I'm constantly aware of my life's contradiction, that I am a reasonably smart person in most ways, yet astonishing stupid when it comes to food. This rears its head most obviously when I try any version of intuitive eating.
Two weeks ago I spent a few minutes in a Barnes and Noble and saw a diet book based on intermittent fasting. I was so ineffective with it I don't even want to mention it by name, but suffice to say it's named like a Fellini movie. I had never paid much attention to intermittent fasting because it somehow sounded dangerous to me, but this book seemed to make a lot of sense. Eat for 8 hours, as much as you wanted and more or less what you wanted (with just a few guidelines on power foods), and then fast for 16 hours. By eating until you felt full, your body would know it wasn't going into starvation mode. By fasting, your body would run out of food to run on and start burning fat.
Well, you know what's coming. I didn't know when to stop during the eight hours, although I thought I was doing well because with few exceptions I did adhere remarkably well to the 16 hours of fasting. But Tuesday morning I stepped on the scale and had GAINED. So while showering, I ran through the two previous days eating and mentally added the calories. Sunday, while watching the football games in a party with the guys from my fantasy football league, I ate a whopping 4400 calories in just 6.5 hours!!! And Monday, while watching inauguration festivities on and off, I followed up with 4200. And while I have dropped calorie counting in the past because it was "hard" to count calories, I had made a pretty good estimate of two days worth of calories in two minutes in my head - proof that not overeating might be hard, but counting calories doesn't have to be.
So Tuesday, I just immediately stopped that foolishness and started counting calories. I just finished day 2 of that method, and I'm much more confident that I'll like what I see when I step on the scale. After another failure, it was very frustrating. But I won't give in. I'm never giving up.
5 comments:
My hubby always told me that I was anal with everything I did except with food. You can do this. Don't give up!
Wow Alan I have never heard of a plan like that. Have you ever considered weight watchers? It does help with the mentality of food as well as portion control. You just hang in there and do what you KNOW works for your body and mind. :)
Sorry you went through that whole fiasco to end up gaining, but you're most definitely back on the right track and I'm positive you WILL like what you see on the scale next time. Have you ever heard of sparkpeople? Its a website that helps with calorie counting and tracking tons of stuff. Its also free. I've been using it for a few years, its awesome.
Do you ever think that you are looking for the magic for weight loss? It took me a long time to come to my senses and figure out that is all about what my gal says: eat less and move more. Counting calories is the only way it works for me. I bet you see some loss coming up.
Just stumbled on your blog today. I am glad you will not give up even though you stumbled. I too have never heard of this sort of fasting diet...seems like most people would have the same issues as you experienced. I think I would too. Like Ms Shannon said - and what several people at my work say - weight watchers is a tried and true method. Regardless of the method you use to control your food intake: You will find what works for you. The simplest thing is to move more than you used to and whenever given the choice eat healthier versions or options.
Post a Comment