Donna’s comment yesterday said it all, didn’t it?
“Losing weight is simple but not easy,” she said. It’s one of those things we know in our heart of hearts, but sometimes the “easy” path is to complicate things. One thing I am determined not to do, as I try to reclaim the body that is in here somewhere, is to start negotiating with myself. Or “cheating,” as Donna puts it.
I’m going to stay right on the calorie-counting and stick with 1750 calories as a daily maximum.
So far, I’m lucky to have found what seems to be the right balance, calorie-wise. I feel certain that I would be feeling pretty hungry and deprived if I were trying to survive on 1200 calories a day. But 1700 or so is working very well, and it is also leading to some serious weight loss.
Donna also said that to lose weight one must first cut out all animal products, and then all sweets other than fruits.
I’m glad that is working for her, but I don’t see it working for me right now. I’m going to continue eating both the chicken and the egg, regardless of which came first. I also enjoy seafood now and then, and a steak or a burger less frequently.
Twice in my life, each time for a year or two, I’ve cut out all meat and done a vegetarian diet. I felt good while doing it, and I enjoyed my vegetarian food. But I’m not sure it had much to do with losing weight, at least not for me.
What I am sure of is that I can lose weight if I stick to 1700 calories, so I will do that.
As for cutting out sweets, hell no! I’ve never been a big sweets eater, but a little something sweet now and then is fine, I think.
But that’s just for me. I think part of the difference between Donna and myself is that I have a lot more weight to lose than she does. If I were trying to lose 5 or 10 pounds, I wouldn’t mind depriving myself of this and that on a temporary basis. But I should lose 10 times that much, and then find an ongoing setpoint or balance in terms of calorie consumption so that I could maintain my target weight and stay healthy for the next 30 or 40 years. Swearing off sweets or meat for the rest of my life would feel like unnecessary deprivation.
Dude! I never said you HAD to cut out meat, just that it's the fastest way to weight loss... but possibly the most painful for carnivores...
They also say that hormones may keep a belly hanging on too... but others say that hormones cause us to lose weight especially at the belly area.
I think the way we think about food is what causes us to gain or lose weight.
I took clients to a weight loss club once, and they weighed themselves at that meeting and tortured over an ounce gained. They celebrated over an ounce lost. The biggest loser of the night got a money prize. They spent the rest of the meeting planning various banquets . I think you're wise to go it alone!
Donna
And another thing... high fructose corn syrup stimulates appetite. They put it in just about everything.
Donna