Has Anyone Ever Stopped Dieting and

[antmaril]

lost weight?

I've been thinking that because I'm always thinking about my diet that I'm doomed to fail. My husband (who is very supportive by the way) thinks I should just stop thinking about it and try to be as normal as possible. Stop counting calories, points, carbs, etc.

I think he may be on to something. In other words, just try to eat like a normal person. Have a decent breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, a couple of snacks and a reasonable dinner.

I tend to be either on a diet or off (mostly off ).

I think I'm going to stop dieting and see what happens.

Wish me luck!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I lost weight and I was NEVER on a diet. I totally changed my eating and excercise habits. It's a WAY OF LIFE, not a diet. I have kept the weight off for nearly 10 years now by eating healthy and excersing regularly.

 

[ZerasPride]

This is exactly what I am doing! I even started a thread on WISH about it. I lost weight very well low carbing but when I crashed, it was a bad crash. I gained back 30+ pounds and felt miserable. One day it hit me that I didn't want to be restricted by anybody's plan. I was tired of worrying about cheating and going through life with clenched teeth. I would be very good for a long time and then I would binge. I was caught in that vicious cycle for about a year.

On March 5 I decided to stop dieting forever. I work out (hard) just about everyday and I do watch what I eat, making as careful choices as I can, but I will not diet again. So far I am down almost 5.6 pounds without dieting! I even have a small square of homemade brownie each night, eat an occasional McD's fry from son's meal and have had mash potatoes and still am losing. I am very pleased with my progress so far and don't feel deprived which always led to me feeling resentful and to an eventual binge. Hopefully, I have discovered the "secret" for me to be thin for life.

 

[antmaril]

This is exactly what I am doing! I even started a thread on WISH about it. I lost weight very well low carbing but when I crashed, it was a bad crash. I gained back 30+ pounds and felt miserable. One day it hit me that I didn't want to be restricted by anybody's plan. I was tired of worrying about cheating and going through life with clenched teeth. I would be very good for a long time and then I would binge. I was caught in that vicious cycle for about a year.

On March 5 I decided to stop dieting forever. I work out (hard) just about everyday and I do watch what I eat, making as careful choices as I can, but I will not diet again. So far I am down almost 5.6 pounds without dieting! I even have a small square of homemade brownie each night, eat an occasional McD's fry from son's meal and have had mash potatoes and still am losing. I am very pleased with my progress so far and don't feel deprived which always led to me feeling resentful and to an eventual binge. Hopefully, I have discovered the "secret" for me to be thin for life.

ZerasPride: I have been reading all of your posts. I remember you.

I really want to get away from being on a diet. It just doesn't work. I lost 25 pounds on WW once and felt great. However, I gained that 25 back, plus another 20 It's a terrible feeling and I want to stop feeling bad about myself. I've discovered, of course, that I always feel bad because I fall off my diet and hate myself. I need to just stop.

Thanks for the encouragement. I want to be able to come here one day soon and say "I stopped dieting and lost 30 pounds." I can do it!

Good luck to you. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

One thing that helped me so much was meeting with a nutritionist (you could also meet with a dietician). It helped me see portion sizes and the nutritional quality of certain foods, etc. I also learned that a treat now and then won't kill you. Moderation is the key. You'll have a game plan for life that is not a diet.

 

[ZerasPride]

antmaril - I remember you too! Thanks for the well wishes. I am really happy with my progress so far. I do like Miss Jasmine's suggestion of seeing a nutritionist from the standpoint of figuring out exactly what portion sizes should look like. When I did low carb, I didn't worry about portion sizes, calories or any of that stuff and lost weight like crazy. My sisters would get so angry at me that I could eat the way I did and still lose weight. Now that I'm not doing that anymore, I have to rethink what I am putting on my plate. Moderation is definitely the key! It's also going to be a lifelong process, I am convinced of that. I have "issues" with food. Always have and probably always will. That's okay though. We can do this! One pound at a time!!!

 

[antmaril]

Miss Jasmine's suggestion is a good one, however, I really think that I know how to do it. I've dieted long enough to know what a portion size is, to eat more whole grains, read labels, watch for too much sugar, add a little more protein, drink lots of water, eat more vegetables and fruit, etc.

I really know how it's done - I just have to do it

 

[ZerasPride]

So true! I feel I have all the keys as well. I just need to put the right key in the door to open it instead of insisting the wrong key will open the right door! That's why I said I think it's a lifelong process. I thought I had my food issues beat when I did low carb but I didn't. Eventually I went right back to my old eating habits. That's why diets will not work for me long-term. Sooner or later I will go back to the old way. I need to learn permanent and managable new ways of eating and just as if not more important better ways of coping with stress. I have to remember Food does not equal happiness.

 

[antmaril]

Exactly.

I have a lot of food issues, as well. I turn to food for any number of reasons - happy, sad, stressed, distraught - anything. Another problem is that we use food for entertainment. My husband is very fortunate because he has absolutely no problem with his weight. The man has a huge appetite and never gains a pound. He's a lucky guy. His metabolism is the opposite of mine.

We use food to celebrate and for something to do. I have to learn that I can go out to eat and still make good choices. It's not a reason to go food crazy. Just eat like a normal person. This is my new mantra - "just eat like a normal person."

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[ZerasPride]

You and are think so much alike! I tell myself the same thing. I have sisters that are all normal eaters and all normal weight but not me. Any old occasion will do and any old reason will do. I can binge on the strangest things. My last one was Cocoa Puffs. Of all the things I could eat. I could put away an entire giant box in a couple of days - on top of regular meals and dessert. I can be a non-stop eating machine. At one point, my husband told me that my eating was scaring him because I was eating him under the table.

I'm an all or nothing type gal. I go from extremes of eating like I just described to almost "perfect" eating and exercise. For instance, Wednesday, I went to the gym three times in one day. Yep, that's three times! In the morning before work, at lunch and then again for a boot camp/step class after work. I did 100 flights of stairs on the stairmaster, 90 pushups, weight lifting class and ran on the treadmill. All this week alone! Two weeks ago, I didn't even go to the gym once!

I am striving for some balance. There has to be some middle ground between eating myself silly and starving myself to death and working out like the bionic woman and not getting up from the couch for days. I am determined to find it. I keep telling myself that life is not an all or nothing proposition. I will learn how to eat like normal people - even if it kills me! Joking of course but I think you know what I mean!

 

[antmaril]

Wow - You went to the gym three times in one day - I'm impressed. I'm doing well if I get some exercise three times in a week - LOL

I have one sister who is very slender. She reminds me that I can have one cookie, just not five

I believe that balance and moderation are the keys to success in this life challenge.

We can help each other.

 

[ZerasPride]

You are so right, we can help each other! It's nice to talk to someone that understands. My sisters try but really don't. And my poor DH, well he does his best but unless you have experienced abnormal eating, you just don't get it.

About my work outs - I love the endorphin rush! I think that's the real reason I exercise like a crazed person. I also like to push myself. I may not be the smallest lady in the room but I can probably out run, out jump jack, out squat and out bench press the smallest of them!

 

[antmaril]

Good for you

I wish I liked to exercise - I really don't. I know I should do it, but, alas, I can talk myself out of it just about every day.

 

[disneychrista]

I am not on a "diet" other than the true meaning of the word (diet is what we eat). I have just changed how I eat. I eat more veggies. I made some small change. One is that I not longer put creamer/milk in my tea (I drink a lot of tea). I now get "light" frappacinos when I get them (and I get them less often). I use "fat free" italian dressing on my salads or get the dressing (blue cheese) on the side if we are in a restaurant. I eat more veggies & fruit and less "junk." I still eat pizza about once a week but I get light cheese w/ zucchini more often than I due full cheese & pepperoni.

And I agree it is great to take the time to learn what portion size are. What you think is a serving might be 2 or 3. I bought measure cups and spoons (I found I needed at least 2 sets). A scale is also very important. It doesn't mean you have to measure and weigh the rest of your lfe. Once you get the hang of it then you won't have to meausre, you will know what a serving is.


And daily exercise is really important. It just makes me feel a whole lot better. When you feel better (about yourself) you tend to make better choices.

To be truely successfull IMO you have to make changes that you can live with for the rest of your life, not just until the weight is off. Because if you go back to what caused you to gain weight in the first place, guess what happens - you gain weight.

 

[Jaime]

Hi, imo that is the best thing you can do! I have been losing weight for the past 6 years. I haven't stopped it has been coming off slowly but coming off! All I did in the beginning was drinking my water...than I started choosing healthier foods...no salt..no butter...skim milk etc... I have had two dd's in the past 6 years and I still lost 73.5 pounds. My exercise has been getting better as I have been getting smaller but it started with a 20 minute walk mon-fri. I plan to have my 100 pound wish by Nov! I haven't dieted at all...just picked healthier choices. I bought a pair of size 8 pants this week: in 2001 I bought a size 24 for our disney trip!

 

[antmaril]

Hi, imo that is the best thing you can do! I have been losing weight for the past 6 years. I haven't stopped it has been coming off slowly but coming off! All I did in the beginning was drinking my water...than I started choosing healthier foods...no salt..no butter...skim milk etc... I have had two dd's in the past 6 years and I still lost 73.5 pounds. My exercise has been getting better as I have been getting smaller but it started with a 20 minute walk mon-fri. I plan to have my 100 pound wish by Nov! I haven't dieted at all...just picked healthier choices. I bought a pair of size 8 pants this week: in 2001 I bought a size 24 for our disney trip!

Jaime: Wow, that's fantastic and very inspirational.

Thanks for posting your story!

 

[wide awake]

To the OP-
Sounds like a good idea. I eat what I want and maintain my weight...I don't need to lose. I don't buy or eat diet products, other than 2% milk and diet soda. I exercise each day and stay away from restaurants....and try to eat exactly what I want until I'm satisfied. It works. Sometimes I'll read the W.I.S.H. journals and the food people eat....gross !!! They'll go days eating all sorts of icky fake food, than binge on poor quality candy. If you want candy figure out what you really want, go to See's, buy what and how much you want at that moment, enjoy it, be done w/ it.