Posts by pacific586

It all makes sense to me, but I have failed with the "eating consciously" part.  All my life when at home I have read or done puzzles while eating.  I have really tried, but have failed to eat without some type of distraction.  I have been putting off eating until late in the day when I am so hungry that I have to eat quite a lot before I feel full.  Finally, today I decided to try eating a snack for five minutes with no distractions, repeat this and gradually increase the time until I can eat a full meal without the book, etc.

Am building up the no. of steps per day and have decided to put myself in Reese Witherspoon's body.  Have also stopped bringing home the sweets, cookies and chips.  Don't miss them.  These parts of the plan are so much easier for me.

Recently, I realized that throughout my life I have paid too much attention to what other people have thought of my weight.  Now that I am almost 64 and retired, the truth of this has been coming home to me more and more.  I now look at the size 8 and 10 clothes that I wore 10 years ago when I weighed 140.  My mother, sisters and just about everyone else told me that I was fat and I believed them.  I allowed their comments to cause me emotional pain and low self-esteem.  It was hard forgiving myself for believing to them and allowing their opinions to affect me so badly.

Looking back, I realize that I should never have given people that power and I have now taken it back.  I constantly remind myself that my weight is my business and no one has the right to comment on it.  It is enough for me to realize that the extra pounds are damaging my health and it is up to me to do something about it.  I know that I will lose the extra weight and I ignore whatever people say to me.  I meet all comments with a cold stare and smoothly change the subject.

Many formerly obese people have found that the members of their inner circle are envious of their weight loss.  They sabotage them, ridicule them or disappear altogether.  Go for that inner serenity when you know that you are doing the best things for yourself right now.  Continue working towards your goal and do not beat yourself up if you stumble.  You are human!

Thanks for sharing your personal experiences jerichocheyenne.  I am full of admiration for anyone who has adopted a vegan way of life.  While I can give up dairy with no problem, I have tried but have failed to give up meat.  Right now I am completing the Master Cleanse (day 8 out of 10 days).  When I resume eating again, I am going to try practising the four rules that Paul McKenna gave on his TLC TV show last Sunday. 

As I said before, I am a diet junky and I have tried them all, some at great expense, lost the weight and gained it back.  I realize that my main reason for weight gain is mindless eating.  Invariably I eat before the TV, read or do puzzles.  At one time, I knew when I was full and could stop eating, but no more.  I have to get back to that stage.  

Do you think that setting a deadline to reach one's goal weight is a must?  Mine is vaguely summer as it is so hard to drag around the extra weight in the hot weather.  That will motivate me.  I am 5'-5", 230 now and I want to get to 165 although my GW is 135.  At 140, I look absolutely skeletal and find this unattractive.  But who knows?  Nowadays, it seems that skeletal is "in" so I don't know.  Am positive though and mean to succeed. 

My best wishes for success for everyone who has joined this thread.  How great it will be when we can walk down the street without our legs chafing, when we see the eyes of salesples light up when they serve us, and when the other people in the restaurant do not look at us derisively when we put a forkful in our mouths!

I have to lose 100 lb. exactly.  This is the most I have ever had to lose.  Am a diet junky and would like to stop this terrible pattern of behaviour.  I need all the support I can get.  Let's get going!