No, its not just because the holidays are over and we've added a few extra pounds and inches. We've both been kind of bad about not eating healthy for several months, and it shows. Just before Thanksgiving Spouse said he needed to loose weight, but I suggested he wait until the holidays. I mean, who wants to watch what they eat during Thanksgiving and Christmas?A few years ago we both went on Weight Watchers (not the meetings, just the point plan) and did very well. Spouse lost almost 50 lbs and I lost almost 40. But here's the problem:
Diets are TEMPORARY measures that yield TEMPORARY results.
After loosing weight most people return to their old eating patterns and gain all the weight back, and sometimes more. In order to lose weight and keep it off you have to change your eating patterns, which requires changing your lifestyle. We all know how hard that is!
So rather than following a specific 'diet' we are going to cut our portions way back (nearly in half), minimize processed foods that contain very little nutrition but lots of calories and fat, and try to eat more fruit and vegetables. Spouse is also going to minimize between meal snacking, too. Snacking isn't an issue for me, as I've never been one to nibble between meals.We're both going to increase our exercise a bit, too. We're already pretty active (we both work out with a trainer once a week, do cardio at least twice a week, and walk a lot) so I don't know that more exercise will help with weight loss necessarily, but it certainly couldn't hurt. Plus the exercise will release endorphins that help to and improve mood and suppress appetite.
Appetite - that's a whole 'nother story! I have said for many years that I believe lots of people overeat - not because they're hungry - but because eating gives them control in their lives. I know from our own experiences that when situations at work or in our personal lives cause us stress, we tend to eat more. When we feel we don't have control over the work or personal situations, we exert control where we can, which is our eating. I believe many people overeat in order to feel they are in control. Its kind of like anorexia nervosa, only in the opposite direction.
Now, I'm not saying ALL overweight people are such because of stress or lack of control over work and personal situations in their lives. There are many causes of overweight. I'm simply noting my belief that most overweight people are not overweight because they are always hungry. Sometimes they're just bored.
So wish us luck as Spouse & I start our non-diet/new eating patterns/lifestyle change. Hopefully in a few months we'll look less like the photos above, and more like the photo below!
Oh, alright! A boy can wish, can't he?
Crush du Jour: Tyler Kenyon
11 comments:
Funny you'd mention this...because I just read an article yesterday that DIETS DONT' WORK....I'm glad to see that you're onthe NON diet! It's a lifestyle change boys, complete different way of doing business.. And I wish you nothing but 100% success. Don't look back.
from your blog to god's eyes!
i'm doing the same thing. i'll be doing all the same stuff except i won't be using a trainer and i'm throwing in yoga 2-3 times a week.
I made little changes. More fruit and vegetables in the house. Smaller portions, for example on chop of meat instead of two, etc.
My weight has been stable for about a decade, but at 210lbs my doctor worries a bit. He'd like to see me down to 190lbs but I explained the diet to him and he now chalks it up to family now that I've filled him in on the fact that my great grandmother was five feet tall and 200lbs.
She died at 82.
It's the Italian thing. We're built more like fireplugs.
I'm trying to do much the dame thing! Good luck!
I agree with you about all those reasons for eating. For me, I'm having to think of it as an addiction since it's emotional and not about the food. So many of us are in this together right now, which helps.
I do wish you both all the luck,and who knows you may even look like Tyler blow! If you do end up looking like that can I be the house boy? I keep a well run house in tip top shape!
Good luck to you both! I am doing the same! It's kind of maddening on this end, since Brad can eat whatever he likes and not gain an ounce, whereas I just look at a piece of pie and gain a pound!
Here's to slimmer and trimmer usses!
When it came to losing weight, reducing portions was the biggest contributor when it came to weight loss.
we need to do the same...Salads and more walking and lifestyle change for us too!!!
Hee hee Does this new eating pattern/lifestyle change include losing years, too? 'Cause I'm thinking that sexy thing at the bottom of this post is a couple years younger than you two.
Seriously, good luck with this! You are absolutely right about diet vs. lifestyle habits. I'm a stress eater, I know that. I have a lot of stress. I weigh a lot of pounds, too.
I wish you well, but I offer one linguistic correction: a real "diet" is part of a lifestyle. It's what one eats all the time, all through their life. Just because most people say the word "diet" when they mean "temporary weight loss plan" doesn't mean the word is bad.
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