Giyen, Sunny, Joie de vivre, and I have started Weight Loss Weekly on 1/19/2009, that is 7 weeks ago. So how are we doing so far?

This week, Joie de vivre asked us: “What is your progress so far, successes and pitfalls you had along the way since we’ve started Weight Loss Weekly.

Joie de vivre says: “One of my major successes is that I am being more honest with myself. Yes, it has not been an easy road, or a quick fix, but the changes I am making are not only helping me lose weight, but will support a lifetime of healthy weight. Come read about my other successes and the pitfalls I’ve had along the way at Joie de vivre: An amateur gourmet’s guide
 

Sunny says: “So my successes?  Well, since the end of December, I’ve lost about 8 pounds!  I’m fitting into my clothes so much better, and yesterday I was able to wear a skirt that I haven’t been able to fit into in a while! Pitfalls? Yes, many…” Keep reading at That Extra 20 Pounds

Giyen: “2009 has been wrought with extreme highs and lows. I am slowly winning my battle with weight, I am settling into my life’s purpose, I am finally realizing that joy lies within the present.” For more, go to Bacon is my enemy
 

And me…

Let’s start with success.

I lost 3 pounds. I’m not sure what made it happen because I don’t feel like I made any special effort or any sacrifices. I have done a few changes since January 2009 which might explain this weight loss, and they are small victories in themselves:

1. Eating less meat, chicken, and fish (animals, in one word). We now have about 3 vegetarian meals each week instead of eating some type of meat every night, and the meat portions are smaller too, about 1/3-1/4 lb. per person (adult).

2. Being even pickier about food. If the food is not that great, I eat only a little of it (if I’m hungry) or not at all.

3. Eating a small breakfast. Usually a slice of toast with cheese. Pretty boring, but I’m not a breakfast person. (A weekend brunch, however, is a different story!)

4. Eating only when I feel hungry. I stopped eating according to a fixed schedule method and changed to eating according to hunger signals. (Unless I’m busy doing something interesting (like blogging) and then I ignore the hunger just so I will not have to stop doing what I’m doing).

5. Dessert is limited to 3 times a week, and I wait at least two hours after dinner (unless in a restaurant).

So, small changes so far but ones I can stick with.

Now to the pitfalls.

The main things that seem to be in my way are:

* Portion control. Oh, portion control, what will I do about you???

Sunny and Joie de vivre have mentioned a few times in their posts a cool trick by the author of “French Women Don’t Get Fat”; eat half of what’s on your plate, stop and ask yourself if you want more, if yes, cut it in half, eat that half, stop, and ask your self if you want the rest, etc…

It sounds great but I find that it doesn’t work for me. If the food is on the plate, (and it taste good), I want it. So instead I think I’ll try a different strategy which is to put half a portion on my plate in the first place. Then, if I’m still hungry, I’ll get out of my chair and go get some more.

* Throwing food away/finish your food

Were you told as a kid to eat everything on your plate? What is it about cleaning one’s plate?

The other night I was driving to Seattle in the evening. I did not have time for dinner at home so I made a sandwich to-go and I cut it in half. I ate one half in the car (traffic was bad) and it was more then enough. For 30 minutes I have contemplated eating the second half. I was not hungry anymore but the thought of throwing the sandwich away was just unthinkable. So I ate it, and regretted it. What would you have done?

* Accumulating extra energy/food

Sometimes I eat as if I need to store extra energy. As if food won’t be available later for some reason.

For example, sometimes I eat more, thinking I should boost my energy levels so I can keep up with the kids. Or, another example, we usually have dinner around 6:30-7 pm and we go to sleep around 11 pm to midnight, so my brain is thinking I should have a big dinner to keep me going till midnight without having to eat again, which brings me to the next point.

* Eating is a waste of time

There. I said it.

This might shock you. Because as much as I love to cook, read about food, photograph food, blog about food, buy food and kitchen stuff, I think that the actual eating of the food is a waste of time. What a contradiction.

Maybe I just love to play with food, but not actually eat it. I can think of thousand things I rather do than eat; play with my kids, go to the park, work, read, blog, than to stop everything and sit to eat. So I try to postpone eating or I eat fast to get it done and move on to the next thing I need/want to do. Unless the activity itself is about eating, like a dinner party or dining in a restaurant.

*  Walking more but not enough

The weather gets nicer, so I’m walking more. However, the longest walks are to my son’s school. That’s a total of 10-15 minutes walk. How sad is that?!

I bought a pedometer (for counting steps) but I don’t have time to figure out how the Go% Dam# thing works… I thought it’ll encourage me to get to the 10,000 daily steps the thing says a person needs to walk to be healthy.

* Weekly challenges

I gave myself weekly challenges like, portions control, walk more, listen to hunger signals. I thought that I can focus on something for a week and get it out of my system. It did not work that way but I now realize that I need to repeat those challenges over and over and over, and focus each time on one thing until I get it out of my system.

 

So, to summarize, I think what I’ll focus on next is: put less food on my plate and take a good snack as backup when I need energy later.

Now that I’ve lost 3 pounds it really motivates me to keep them off and lose more gradually, slowly, and safely.
 

What do you find that works for you?

 
Previous posts:

Weight Loss Weekly: Secrets to Dining Out

Weight Loss Weekly: The most ridiculous thing I’ve done

Weight Loss Weekly: This Time It Is Different

Weight Loss Weekly: So what is My Diet?

Categories : Weight Loss/Diet