The second part of my commitment to weigh control is to weigh myself every week. Many people who are thin, and stay thin, weigh themselves every day – or have some other way to check their body (clothes sizes, belt sizes, or?) to make sure they are not over eating. There is counting calories, and then there is the proof. What do you actually weigh? Because I have read that once you are fairly thin, even a small change in your body is noticeable. Clothes don’t fit, and you don’t feel the same. You are close to the edge and balance is affected by small things, on the edge. So how did I do this week?
Wonderful progress, I was recently saying that I remember the beginning of this weight loss program, when I routinely lost 3 pounds per week. I was thinking up to 2 pounds per week was more realistic now. (Last week I was at 251.8.) This means that since beginning my weight control lifestyle, I have lost:
Reward time
Every time I lose a whole decade (270, 260, and now 250) I find a way to reward myself. I have sacrificed what part of me wants: being full. A lot of me doesn’t value that highly anymore, but I know part of me does. That part has to be compensated and all of me rewarded. It’s a promise that I have to keep. This time, I know exactly what the reward is: Indian buffet!
The great part about these rewards is that I fit them into my weight control lifestyle. My calorie count for the day will stay at 1800 (more for a swimming day). I will have a reward and I will still lose weight next week. Maybe I won’t lose quite as much!
It’s an interesting reward now, because being full isn’t ideal to most of my consciousness now. At a buffet, I do have to estimate how much I am eating, but there is a license to satisfy the part of me that wants the sensation of fullness and finds that comforting. I try not to ignore these parts of myself, especially because that part is powerful enough to take control if provoked! I have (and everyone on a diet has) had the situation where my conscious will said Don’t Eat and part of me says (with its mouth full) Too Bad. Even though I don’t want to, I find myself eating, even though in theory it’s all me and I should be able to stop!
So I pay attention to the parts of myself that are at odds with the goals and ideals of my conscious will. I still have a body and it still wants what it wants, no matter what I say.
Paying attention means a lot of different things. But some of them are worth the effort, don’t you find?
-The Doctor
Congratulations on reaching your new weight! Let the reward be “fulfilling!”
Thanks! The reward was full filling, now that you mention it!
Hey Hey! Congratulations on breaching the 250 lbs mark! It is all downhill from here… out of curiosity… have you carried something around the house (backpack, or even a sack of cement) that is the weight you have lost? It feels strange (and heavy) when that occurs.