The Long Plateau

I was doing pretty well with my weight loss plans until sometime around Thanksgiving last year. I was "eating clean" and sticking to my program. I became confident and didn't want to be bothered with the daily chore of logging, especially with holidays and vacations coming up. I rationalized that when I reach my goal, I don't intend to log for the rest of my life, so I needed to teach myself how to lose weight without logging. If I stuck to the "right foods", I shouldn't have any problems.

Theoretically, I think that should have worked. However, I rediscovered a valuable piece of information about myself. I have a problem with binge eating. When I am not monitoring amounts and counting calories, I tend to allow myself to have seconds and eat more, even when it's something healthy like veggies and brown rice. Even low-calorie dense foods can present a problem if I don't know how to determine when my body is sufficiently full. I think it's the result of too many years of overeating and it was too simple to fall into an old habit, even with good food.

So for three months I watched as nothing happened. I told myself that I wasn't in a rush and that as long as I was eating healthy, everything was OK. But, at nearly 100 pounds overweight, I was not at a place where I should be maintaining. I needed to lose and to actively work at it.

In mid-February, I attended and Advanced Study Weekend put on by Dr. McDougall (www.drmcdougall.com) and it was wonderful! I became so inspired and excited that I was prepared to give this process a renewed effort. They fed us everyday for three days and I got no exercise as I sat in those chairs for the entire time, breakfast until nearly bedtime. While the lectures were fantastic, the seats weren't. Still I managed to come home 4 pounds lighter than when I left. Now, it is two weeks later and I am down a total of 8 pounds.

I started logging again and stopped myself from going back for seconds (of even healthy food). I have been exercising for about a month now and I think it is finally beginning to pay off. The weather is being more cooperative and I am able to find interesting ways to be active like gardening and a family walk. To date, my total weight loss is 68 pounds. It is nice to see the scale moving again. I am hopeful that in a few weeks, I will need to go shopping again and find some clothes that fit better. This is going to be a great summer!