So, by now, I think it's fair to say that I know how to lose weight. I wouldn't say that I've "mastered" it. Because for me, it will never be something I master. I have self-control issues. and I love food. I LOVE food.
I know how to gain weight. Obviously. My weight has yo-yoed. Lose some, then regain more.
What I do not know how to do at all is maintain my weight once I've lost it. It is honestly kind of frightening and difficult for me to decide to stop losing weight. I flip flop from one extreme (overeating) to another (calorie restricting). I don't know how to live "normally" in the middle. I think that this is probably the hardest part of weight loss: Keeping it off and staying at the same weight.
Summer is hard. It's hot out. It's the time of ice cream, and bbqs, and vacation. I have a teenage boy in my house. (and his father who thinks he can still eat like a teenager.) I want to do good, nice things for the family and give them good experiences. Summers are extremely difficult and stressful for me.
Why is food such a comfort? What are the evolutionary/psychological reasons that we eat for comfort? I wish I would have learned about that in school... I'm sure I could make some guesses about dopamine etc., but still.
My friend is getting married in mid-August. My dress is way too big for me (since we purchased it 3 months ago.) I am getting it taken in in a few weeks, and I should probably stop losing weight between then and the wedding. But it is scary and difficult for me to think about stopping losing weight. I keep telling myself that it will be good for me to "practice" maintaining weight and then lose the rest and maintain. The last time that I did weight watchers, they only had a 6 week maintenance period. I do not think that that is sufficient. My hope is to be on "active" maintenance for the same amount of time that I've been "actively" losing weight. I don't want to "quit the plan" at the earliest time. I want to be successful forever.
Therefore, I think that I will be switching to maintenance for the summer. We'll see if I actually do...
Update: [Wed June 22. 0900] I'm going to "enjoy" my summer, and when I return to "life as I know it," I will more actively lose weight. I am thinking that I will still probably lose about half a pound a week, but we'll see.
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