The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[krandle]

I think all of you are doing a good job. I wish i weighed a quarter of what you guys weight any of you. so keep up the good work.

lots of love
krandle

[krandle]

Oh yeah
do you really think alot could happen between now and then. That's a nice thought.

[Nancy]

Sheryl, this is excellent!

Dutch, you're gonna make it.

[DutchChoc]

Yes, krandle... a WHOLE lot can happen this year yet and it's up to us to make it the good stuff, predominately. Else, a whole lot bad can happen, too, if we do those baddie things instead. It's up to us.

Nancy, thanks for the thoughts. Yesterday was good; was at 139 this morning and consequently did a baddie thing. Obviously there's a correlation between weighing myself and deciding that thisn't all that bad -- and then eating like I'm on some abberant (sp?) maintenance probram. 'Twas a bran muffin at work, but it didn't take me long to figure out that I was already planning on what I could add to that diversion for dinner, etc.

Simmshe, yes, that sounds about right, there's no shortage at some times, unfortunately, like a shark in a feeding frenzy. I think it's largely about being uptight about food -- like over the top uptight about it, not at peace with it. Like we'll be rounded up for a period of deprivation pronto. And yes, there's certainly an antic side to it, though we don't go unscathed. Far from that.

Day 45 didn't do much to get me to New Year's Eve in style -- but in some ways I know I kind of did my best, odd as that sounds to the ones with greater powers. I'm the magic bullet and I'm meandering.

[Nancy]

In her book, Life is Hard, Food is Easy, Linda Spangle defines emo eating as "using food for emotional or psychological reasons instead of for satisfying the body's physcial requirement for food."

One of the things that lit my dim bulb when I read her definition is that I noticed two important words: "reasons" and "requirement." I about choked on my Multi-grain cracker!

Was I eating because I needed to eat to put gas in my tank or was I eating to tank myself?

If I am on program - eating regularly - every three hours, then my tank is fueled and there is no true physical need to eat - therefore, between meal food is not a requirement to keep the body humming. When the next three hours is up, it's time to re-fuel.

Brownies with frosting, honkin' cookies, bagels, French fries, etc. eaten between meals are not truly required to make the heart beat, the mind think.

Therefore, I ask myself why do I wanna eat this?

For what reason? What will it do for me?

Do I want to eat in public, or secretly?

How will I feel in an hour if I eat this?

How will I feel about it tomorrow?

I wait before I eat. I truly think about why I eat before I put it in my yap.

I am not cured. I am tempted every dang day. I win more times than I lose. I do a LOT of self-talk. Some of it is oral! Terry and Unca hear me blabbing away about stuff all the time! It helps me to sort things out.

Now, here's a pointed question, Did you have that bran muffie for physcial requirement or for emo/psycho reasons?

[DutchChoc]

Hi, Nancy. First, it's an oversized muffin that would have to count as two portions of muffin, for an accounting firm or practical weight management scenario. It was noonish and I'd had 4 shakes, so it wasn't because I needed it to solve a problem being hungry -- well, I was hungry, alright, kept having my shakes that morning about an hour apart because I'm not in ketosis, no wonder.

My opinion is that there are lots of types of things going on with people. There are the people who want but won't let themselves have, or only have guardedly -- this could be logical, I say COULD be logical. And there are the people who have but aren't terribly affected either way -- maybe they're the group that's OK with what they eat. Maybe they're a little big or a little little or just right; maybe they're even farther from the median and quite big or quite little -- but PERHAPS they don't obsess. And then there are the matter-of-factly not-too-big people, of which I would count myself one, who do obsess, and obsess, and obsess and who can't ever declare victory.

? I'd consider starting a journal of what it's all about. I really DO like to eat (and overeat) as much as I like refraining. Overeating isn't the design, it isn't because I think I should gain weight... it's mainly the problem, along with the obsessing.

And the talking, talking, talking about the whole thing with SO -- which of course he dislikes and tells me so.

I respect the idea of the timing. I think that COULD help me if I could manage the commodity.

[Sylvia]

I was just reading a book called "Thin For Life". It is basically excerpts from a bunch of interviews with people who have lost a lot of weight and kept it off for a number of years. Kind of trying to find out what the common denominator is, etc. It was actually pretty enlightening and I would recommend it.

One of the things that struck home with me was the concept of eating large. Most of these folks could not be satisfied with small portions and to some extent portion size was more important than WHAT they were eating. They modified their diets so they could eat in large quantities without gaining weight. Of course, of necessity, that mean they were eating healthy things like vegetables.

Also, over time, most became less obsesses about what they were/were not eating and after a few years very few were actually keeping complete track of or measuring their food - they did so periodically to keep in line or if they began to put on a few pounds. This seems to indicate that as they became more confident of their success, they were better able to gauge how much to eat either out of habit or how they felt.

I am in a really paranoid place right now as I move from the tried and true Medifast to the never successfully managed food. So far, so good - I've actually lost a pound or so over the past week of adding back foods but I worry a lot about what will happen when I am really through transition in a couple of days. Even with all of my worry, I really am confident that I will not gain weight. This battle was too hard fought to give up ground now. I would rather live the rest of my life without a piece of pizza or a french fry than I would live one more day as a fat person. So on I go...

[DutchChoc]

This seems to indicate that as they became more confident of their success, they were better able to gauge how much to eat either out of habit or how they felt.

This is what I'd dream for. Thanks for the reference, Sylvia.

I think you're on the right track or you'd probably know a lot more about having problems than you do right now. You're already doing "the hard part", IMO.

There's probably a gray area where the slightly chubby people still eat the fries and the pizza, etc... "when they want". I'm not certain I'm not willing to belong there, where I have lived many years on and off.

[Simmshe]

Great book, Sylvia--I've had this book in my library for a few years now, too. What I love about this book is how it has stories about people who have lost weight using different approaches, including supplement-based plans, and how they all maintain. Very informational and encouraging to read about maintainers--gives us proof, and tools, that it can be done. When the time comes, I definitely want to be among the few who do maintain!

Nice to hear about how you're doing, too . I can only imagine how paranoia-inducing it is to go from few choices, to a plethora of choices, especially since coming off of a low-calorie plan like Medifast and trying to rebuild your metabolism. When I get there, I'm sure that I will definitely be tip-toeing out of fear that if I eat a tablespoon too much of something that I'm going to gain weight at warp speed! I imagine that it is a delicate balance with maintaining, involving a bit of trial and error until you figure out what works for you.

You sound well-adjusted and prepared, Sylvia. I hope to follow in your footsteps by the spring (although I may transition in mid-to-late winter--but I do know that I plan to switch to the modified plan in February, most likely--the rest I will assess the closer I get to goal). By the way, how is your stomach/digestion adjusting to the new foods? Things settling down already?

Thanks for the insights and continuing inspiration .

Sheryl

[Sylvia]

Hi Sheryl,

After the first couple of days, my digestion has been fine. I had been doing the modified plan and even when on the full fast had eaten a green salad every day which I think must have helped.

So far, I have learned that having small bites of good food will not cause me to gain weight. Even more importantly, I have found that I can be satisfied having just small bites of good foods.

I also find that when I really think about whether I want/need to eat something I know I shouldn't, I ultimately am deciding not to and am feeling good about those decisions rather than deprived.

We had a big potluck at work today and there was a huge amount of really good food. Not only was it there at lunch time but it remained there all day. I had a huge plate filled with fresh veggies and fresh fruit. I had a tiny taste of a cream cheese dip on a cracker and a tiny taste of spinach dip but other than those 2 small indulgences, it was seconds of the fresh veggies for me.

A friend and I returned to the room where the food was later in the day and were kind of looking at it longingly. I said, "you know, if we didn't eat it while it was fresh and hot, why on earth would we want to eat it now?" We left without taking a bite!

This really has been and continues to be a learning and growing experience.

[Nancy]

I also have read Thin For Life a number of times. I read it as I got closer to transition and in the early stages of maintenance and now I pick it up every once in a while and read various parts of it while I am riding the stationary bike!

I highly recommend it because it focuses on success and it helps us to keep in mind the forever-after things we must continue to do to remain healthy and to be in control of our eating habits.

Something I wondered about in my early stages of maintenance is if I would ever just automatically be able to make good food choices. I was paranoid about eating regular food, about adding back foods. Would I be truly be able to select wisely, could I defy my seemingly in-born Lay’s Potato Chip mentality that told me that I could not eat just one, would I bonk out and eat everything that wasn’t nailed down?

I was a legal eagle initially during maintenance. I ate by the book – set times, pre-determined meals and portion sizes. I have relaxed somewhat because automaticity truly occurs in many ways – breakfast happens within a short time of awakening, my body tells me every three hours it is time to eat. I have absolutely no desire to eat many foods; I am easily satisfied with just a taste of others. I know exactly what an appropriate meat, bread, goody portion looks like. Drinking water is automatic. It is easy to shop for groceries, to make great choices when we dine out and yet I am ever mindful that I must not let down my guard so I record my weight and my exercise. I feel safer when I write down my weight. Because I like how I feel on Medifast, I choose to eat three or four Medifast products every day; it’s a no-brainer for me. – Am I anal about it? Am I obsessive about it? Probably but I’d rather err on the slender side than on the flabby side.

[BerkshireGrl]

The Dutch wants to be back with the living.

Dutch, the year is winding down... only 19 days to go. Tick tock! Before we know it, it will be a whole new fresh year.

Come on in and join us at the MF pool party! The water's mighty fine.

No matter where you are on the scale, you are missed.

[DutchChoc]

Hi, Sarah! Thanks for thinking of me. I still stop by to "see" how my MF friends are doing now and then. I guess this is proof!

I'm still in a kind of denial that I can't contol my "problem" with exercising, apparently, though the creep continues and what more would it take to convince me? I realize I eat much more than the fitness mags advocate.

Today I was fairly close to coming back or trying to come back, but instead of going to the gym at 5am, I was out buying fruit and vegetables, only to eat plenty of the other stuff, too.

I stayed in the 140's until this week -- today I somehow bounded past anything modestly OK and went back into the 150s. It's apparent that this is still troublesome to me, and yet I really didn't learn anything from MF other than that I could "not eat". I consider myself one of the dismal ones, at this point. Perhaps not reformable -- but I can lose weight, again and again, as I will no doubt demonstrate one more time.

Sooner or later....

Congrats on your 192. If I don't do better and if you don't do worse, our paths will be merging sometime, and, if this is a game of chicken, I hope I dodge first. I appreciate the kind words and the remembrance.

[Sylvia]

Dutch,

Great to hear from you but sorry to see that you're still struggling. You know, there is no magic bullet here. We are all stuggling with different aspects of this and probably will continue to struggle or engage in serious self talk for life.

I don't believe there is any one answer. It is about getting the weight off and then making better choices. We need to be out of the mindset that we are either all the way on or all the way off a diet. Sure - during the weight loss phase, you need to be all the way on. After it though, it is a new way of life. Nothing is too horrible to eat; nothing is taboo. Does this mean that I've gone back to my pre-MF ways? No. Does it mean that I'm indulging in and enjoying good food in moderation? You bet.

Every meal is a choice and I make more good choices than not. I like to eat in quantity and doubt that will change so I try to eat a lot of things that won't cause weight gain like veggies. I eat no or almost no fried foods and very little sweets but do have ff treats or an occasional splurge of a piece of cake or candy. I am eating well. I do not feel deprived. I am eating more than I thought I would be able to. I exercise moderately every day. And best of all, I am still at my goal weight.

This is not easy. It is a struggle not to eat a whole bag of candy instead of one piece. It is a struggle to choose between a glass of wine and dessert and not have both. It is a pain to exercise every day when I'm busy and/or bone tired. I do all of these things anyway. It is manageable and well worth any hardship.

So, when you're ready, come back to the plan, lose the weight you want/need to lose and this time transition properly and really focus on making reasonable choices rather than an all or nothing approach.

[hawaiiwhatnot]

Dutch!

So happy to see you dear. Wondered how you were faring. You know, your post just proves the point that it is easy to effectively lose weight with MF; however, once the weight is off, the issues that make us overeat are still there to be dealt with.

I'm reading "Life is Hard, Food is Easy" by Linda Spangle which is enlightening me on my own issues. Knowledge is power for me.

Not sure what you mean by "game of chicken" but if it helps, you're not alone in dealing with inner conflict.

You're so religious about exercising. If only there was a way to carry that dedication over to stop overeating. Boy, if we only knew how to switch on and turn up our willpower!

Missed ya,
Camille