost 92 pounds, but I’ve got 20 more to go to reach my goal! You’d think that this close to my goal I’d try harder, but it hasn’t worked that way.
Once I hit about 180, I felt so much better about myself. I was finally comfortable in my own skin, and didn’t feel like the biggest person in most rooms… I wasn’t the biggest person in most rooms. Even though I ‘want’ to get to my goal, I haven’t had the same drive that I had before, because it’s not as dire as it was before.
So for months – a year now? – I’ve been half-assing my attempts to actually lose weight.
But today, I decided enough was enough. I logged on to My Food Diary and recorded my food and exercise for the day (for the first time in months). It’s funny too: As soon as I did it, I felt great! Completely re-energized. Like I’m actually going to hit that elusive 150.
Of course, I first have to get back into the 160s first…
Yes, “back into.” Excuse time:
I’ve been super hungry lately. I keep blaming all the running I’ve been doing, which actually is the likely culprit. Since I’ve been running so much, I’ve also just been eating when I’m hungry, figuring that it’s ok because I’m burning so many calories with the exercise. Hunger is my body’s way of telling me I need to eat, right? I make good food choices, too, but I think I’ve been overdoing it, eating too much, too often.
So yes, even though on February 19th I finally made it into the 160s (at a meager 169.5), on February 20th I made it out. I then proceeded to work my way back up to 172 and I’ve been struggling the last few weeks to reclaim my place in the 160s. Today I was at an even 170, so it’s coming. I know it is. Especially now that I’m back to basics and logging my food.
How are YOU doing?
