Diet Trouble? Ask What Happened? Take It From There

Hello weight losing fans...

Today I stepped up onto the Magical-Mystical-Digital-Scale weighing in at 182.4-pounds. That's getting closer to that 180-target weight that I was supposed to be maintaining. Hardy, Har, Har... Fat chance....

And, I have developed over this one year and a half of weight loss a bit of skepticism. In other words, I've learned anything can go wrong. Once we think we've locked it down, and secured our position, "Human Nature" takes over and screws up the results. It's true with me, and it just may be true with you.

For a while there I reversed course and started heading backwards by regaining the weight faster than I could get it off in the beginning. Yes, I tipped that Magical-Mystical-Digital-Scale one morning back at 190-pounds. Not so long ago that was. Oh the shame... Oink...

OK, OK now that we've all shared in the needless guilt tripping, and the self pity, let's get down to a fix for the problem.

First what started the backwards trend? I started into the maintenance mode. I decided I didn't like eating skimpy, wimpy meals three or four times a day, and upped the calorie consumption. In my case I tried to stay at 2,000 calories a day. (Well, maybe it was 3,000. Just kidding.)

What was my disposition? Umm, anything goes is what I thought. Big mistake that was. There are still foods that are better left uneaten in my case. Oh pooh...

What did I do that wasn't normal? I was having trouble sleeping all night long. I decided that it was attributable to the caffeine coffee that I drink. So, I quit drinking all caffeine products cold- turkey. Another mistake that was. My body had become dependent on that little zip the caffeine gave me each day. It decided it was going to rebel. Here is what my body said, "You jerk, you took away my one drug. Here, watch what I do to you fat boy." "Here have a big fat headache. Here have some extra pounds instantaneously there." Poof, I started blowing up, even at 2,000 calories per day.

Caffeine in many cases is a diuretic. In other words, it causes us to lose fluids. I don't know if that's healthy or unhealthy.

Lesson learned, slowly quit that caffeine. Yes, go down slowly, or you'll see some weird stuff happen. I did.

What changed my course in the right direction? This is a two part answer. One: I monitor my weight most everyday. I knew I was getting into trouble.
Second: I had to go back to where I came from. In my case one day I got lucky and purchased 15 banguet TV dinners at $10.00. I ate those dinners morning noon and night. This discipline gave me the right perspective about what constitutes a portion size that I can eat. I took it from there.

Here is the sad part of this success story: I am back to eating small portions of meat, and potatoes, and other things. Ugh... I don't enjoy it.

I have had to go back to 1,500-1,600 calories total food consumption a day. Argh... I don't like it.

I have almost completely eliminated sweets from my diet. Monday, last week, I had the two sweet rolls that came in at 220 calories each, an apple, and a banana. Later I had a TV dinner, and some more fruit. That was it for the day. Tuesday I had my last real sweet. It was a chocolate shake. That's been it for the sweets since then.

Lately I have been eating around 3-4-5 ounces of meat per meal, some fruit, green vegetables, and maybe a slice of bread, or a dab of some starch like rice or potato. But, that's all I have been eating. Oh foohey.....

Here is what I am saying: "We don't have the luxury of eating everything and anything we want to eat." The sad truth is we are on the edge of fat and thin. I am. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.

That's just the way it is though. I guess I better get used to it.

There are worse things in life to deal with. Only, this is something I will have to deal with every hour, of everyday for the rest of my life.

You will too...

And, I don't like to be nauseatingly repetative here. But, it does come down to, "What we are is what we eat."

Yep, I will write it again, "Eat Less Food." Drat, I knew he'd write that.

Hey, I didn't make this up. It's nothing I invented. I just am telling you the one darned thing no one wants to hear, or read: EAT LESS FOOD.

Bye for now...

And that's the way it is...I'm David Dane.