The more reading and research I do, the more I realise that losing weight shouldn’t be the main objective. Plus, my doctor assures me that I’m not worryingly overweight.
However, I do feel that I should lose some weight, if only for the benefit of my knees and hips. And my digestive system.
I’m not avoiding any food groups. I don’t believe in taking pills any more, other than when I’m poorly. I still have a garlic pearly (or similar) every day, and from 1 March to 30 September I have a daily anti-histamine.
But apart from those, all the other supplements and vitamins have stopped. (Unless and until directed by a doctor for something like a zinc or iron deficiency, which I don’t currently have.) (In fact, I’ve had loads of blood tests recently and everything is, apparently, quite normal.)
What I am doing is looking at eating more fibre – dietary rather than supplementary – and eating more of a balanced diet.
When I was a teenager, I overheard my mom discussing me with our family doctor. She thought I might be anorexic. I have never been smaller than a UK size 10, but I was skinny. Oh, for those days again!
I was a UK size 10 right up to my 30s, and then again briefly in my mid-40s. I still have size 10 clothes – “for when I’m thin again”. But I’m now starting to think that keeping those size 10 clothes might actually be doing more damage than providing motivation.
I’ve read (or am reading) more books just lately, three on the F-Plan diet (updated), and one called Just Eat It! (There will be a review on here as soon as I’m done with that one.) And here is what I think I’m going to do:
- Forget about counting calories and being anal about weighing food.
- Eat a more balanced diet.
- Swap out refined foods for unrefined foods and foods that are higher in natural fibre.
- Keep half an eye on portion sizes.
- Eat when I’m hungry.
- Stop eating when I’m full.
- Chuck out all the size 10 clothes. (This will be a wrench.)
- Increase activity levels.
- Not weigh myself *every* morning.
- Drink water again. (I used to enjoy drinking water, now fizzy pop just makes me more thirsty than ever.)
We have finally finished all of the Christmas food, apart from a few cream crackers that I’ve been having for my midday meal. And a while ago we radically reduced the amount of pre-prepared and processed food to just bacon, sausages and the odd pasta meal – although the poet does make his own pasta when he has time. He even boils his own ham. Well, not his *own* ham … oh, you know what I mean! 😳
Any weight-loss is now a bonus. I’m losing a pound and a bit and then sticking for a bit, losing a pound and a bit and then sticking for a bit. At the moment I’m sticking for a bit.
Don’t worry, I’ll still be sharing some of our favourite recipes – we do keep getting asked for them. And I’ll still be attempting to change the diet habit of a lifetime. I’m tired of throwing money at the diet industry when I could be spending it on nice new clothes that fit and look good instead. Or on a holiday for us both.
What would you do with any money you’d normally spend on dieting?
Hey, good for you! Without knowing your full background, I was interested to read that you take an anti-histamine for such a long time. My poor husband used to suffer terribly with hayfever and, one year, someone suggested he start taking a spoonful of local honey once per day from the end of February onwards.
I kid you not, he has not suffered with hayfever since. I admit, locally sourced farm-shop honey is a little expensive but it works and is natural.
I just thought I would like to share that with you, in case you had never heard of it. It worked for my husband, who is a window cleaner and is outside all year round, exposed to the pollen.
As far as your clothes chuck out goes – I have done the same. I am fifty in a couple of weeks and I am sick of trying to get back to the size I was twenty years ago. I am only a 14 (UK size) and don’t look THAT bad really. Life’s so short we should enjoy it in moderation.
Enjoy your new way of thinking. xx
Hi Julie. Thanks for the suggestion. I’m apparently allergic to the rapeseed, and our villages are surrounded by fields of rape. For years the doctor thought it was fluff from my knitting getting stuck in my throat, but then a light bulb went on and I’ve been managing it ever since. My husband has a lot of respiratory and asthmatic stuff going on too, and he finds the daily anti-histamine useful all year round. But I’ll bet he’ll try the honey suggestion too. 🙂
Diane, I’m happy to hear you are coming to terms with who you are now. I’m doing the same thing for myself. Besides, being the same size you were a decade ago isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Quick story – a girlfriend in her 60s dieted down to 112 two years ago. She. Looked. Awful. Eventually, she realized it, too. Our bodies need more “fluff” as we age. Besides, it looks good on us. 🙂
My Fitbit helps me increase my activity. Have had this for three years, and I love it. It keeps me moving. Also, I cut out ALL sugar. None in my tea (egad!) and none in snack form. I feel better. No weight loss, but hey, I’m not gaining, either.
I am missing half of my thyroid (surgery), so weight gain is always going to be the devil that haunts me. But I’m staying active and healthy. That should count for something.
Spend the money you save from dieting on a fitness tracker or a new book. 🙂
After your suggestion, I had my thyroid checked. All was well. They checked all of my hormones too, and they were all fine as well. And they said my eating was fine too. So, what more can you do?
I’m glad you’re getting on so well following your own surgery. The idea of tea without sugar repulses me, but I can manage coffee without. We’re also cutting out a lot of added sugar.
I can always find books to spend money on! 😀
Sounds a great and sensible plan! Good luck with it. My plan is quite simple – I need to limit the chocolate, cheese and the amount of bread I eat! Once I start on these I can’t stop! The easiest way is to stop eating them altogether at least for the moment -#eyeswandertothecupboard.
I think a lot of us need to eat less chocolate, cheese and bread. Why do they make it so nice if it’s so bad for us?
Now there’s a dangling modifier for you!! So long as it’d the eyes wandering over and not the mouth! 😀
You can dangle your modifiers as often as you like. We’re all friends here. 😀