I’ve never been able to lose significant weight before. But in 2019, I was able to lose 80+ pounds. OK, there are still 60 pounds to go. But even so, that’s significant. What changed?
I developed a vision of the person I wanted to be. Nothing so one-dimensional as “being a thin person.” I want to be a person who is in control of his body’s weight. I decided I had to value that more than practically anything else, even if doing so costs me time and money or other things I value.
With the aim in mind – being in control of myself, or put another way, being responsible for myself – I developed methods that worked for me. What works for me? Maximum enjoyment and fulfillment at every meal. That means two things: I had to prepare for each meal by allowing myself to be a little hungry, and I also had to be responsible for making sure each meal was worth the effort, the sacrifice.
That’s a matter of taste.
My food intake and calorie count
Breakfast – ham and cheese sandwich on toast with pickles (300);
- 300 calories
Lunch – half-pound short rib burger (600); toasted bread (100);
- 700 calories
Dinner – Costco pepperoni pizza (710);
- 710 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (80); cookies (140)
- 220 calories
Total for the day: 1930 calories (limit 1800 + 500 bonus from swimming, total 2300)
Get the top level right
The top level of your mind, or your thinking, that is. If you have your mind in the right place, then everything else follows. It takes discipline and effort, but it is very rewarding to be on this weight control lifestyle. The reward does not come from losing weight. That’s kind of a bonus.
No, the effort and discipline are all in service of fulfilling yourself and maximizing enjoyment of every meal. You make yourself do that because it is rewarding and feels much better than living the old way. In my old thinking, enjoyment came from eating until I was full. You might say “I eat until I’ve had enough” but how can you tell what is enough? If one of the main joys in your life comes from feeling full, then you will start filling yourself at every meal. Who can do that without gaining weight?
In my old thinking, I would try to force myself to diet and punish myself for not doing it. I’ve come to think that is a very lazy way to try to lose weight. You’re asking your body (really, your subconscious mind) to do all the magical weight loss things for you. When you run out of willpower, the temptation is to punish yourself and make excuses for the failure – weak willpower, genetics, etc. Then you are into self-loathing and good luck getting yourself to diet again, after a few repeats of that game. It’s all in your head! Change your thinking and become a new person living inside your head. That person puts a lot of effort into making sure the body and mind are fulfilled at every meal. That person trades quantity (measured portions of food) for quality – the exact foods that will make you happy delivered at the moment when you would most appreciate them.
Keep the top level of your thinking where it needs to be!
-The Doctor
Your meals always look inviting. I would love to stop and share that sandwich with you.
Do you have a reward in mind for when you meet your next goal?