Super Dieters share their six weight loss tips
Ok…. so they gave us six tips these people seem to have in common and I’m thinking most people won’t get past the first one. Just like knowing the sky is blue, this first tip will be just like being told it isn’t….but what if this nugget is really spot-on? Truth is it won’t apply to everyone but I’m going to attempt to explain why it might apply to way more than you think.
Let’s get the next part over with (the posting of the list) so we can go ahead and get done with the screaming after reading the first rule.
Rule No. 1. Don’t ever cheat. They never give themselves a break, not even on holidays or weekends.
Rule No. 2. Eat breakfast. The National Weight Control Registry shows that’s one of the most common traits of those who succeed in keeping those pounds off once and for all.
Rule No. 3. Get on a scale every day.
Rule No. 4. Put in the equivalent of a four-mile walk seven days a week.
Rule No. 5. Watch less than half as much TV as the overall population.
Rule No. 6. Eat 50 to 300 calories less than most people.
So rule 4,5, and 6 deal with the “stuff” we’ve heard forever….calories in/calories out. For years I never ate breakfast because every day for over three decades I woke up with the idea that I would go as long as possible without eating. Too bad no one was around to tell me in the 4th grade that I was destroying my metabolism. So check…Rule 2 is a given. Since finding out there are about approximately 2,000 steps in a mile, most days…Rule 4, check!
Rule 5 done. Sometimes I watch TV while I’m walking so I’m not sure exactly how that fits in.
Rule 3 is an absolute for me. “Hello scale” every morning…it just gives me feedback and it has no special monster powers. I’ll do a “part two” in order to cover this in another post because this one is for everyone still laying on the floor from a cold faint after reading Rule 1.
My surgery was nearly 13 years ago and I’ve learned many, many things. Some beliefs that were absolutes changed and Rule 1 was one of them. I’ve told this before and I’m telling it again. Early on I would allow myself my one guilty pleasure ONLY IF I was able to get 5 pounds below goal. (It was a Quarter Pounder with cheese – insert my self induced shame). I was somehow able to stick to that but what I noticed was on the days I couldn’t have it, I wanted it! Eventually it became harder and nearly impossible to get 5 pounds below goal and after some period of time I also realized that I was beginning to forget how my “crack” meal tasted. Then I totally forgot and I didn’t even crave it anymore. Because I stopped eating it I had successfully rewired my brain to lose the cravings. I was also acutely aware the cravings would come right back if I ate another one…even one bite. Um….duh. That’s sort of like quitting cigarettes and having one just for fun after 3 years. I’ll say this again too. For me, the idea of taking a bite of something to get past the craving equates to giving an alcoholic a sip of beer to stop the craving. SOME of us can take these bites but so many cannot.
If I had a quarter for every post-op that told me the M&M story, I could take a trip to Mexico. The M&M story you might ask? Maybe it’s because they are tiny…but the story always starts the same. “I was doing great for 2 years, 4 years, (sometimes even longer) and I ate one M&M. Really what could that hurt? Next it was two then three…then a small bag, a bigger bag.” Some call it testing the waters. They went such a long time without one single M&M and nobody died, they certainly didn’t miss out on anything of nutritional value and they were doing great until they decided they could try just one. In other words they never cheated during that time and most were at the weight they wanted to be or at least smaller than after they started the M&M’s. You CAN be abstinent from sugar and junk food and it is far easier if you have none instead of a little for those that struggle with not being able to stop.
Again let me repeat….IF you can “eat just one”, go for it. I’m beyond thrilled for you!!! If you find you are not losing or you are in the process of regain, you could always try stopping any food you don’t wish to crave. Try it for a month but approach it one day at a time. When I’m somewhere and there’s a bowl of M&M’s, I look at it as if it’s a bowl of cyanide. Sugar put me in the prison of an obese body and at the end I would have rather died than spend another day at my heaviest weight. And really….if you were a drug addict would you allow yourself a cheat snort once a week?
This is a great quote that applies. 100% is easy, 99% is a b***h. Not eating processed sugar and junk food 100% is so easy but 99% leaves a ton of wiggle room. It has became totally effortless for me to avoid these foods but please don’t misunderstand…..my journey is still something I work on every….single…day.
If you still think this is utterly ridiculous, file it away for later. My favorite quote:
It means don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
And just in case you might have missed this before… I’ll leave you with an oldie but goodie.. .
Yvonne McCarthy
Musician, Artist, Photographer,computer geek and weight loss surgery aficionado. Over a 30 year period I lost one hundred pounds one hundred times but remained morbidly obese. On March 30th, 2001, I had weight loss surgery weighing in at 260 pounds (definitely not my highest). Since that day I have lost and maintained a 130 pound loss.
I am a passionate animal lover, I play guitar and sing, play piano, cello, a bit of drums and the recorder (kinda like a flute). I love putting my photography and music together on video and I’m a craft making fool. This image expresses exactly how I felt for so long.
What best describes what I do: I’m here for each of you…to hold your hand as I walk down the road ahead of you. When I see the bumps in the road, I’ll tell you where they are and that makes an easier journey for you. And when you get down the road, you can reach back your hand and help the ones coming in behind you and so it goes…and the ripple in the pond becomes a tidal wave of healing water for so many to follow.
Please feel free to contact me. I am certified as a Health and Wellness Coach and volunteer in order to give back to the community that gave me so much in the beginning.
It’s all about paying it forward….
Many blessings,
Y
Yvonne (aka bariatricgirl.com).
Thanks! I'm actually working on it 30 day Bible study right now that has to do with building appropriate boundaries around food. I know what's ahead game. If I can fix my brain, I'll win this game.
Thanks! I'm actually working on it 30 day Bible study right now that has to do with building appropriate boundaries around food. I know what's ahead game. If I can fix my brain, I'll win this game.
That's incredible!! Appropriate boundaries of many kinds were always tough for me and you are absolutely right...if you fix your brain, you'll win this game. I LOVE that! Sounds like you've got a grip on what's ahead and that puts you in a really good place.
Gretchen Rubin's (The Happiness Project) take on abstinence is to put it with a positive spin For example, now I'm free from french fries, not I can't ever eat a french fry:
http://www.gretchenr...than-you-think/
Thanks for a thought provoking article. Great news to see you are at goal these many years later. You're my hero.
Lynda
Lynda I just noticed I missed your comment! What a great point about a positive spin on abstinence because that's the way I look at it too! Thank you for sharing the link too. GREAT STUFF!!
I appreciate your words more than you know but I don't feel like I deserve to be a anyone's hero....I spent so many years in the prison of obesity and those years are very fresh in my mind. When I had the surgery I made a promise, sort of a solemn vow that if I could just get back in the driver's seat just one more time that I would never, ever, ever go back. I am what you would call "scared straight" more or less. I don't participate in things that might put me back because I never know what might take me on that ride I can't get off of. So many people write me who are in trouble and that probably keeps me more motivated than I think. Because I've stopped some types of food completely I absolutely don't crave them and I have also learned to actually think before I do something that will only end up being super painful. I go through the thought process of realizing that I'll have only a few moments of extreme pleasure while I eat something (we have a sucky high because it only lasts while we are eating). After that I'll spend all kinds of time feeling bad, feeling shame, beating myself up. And guess what would make me feel better?? To eat again. I got off that ride a long time ago and don't want to get back in that vicious cycle. While I know I "shouldn't" feel shame or beat myself up because I'm not perfect....that doesn't stop me. I know myself. Shame is my biggest dragon left to slay. I can find something to feel ashamed about if I run out of what I consider to be justifiable reasons. Instead I think positive thoughts when I put fuel in my body and feel grateful that I'm not doing something to harm myself mentally and physically. Thank you again for commenting.
Great article. I'm 4 days post op. Failure, shame, guilt are all feeling that have lead me to be where I am. The long term path is just that -long term. I know many get into this seeing this as a quick fix. It's just a tool in the box. I'm so inspired by all of you. This is such a wonderful place to be!
Great article. I'm 4 days post op. Failure, shame, guilt are all feeling that have lead me to be where I am. The long term path is just that -long term. I know many get into this seeing this as a quick fix. It's just a tool in the box. I'm so inspired by all of you. This is such a wonderful place to be!
Congratulations!! You sound great for 4 days. Yep it's just a tool and it's the greatest tool I've ever been given. Thank you and I agree...this IS a wonderful place to be!
Yvonne, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this, I am actually having surgery tomorrow and I am super excited, but I was struggling these past few days with the issue of will I ever be able to or even want to eat the foods I love now while I am heavy, and I have decided to follow the 6 steps rule, and I definitely am going to follow step one. I don't want to be trapped like I am now, and I want to be able to get to where I have always wanted to be HEALTHY. So thanks again, I am going to copy and paste these steps to a word document and print out a bunch and post them everywhere I can see it when I grab for foods and remember what you said!!! I am going to start my new life off right.
Yvonne, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this, I am actually having surgery tomorrow and I am super excited, but I was struggling these past few days with the issue of will I ever be able to or even want to eat the foods I love now while I am heavy, and I have decided to follow the 6 steps rule, and I definitely am going to follow step one. I don't want to be trapped like I am now, and I want to be able to get to where I have always wanted to be HEALTHY. So thanks again, I am going to copy and paste these steps to a word document and print out a bunch and post them everywhere I can see it when I grab for foods and remember what you said!!! I am going to start my new life off right.
First I want to congratulate you about surgery!!! How wonderful. I also want to thank you for your kind words and encourage you to use the list as a guide. Your journey is a learning experience and no matter how much you know going in....some of those old habits may take a little practice. IF you do end up breaking rule #1 I want you to never feel shame or beat yourself up because we cannot change the past. All we have is right now and that's the only thing you can change. I will repeat again that it is easier to not do something 100% instead of 99%. In case you missed the great article that was posted in these comments by another member (Isereno), make sure and read this article too. I thought it was wonderful! http://www.gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2013/01/want-to-be-free-from-french-fries-or-why-abstaining-may-be-easier-than-you-think/
Be free pupichupi!!
Yvonne, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this, I am actually having surgery tomorrow and I am super excited, but I was struggling these past few days with the issue of will I ever be able to or even want to eat the foods I love now while I am heavy, and I have decided to follow the 6 steps rule, and I definitely am going to follow step one. I don't want to be trapped like I am now, and I want to be able to get to where I have always wanted to be HEALTHY. So thanks again, I am going to copy and paste these steps to a word document and print out a bunch and post them everywhere I can see it when I grab for foods and remember what you said!!! I am going to start my new life off right.
First I want to congratulate you about surgery!!! How wonderful. I also want to thank you for your kind words and encourage you to use the list as a guide. Your journey is a learning experience and no matter how much you know going in....some of those old habits may take a little practice. IF you do end up breaking rule #1 I want you to never feel shame or beat yourself up because we cannot change the past. All we have is right now and that's the only thing you can change. I will repeat again that it is easier to not do something 100% instead of 99%. In case you missed the great article that was posted in these comments by another member (Isereno), make sure and read this article too. I thought it was wonderful! http://www.gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2013/01/want-to-be-free-from-french-fries-or-why-abstaining-may-be-easier-than-you-think/
Be free pupichupi!!
Thanks Yvonne, I will check that out!!!
Wow, that last picture was powerful. Exactly how I have felt for years. I'm a musician and artistic in nature and keep it to myself anymore. No one sees talent, love, patience, hard work, dedication, etc,.. through the obesity. They just see a fat person. A joke. I remember being thin in my young adult life and people always complemented me and listened to what I had to say. The bigger I got the more people shut me out, made everything I said or did appear ridiculous and then the shunning started. I see it happening to my kids and I know it's the weight. The last great prejudice in this life is against overweight people and getting worse. It's practically illegal to pick on someone for race, religion, or sexual orientation anymore, but it's a free for all on obese people. My son is now headed toward surgery and next will be my daughter (PCOS related). We feel less than human when we go out, that is the mental toll of society on obese people. The vicious circle that causes us to go home and overeat in the first place.
Wow, that last picture was powerful. Exactly how I have felt for years. I'm a musician and artistic in nature and keep it to myself anymore. No one sees talent, love, patience, hard work, dedication, etc,.. through the obesity. They just see a fat person. A joke. I remember being thin in my young adult life and people always complemented me and listened to what I had to say. The bigger I got the more people shut me out, made everything I said or did appear ridiculous and then the shunning started. I see it happening to my kids and I know it's the weight. The last great prejudice in this life is against overweight people and getting worse. It's practically illegal to pick on someone for race, religion, or sexual orientation anymore, but it's a free for all on obese people. My son is now headed toward surgery and next will be my daughter (PCOS related). We feel less than human when we go out, that is the mental toll of society on obese people. The vicious circle that causes us to go home and overeat in the first place.
I agree with you. Maybe if there was more emphasis on nutrition at school we wouldn't have children with diabetes. When my son was in first grade , his teacher would not allow high fat, sugar or calorie Snacks at snack time. It started you do today he is 6"4" and 180 and works out everyday. ( so proud of him). I want to go up to these people who are struggling and offer help.many don't know of all the services available to them. When I went to my first meeting many were with oxygen and in wheelchairs. I thought wow, I'm not that bad... Yet!
So proud to be able to have a second chance at life! I am pre op for June 9. Good luck with your son and daughter .. Are you post op yourself?
BariatricGirl 220
Posted
BIG TIME CONGRATS ON YOUR SURGERY!!! I think all junk food was like crack to me. Even 13 years out I will not keep anything I could abuse in my house because it is particularly harder for me at night. (not uncommon) There's a great acronym for when we are often triggered. It's H.A.L.T. which stands for H- (hungry) A- (anxious) L- (lonely) T- (tired). When you are feeling any of those you may be more likely to reach for something to cope with those unwanted feelings. It helps to keep busy and that's why I volunteer because it helps get me out of my scary head.
I'm so excited for you! It will be here in no time!
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