Just 4 Today, I’ll drink my fiber twice (done once), drink 2 liters of water (I’ve drunk about 1/2 liter), walk 5 miles (yesterday 1.45), NOT eat between meals & NOT take seconds.
I’ve constructed a series of safety nets for myself composed of:
- A Daily Affirmation
- Not eating between meals
- Not taking seconds
- Weighing myself everyday
- Walking (the goal might change) everyday
- Taking my fiber supplement
- Drinking 2 liters of water
This may shock you, but somedays I DON’T weigh myself. Or I forget to take my fiber in the evening (if I’ve post here, I HAVE taken it in the morning.) And sometimes (honestly, not very often) I take seconds. But I if I mess up on one of my goals, I’ve got the others there supporting me.
It used to be I relied on starvation diets and constant walking to maintain weight loss goals. But that couldn’t go on forever. So when I began eating “normally” and stopped walking as constantly — whoosh! the weight came back.
So, if that list of mine looks long to you — it has a purpose. None of those things are difficult to achieve — and they don’t take any time at all from a busy day. But together they’re an incredibly strong safety net. They’ve given me a calming sense of security about my health.
Eat4Today is a place to talk about and get support for goals. It’s not a place where the food police are going to lock you up if you have a piece of fudge. Or don’t weigh yourself for a week or so.
My question for the day is: Do you have a safety net of goals?
What are you going to do today?
Hi KB, I don’t have any firm safety net, I just know when I’ve gone too far. Moderation, as they say.
Katiebird… perfect timing for your question. I had been preparing that list I promised you… the list of behaviors that has allowed me to maintain pretty damn perfectly for an entire year now!!! Maintenance is something I have NEVER been able to do in my life (I was always either going up, or going down)… but now that I’ve hacked it, I can do it perfectly. I am SO happy about this and I feel the same way you do about having a safety net. I’ll put them in the next post.
Bombshell’s Strategy for Fail-proof Maintenance
1. Know your basal metabolic rate, the amount of calories you burn per day.
2. Count every single calorie that you consume, including calories from diet drinks and gum.
3. Periodically track your calories during the day so as not to forget what you’ve consumed.
4. Eat 100 calories less than your basal metabolic rate daily to compensate for any underestimations.
5. Calculate calories from exercise conservatively and allow yourself those calories.
6. Do not eat any food which has a calorie content that can’t be calculated, especially casseroles.
7. If you overeat or under-eat, compensate for it the following day by cutting or adding calories.
8. Weigh yourself every single day.
9. If your weight rises even by one pound, immediately cut out 400 calories per day until it drops.
10. Do not go to bed on an empty stomach: allot 100 to 200 of your calories for an evening snack.
11. Take vitamin and electrolyte supplements daily in order to stave off cravings.
12. If you have a craving do not deny yourself the food you crave or it will lead to a binge.
13. Eat the food that you crave, but count the calories.
14. Donate any clothes which are loose, which will create a financial motivation to maintain.
15. If you feel like some emotional eating, tell yourself: “we do not eat as a way of managing stress.”
16. If its too late and you’ve already eaten the junk food, forgive yourself. You can fix it the next day.
These are great lists. I firmly believe in #12, Bombshell, although I sometimes forget it until I’ve eaten everything in the house trying to avoid a bite of that one particular food.
No food police here, kb. Moderation in everything. The second chocolate chip cookie tastes exactly like the first one. As does the third, and fourth. Enjoy the first – skip the rest. They’re redundant.
And that way you can have another one the next day! Be kind to yourselves this season of eating.
PS – The drugs worked, kb. I feel MUCH better. AND I’ve finally started losing weight. I was fooling myself as to how many calories I was truly eating – I’ve cut way back and it’s working. YAY!
I’m the lowest now that I’ve been for over 2 years. 5 down, 10 more to go. Thanks for all of your support!
{{Beth}} Hugging and running — just ’cause we’re here at the same time. I LOVE that line about the cookies. Can I steal it?
You betcha! I have a friend who has lost a fair amount of weight, remembering it. It’s very true. It’s that first bite that makes your mouth water, satisfies that longing, makes you go “oooh.” The second isn’t nearly as exciting. They go downhill from there.
It’s my gift to you! Hugs back. Good luck today.