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It makes me sad to see so many of you beating yourselves up for going off your plan. So a separate journal, rather long, this morning as I've been thinking about the issues many of you are facing over weekends, holidays and vacations. This is my take on it, so as always just an opinion. I'm struggling with exercise so this is about food.
I've been on my own plan for over 3 years now, certainly it has evolved a bit since the beginning as I discovered options that work better for me. This has evolved after years of yo-yo dieting that didn't work. It fits my life, it allows for my eclectic cooking journeys to other countries through learning about their cuisines or exploring American regional foods and trying many new foods or ingredients. I'm not one for boring processed or tasteless foods, I love bold flavors!
It has become easy and comfortable to basically stay on my basic plan even if it's weekend at the lake, food days at work, time off work, or a week of playing with the grandkids. The only issue is that I now forget to eat if I'm busy with projects and I do not eat hot dogs!!
Anyway what I'm thinking is make your plan part of your life. Not something to be a "diet" to go off and on just simply the way you are and what you do. Not something to follow during the work week and not on weekends and holidays. Tweak your plan as needed so that it is comfortable and easy for you to live with and it won't be an off again on again thing it will just become part of you.
Once you do this it's easy, but it can be a challenging journey to get there. It's easy to choose wisely. It's easy to have that occasional pizza, or hot fudge sundae (cake and donuts I never liked much, ice cream is another story!), a birthday cake and fit it into your plan and not beat yourself up. It won't be falling of your "diet" but it will be part of your plan. It's easy not to overeat as if you do and your body isn't used to that much food it will complain. After a few times, it will click, I do not want to feel awful, do not eat anymore. It's easy to take a bite of something and if it is not really good, don't eat it not worth it- ie: those yummy looking bakery treats a teammate brings in, pretty but no flavor.
Just my thoughts on what has changed for me since the day I decided I was almost at 200 pounds, facing a knee replacement if I didn't take the strain off my knee and that needed to change forever. My WOE is simply part of my life now, I rarely now plan my calories, they just seem to fall into place in a good range. My weight is steady. I do log most of the time as it does keep me on track and I like to see the ratios
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 Comments
Very wise and very true. The truly successful always say its a way of life not a diet.
19 May 15 by member: nicholaix
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I agree with you. I don't think of it as a diet anymore. At first I thought of it as dieting, but I now look at it as getting my life back. Sure losing pounds is great, but I'm not going to beat myself if I don't lose pounds. It's how I feel that is more important. When I gorge myself I feel bloating & sluggish. When I eat healthy and just enough to sustain my hunger, I feel energenic and younger. But everyone has to get their own niche and decide how they too should approach "healthy lifestyle"....
19 May 15 by member: MPSARGE
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19 May 15 by member: redgirl1974
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This is exactly what I've been moving towards, in an effort to have a healthy realationship with food. It's not 'having a cheat' or going 'off plan' because it's just how I eat. Healthy, low carb foods most of the time because I know that's what makes my body happy, but occasionally eating the pizza or cake at the office party without me turning that into some kind of 'failure.' And I co-sign 100% about your body teaching you that over-eating isn't worth it. Two night ago I had carefully weighed portions of the most delicious roast with mashed cauliflower, but I got full before I ate everything. Unfortunately, I didn't stop eating and later I paid for that with a very sore tummy. Last night I also portioned carefully, and then pushed my plate away as soon as I felt satisfied. Just because I CAN have that much, doesn't mean I HAVE to eat it. Thank you for your thought provoking words!
19 May 15 by member: Britt1975
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FANTASTIC Journal Post!!! Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Lifestyle!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
19 May 15 by member: SuccessThisTime58
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You are so wonderfully wise! Thank you for sharing your thoughts because it came from your experience as you transformed your life! It will help many of us put our WOE in perspective! :)
19 May 15 by member: JennBuck61
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This is the same thing I do WFN and it works for me. I know that for me pasta, rice and bread cause problems so I don't eat them often. Not a big candy person either, but ice cream! And every now and then warm chocolate chip cookies. I just eat them and move on. I still have my chocolate cake donuts when I go out with DH as a treat but I couldn't do it every day. I wouldn't feel good and it wouldn't be a treat. My WOE is something that I can keep up forever. My uncle told me 35 years ago when he lost 100 pounds that he felt deprived, like he couldn't eat anything he liked. That isn't sustainable. You'll gain the weight back. This is something I've never forgotten. If I want something, I have it and plan around it and move on. Usually my cravings are more a financial problem that "diet" problem. Ok I think I wandered lol.
19 May 15 by member: msbuggirl
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Excellent journal! You've found a new way of eating that works in real life and you can maintain. That's the key to long term success.
19 May 15 by member: jmb3450
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You are doing so well, an excellent example for many people here on FatSecret.
19 May 15 by member: snezica
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Thanks everyone for your comments. I just see so many people struggling with the same things I did years ago. I just kept thinking about it yesterday while working on my yard. A good time to think about all sorts of things. A diet that you can not live with is heading for the old yo-yo game. I know many of you have made it work as a lifestyle and I'm so happy that it is working for you as well, whatever your plan may be,
19 May 15 by member: wholefoodnut
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Preach it! I think I'm close to that place now. I have to say through reading your every day journals and learning what you do, you have definitely been a big part of my journey. Thank you!
19 May 15 by member: Instantcrazy
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19 May 15 by member: Tamarah Jo
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Great journal today! And anyone whose weight graph looks like yours has every right to give their opinion (and expect it to be considered). I think a lot of us tend to take an "all or nothing" approach to our plan. I'm trying to learn that on the days when I can't eat "perfectly", I can at least make better choices from what is available.
19 May 15 by member: BuffyBear
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I still have a ways to go when it comes to keeping this weight off and I still haven't made it to my ultimate goal, however how you stated it really makes sense to me. I have even started being more mindful of what I am eating in calories without even putting them on Fat Secret. So thank you for your mindfulness, kindness and caring enough to share your thought's. I not only appreciate you. I find you are as valuable contributor and buddy on here to me and so many of us. Thank you. Truly, Jen
19 May 15 by member: Jones Jennifer
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Very, very true. It does take time and experimentation to get to that place where things fall into place as you describe, but you are right. The mindset must be about a way of life, not a diet which translates into a temporary way of eating. That will not work. Real food is delicious. Learning how to cook and combine flavors can be wonderful creative expression. Well said!
20 May 15 by member: yduj57
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Maybe your journey will also take you into learning about new ingredients and the cuisines of other areas of the world. I've always loved to cook. So many of you I know trying to get to where it will be part of your life. I have found logging foods to be a tremendous help. Even before I started doing it on fat secret. My initial date is around the time I started my journey but didn't participate or log foods here until about a year later, I had lost about 30# at that point in 2012. I did have notebooks full of tracking foods, definitely easier on the computer LOL. My plan was getting tweaked all the time. I'm still and will continue my playing with food.
20 May 15 by member: wholefoodnut
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Great journal! I agree, that you you have to eat healthy foods that you like, because after you lose the weight you need to maintain it.
21 May 15 by member: Deb_N
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