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mlerulesI do admire those who can self-start, who manage to set themselves goals and accomplish them. I do far better when someone ELSE gives me a list of hoops to jump through, especially if it's for a particular goal and for a limited period of time (such as spending a few years getting a degree/certificate). Now that I think about it, that's probably why Weight Watchers worked so well for me, back preCovid.
With WW, I met my goals - daily, weekly, annually - and felt far better (physically and emotionally) as a result of lessening the stress on my ankle and hips, so sleeping better and better able to get out and about for walking/hiking, all from losing the 50 lbs I'd set out to lose by my birthday in 2019. Satisfying the daily and weekly goals in and of itself provided enough positive reinforcement and structure that it didn't feel daunting or troublesome to do to shift my eating habits into a more healthy pattern.
I know I stress-eat. I was fine giving into it when Covid lockdowns began (March 2020, nearly two (2) years ago). And it took quite a while (many months) for the weight - and related hip and ankle pain - to creep back. Now I've been paying more attention to what I've been cooking and eating and've managed to reach a plateau over 10 lbs below my highest weight. Unfortunately,
Now I want to set a goal of returning, by my bday in September 2022, to my September 2019 healthy state, when my ankle and hips weren't hurting lots and I could hike five (5) miles+ without any trouble. I had joined WW and the gym on 09 November 2018 when I'd reached a state of not being to go walkies a 1/4 mile without pain. By July 2019, I'd gotten healthy enough (reduced weight and accompanying joint pain) to start my Wildwood Trail 2019 goal. I managed to hike all 30+ miles of the Wildwood Trail in segments by the end of the year. Doing it again in 2020 and 2021 helped sustain my sanity. I plan to do it again in 2022, starting once weather allows (probably March). By September 2019, I'd lost 50 lbs and returned to a tad below 200 lbs, and felt really good. I just yesterday hiked over 3.5 miles, but that was three (3) separate treks, one of which was a simple mile around Vernonia Lake, paved and perfectly flat. Honestly, I need to get off the couch and go walkies DAILY, and I don't know why I don't Just Do It. Mebbe putting gold stars on the calendar when I walk would work. Dunno. I also want to keep in touch w/folks more by means of Not FB.
I tried getting back into WW several times about a year ago, but wasn't able to get past a few days/a couple weeks. I need to make this - eating better - sustainable. (Ditto walking more often.) I know "dieting doesn't work," and've read about Intuitive Eating. I also know I BINGE eat at times, and I'd like to STOP this behavior. WW worked to curtail such urges, for some reason. I guess the positive reinforcement of meeting daily/weekly goals, supplemented by weekly weight loss and eventual lessening of pain and increased ability to hike longer managed to overcome the immediacy of my BUT I WANT IT NOW feelings. As noted above, I CAN heed externally applied rules.
So, now I'm trying to work through/out how to make this so. I think the biggest problem lays/lies (gr) in eating while out and about. I've gotten in the habit of mid-late afternoon latte & baked good when out and about. Perhaps I can substitute tea and something else satisfying (crudites or apple might work, as crunching appeals). Heh, I briefly considered Rice Cakes, but no.
Honestly, I need to get off the couch and go walkies DAILY, and I don't know why I don't Just Do It. Mebbe putting gold stars on the calendar when I walk would work.
Will return to this eventually...
With WW, I met my goals - daily, weekly, annually - and felt far better (physically and emotionally) as a result of lessening the stress on my ankle and hips, so sleeping better and better able to get out and about for walking/hiking, all from losing the 50 lbs I'd set out to lose by my birthday in 2019. Satisfying the daily and weekly goals in and of itself provided enough positive reinforcement and structure that it didn't feel daunting or troublesome to do to shift my eating habits into a more healthy pattern.
I know I stress-eat. I was fine giving into it when Covid lockdowns began (March 2020, nearly two (2) years ago). And it took quite a while (many months) for the weight - and related hip and ankle pain - to creep back. Now I've been paying more attention to what I've been cooking and eating and've managed to reach a plateau over 10 lbs below my highest weight. Unfortunately,
Now I want to set a goal of returning, by my bday in September 2022, to my September 2019 healthy state, when my ankle and hips weren't hurting lots and I could hike five (5) miles+ without any trouble. I had joined WW and the gym on 09 November 2018 when I'd reached a state of not being to go walkies a 1/4 mile without pain. By July 2019, I'd gotten healthy enough (reduced weight and accompanying joint pain) to start my Wildwood Trail 2019 goal. I managed to hike all 30+ miles of the Wildwood Trail in segments by the end of the year. Doing it again in 2020 and 2021 helped sustain my sanity. I plan to do it again in 2022, starting once weather allows (probably March). By September 2019, I'd lost 50 lbs and returned to a tad below 200 lbs, and felt really good. I just yesterday hiked over 3.5 miles, but that was three (3) separate treks, one of which was a simple mile around Vernonia Lake, paved and perfectly flat. Honestly, I need to get off the couch and go walkies DAILY, and I don't know why I don't Just Do It. Mebbe putting gold stars on the calendar when I walk would work. Dunno. I also want to keep in touch w/folks more by means of Not FB.
I tried getting back into WW several times about a year ago, but wasn't able to get past a few days/a couple weeks. I need to make this - eating better - sustainable. (Ditto walking more often.) I know "dieting doesn't work," and've read about Intuitive Eating. I also know I BINGE eat at times, and I'd like to STOP this behavior. WW worked to curtail such urges, for some reason. I guess the positive reinforcement of meeting daily/weekly goals, supplemented by weekly weight loss and eventual lessening of pain and increased ability to hike longer managed to overcome the immediacy of my BUT I WANT IT NOW feelings. As noted above, I CAN heed externally applied rules.
So, now I'm trying to work through/out how to make this so. I think the biggest problem lays/lies (gr) in eating while out and about. I've gotten in the habit of mid-late afternoon latte & baked good when out and about. Perhaps I can substitute tea and something else satisfying (crudites or apple might work, as crunching appeals). Heh, I briefly considered Rice Cakes, but no.
Honestly, I need to get off the couch and go walkies DAILY, and I don't know why I don't Just Do It. Mebbe putting gold stars on the calendar when I walk would work.
Will return to this eventually...
no subject
Date: 2022-01-11 03:30 am (UTC)I found it useful to use a food logger to help me think more clearly about my eating patterns. I didn't want something that told me *what* to eat -- I get stubborn about that -- but just something to keep me honest.
I found that, when I had to log it, it took some of the immediacy off of my emotional eating. I could think if I really wanted to spend my calories on that right now. (Sometimes, the answer is YES!, but not always).
YMMV, of course!
If it helps, Lose It is the one I paid for and still have two years later.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-11 08:58 pm (UTC)Interesting point re: logging food as a way possibly to intercede with the immediacy of comfort/emotional eating. Will ponder this...
no subject
Date: 2022-01-11 03:33 am (UTC)Here is a talk by my friend Eva that I have found useful, about changing personal habits one tiny step at a time: https://youtu.be/4rUnskyFwOY?t=213
no subject
Date: 2022-01-11 08:58 pm (UTC)