Ok this is a long post. I need to write it - you don't need to read it.
Ok well I did not do so well last time. This working long hours and sitting all day, is really not good. So I have taken a good look at myself and the reasons I keep failing. And my head is the problem. I know what I need to do. I understand which foods are "good" and which are "bad". I still eat the bad ones. For about a year now I have seen an app called Noom advertised. I am very suspicious of paid apps but I thought I would check it out as I was just getting worse and worse.
It is less about food and more about the psychology around how we eat and what we eat. It goes into our relationship with eating and gives you the tools to make better choices. I don't do well when left to my own devices and this app rewards you for being consistent - logging your weight daily - listing your meals and snacks - tracking your steps and activity - how much water you are drinking - etc. There are quizzes and tests and games to help you identify which colour list items belong to. The whole idea is that no food is bad. No food is illegal. There are three lists. Green, yellow and red. Green is your preferred list, with highest volume to calories. Yes - this whole plan works on calories in and calories out. They calculate what your body needs and you eat just a little bit less than that. They talk about guides and mentors but thankfully I have not dealt with a real person yet. They do have psychologists you can sign up to work with but I don't need that yet (and probably won't). Yes it does cost money to do this program but 14 days are free. I just signed up for 9 months. That is what they calculate it will take me to get to a weight most people consider fat
But I plan to be down a lot more than their realistic goal. But even their goal would be so much better than where I am now.
I am too embarrassed to mention my actual weight - just know I am heavier than all of you. I started last Monday morning 4 July 2022. In the first 8 days I have lost 4 kgs. This is more than they predicted but I am not sure if it will continue like this. It took me 30 years to get to this size, I am ok with it taking a while for me to lose it (not 30 years though). Hoping it won't be more than 2. I have not been hungry and I don't usually manage to eat my required calories. I did have a small mug of ice cream last week and I have several glasses of whiskey a day (those have calories too). You just take them from what you are allowed.
I do find that I am making smarter choices rather than grilling cheese on bread smothered with jalapenos, I will have a tuna and jalapeno sandwich (whole grain bread is on the green list). I am not a vegetarian anymore but tend to feel better eating only chicken and fish. I still pretty much eat a vegetarian diet as I added the meat for health reasons (my muscles were deteriorating after covid). Though I must say I do enjoy it. I am now grateful for the food I am eating rather than just eating it. Something about being present in the moment and not eating mindlessly while watching Youtube.
Ok that was a lot more than I intended.
- I tend to just keep quite when that comes up, for much the same reason you mentioned.
