2010 February » Talking It Off

Life Lessons, Food Lessons

Food, Thoughts on the Process 3 Responses »

Feb 162010

When my mom’s best friend was dying of breast cancer, she told me something that has rattled around in my head for the past dozen or more years. Sitting there holding her mug, she uttered the simple words, “I wish I’d never given up cream in my coffee.”

Yes, she was a lifetime yo-yo dieter. I’d seen her overweight and slim but she was always beautiful – naturally so as well as perfectly groomed and dressed.

“I wish I’d never given up cream in my coffee.”

A couple of years later, my mom threw another “rattler” into my psyche with, “You know, I’ve worried every day of my life about being fat.”

These things were said by 70 year old women – women with wisdom and experience and intelligence, a shared wicked sense of humour and a resilience for all the hard things life threw at them.

I use those two phrases to keep a check on my crazy levels so I guess it’s as good a time as any to ask them again.

Will I one day regret not having cream in my coffee? (not that I like cream in my coffee – but the equivalent for me)

I’ve just asked the husband if he really misses anything from the days when we ate with no real thought for fat content or calories in general. He figures he misses home-made pizza and full-fat Cumberland sausage with mash with (his) home-made Yorkshire pudding – but fully acknowledges that we only stopped making them because we didn’t have a family here to eat them and would eat the whole lot ourselves. We still have these meals when we have a crowd to feed.

And me? I don’t think so. We like both the taste and ritual of food too much to banish things we really like. I’m not a great cook but I love having people round the table eating and drinking and laughing. I actually think that’s when I feel properly alive – does that sound funny? This past weekend we served Jamie Oliver’s Five Hour Braised Lamb – two big pans which just got plonked on the table and everyone served themselves. Happy times.

There are certainly some foods that I don’t trust myself to have in the house unless a crowd is going to eat them. Did I say some? I meant loads and loads -truckloads – and that’s right near the top of my list of things to conquer in the next part of my life. Though I did have a little breakthrough in that arena this morning. I went to get blueberries out of the freezer and realised there was ice-cream left over from the weekend’s dinner party. Not long ago I would have ditched porridge with blueberries for an ice-cream breakfast but it just didn’t appeal.

That’s actually bigger than most people would understand. I’ll let you know if I succumb. Maybe that can be my Lenten discipline: living for 40 days with a tub of ice-cream in my freezer. Wow – that sounds spectacularly pathetic.

Will I look back and say that I’ve spent every day worrying about my body?

Maybe not every day and I had a few “skinny breaks”, but from the age of about 8 till 47, I spent an obscenely wasteful number of hours worrying about being fat. Even when I wasn’t particularly fat. (I’ve just identified a precious gift from my mother!)

When I saw these Before and After Quitting photos, I felt sad for my young mom self. There was so much good going on in my life: I had amazing family, great friends and life was full – but I worried and worried about my body without actually taking control of the situation. That’s the regret – not that I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror, but that I didn’t just do something about it.

So the next logical question for me is: Is writing daily about weight issues not just another way of “worrying”? Oddly, it’s not. It’s a way of saying things and getting them out of the dark corners of my mind into daylight where I can see how useful or harmful they are. It’s my way of “doing something” that I should have done all those years ago. I have stacks of journals full of my handwriting covering more than twenty years – but I never once used them to DO SOMETHING about the one thing that made me so unhappy.

So here we are, all caught up to the present.

Is there a lesson?

Don’t give up cream in your coffee if you really love it.

But don’t eat the ice-cream in the freezer just because it’s there.

More Thoughts on Slow Dieting

Keeping Going, Thoughts on the Process 8 Responses »

Feb 152010

What do you think of this article?

For a long time, I wanted to be in the “Diets don’t work” club. I love the idea of telling everyone that I will never diet again – but I quickly learned that meant being fat forever.

Hala El-Shafie says: Diets set you up to fail; they should be banned. Eat small amounts of the right food. Eat regularly and well. Get moving: exercise helps. Think about why you eat. Accept your body shape and who you are; size 8 (4 US) jeans will not necessarily make you happy.

Yes! But,where I come from, if you’re used to eating whatever, whenever and however much you want, Ms El-Shafie’s approach to not dieting IS dieting. There are about a thousand steps between where I started and where she wants me to be. I’ve been working at this for years and I’m not there yet.

For me this is a “just do this” statement and about as helpful as responding to malfunctioning light switches with, “just rewire the house”.

In my experience, “just do this” statements are used by people who don’t want to share your problem with you. They offer solutions that reflect well on their own behaviour – “Well I could rewire my own house!”. Well bully for you – as my mother would say.

Instead, I favour the “acknowledge how messy life is” response.

Start with figuring out the problem – it might take some time.
Then think of little tiny things that are going to help you climb out of the muck and mire.
Finally – keep trying and making mistakes and falling down and getting dirty and asking friends to help you up. Suddenly you find that things are going generally in the right direction.

There’s no timetable – this might take years or just a few months. I can’t imagine it taking less than a few months. Just be prepared for stretches of hard work and results to be followed by cruising and consolidation as you regroup or just enjoy your success so far.

And while you’re doing all this figuring out, it will probably help to have some tools on hand that other people have devised – maybe Weight Watchers or Nutracheck or a Low GI diet (I’ve never tried that one but it always seemed sensible). As long as we treat them as tools and not religions, they can be helpful rather than harmful.

I’ve also got a collection of books that I dip into when I need encouragement or sometimes I just read through blogs of people who are also figure this food/body/mind thing out.

How do we asses whether or not it’s working? I think the only way is to think back to the beginning of the process.

Am I further ahead than I was 30 years ago. Yes – by many many many steps.

What about 2 years ago? I’ve learned SO much about myself in this process since I started dropping down from 170lbs.

What about last month? No- I haven’t made much progress for a couple of months. I guess it’s time to push forward again.

What does “push forward” mean in this part of the journey? It means getting the last few pounds off and starting the “forever” process with maintenance. Can’t say I feel particularly psyched. My stomach bothers me every day and I find myself eating what I think will make me feel better. I need to be more mindful about what does make me feel better and construct a plan around that.

OK – This life has huge capacity for “Day 1′s” and this is yet another of them. Losing another half stone (7lbs) can’t make my health worse and it just might make it a bit better. So here goes.

And the point of all this was…what, exactly???

Thoughts on the Process 1 Response »

Feb 132010

Friday night: After a whole year of work, 2080 “official” hours, and countless late nights and weekend hours, the results are in. I suck at my job. It isn’t enough that I weigh far more than I should, that I have little-to-no self esteem, that I’m floundering in debt, and spending 10 hours a week in a car driving/riding to a job that was moved out from under me, and has changed significantly in the recent past–and not for the better. Now, it turns out that no matter how hard I worked, no matter how much I did, the best that my boss has to say about the blood, sweat, and tears that I gave for my employer is “needs improvement.” Are you f*cking kidding me? Talk about a slap in the face. For the first time, I’m seriously thinking maybe it is time to start looking for a new job. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I have the confidence to pull that off. But to have my efforts reduced to “needs improvement” is more than I can bear. I worked over my holiday break. I’ve never done that before. And what was the point? Apparently, there wasn’t one. It all feels pointless now. Expectations are apparently so high as to be un-meetable. I’d like to ask my co-workers how they did, but finding out that they scored better would only make it worse, when what I really want is to find out that they suck too. Then I’ll know for certain that it’s a combination of too-high expectations, and a boss who can’t find a way to say, “Good job!” Or is it that I don’t do a “good job?”

I’m going to save this for now, instead of posting it. It seems a little dark for the “Talking It Off” blog. Maybe things will look different tomorrow. One can hope…

Saturday morning: Nope, things don’t look any different yet. My review was unnecessarily harsh. So now what? I was tempted to wallow in depression and food, but that only partly worked. I wallowed in depression, but didn’t have any appropriate food items to dive into. That’s ok though. I curled up in a ball, pouted, felt sorry for myself, and then went to bed. Woke up this morning feeling sorry for myself as well. But then I found a link to the new “We Are The World” video. Watched that, and felt like an ungrateful b*tch. Then I remembered that I have the power to change my attitude, which I promptly did. My plan? For this morning, it’s a weight workout and a walk with my “granddog” who is here while my daughter is at work. Then on to the grocery store to get some produce. And then, home to respond in writing, calmly and professionally, to my boss’s review of my work. I know that she was harsh in giving me a numeric rating. Her words told a different story. Plenty of “willingness to take on additional accounabilities” and “offers help to staff” and “worked over the holiday break” and other things that tell me there’s a disconnect between her words and her numbers. And, in a startling change from previous plans, I will update my resume and venture out into the job market. Can’t hurt. Might help.

In trying to build up my confidence to tackle even a low-key job search, I will start with exercise. I know from previous experience that it works in precisely that way. And exercising is almost pointless if I’m going to continue to not eat well. So effort must be made there. Will this be the trigger to a healthier lifestyle? Will this be the thing that spurs me into more permanent action? I hope so. With the knowledge that I control my attitude, and with constant reminders so I don’t forget, I have a chance. A good one.

There’s the answer to the question in the title of this post. And the point of all this was…what, exactly??? The point is that I am worth far more than others will give me credit for. I am worth the best effort in caring for myself. I am worth a job where people will appreciate the work that I do, and the extra effort I put in, and especially, that I am more than willing to learn from my mistakes, because yes, there were mistakes. So here’s to NOT letting a harsh judgment from someone I know to be difficult to please ruin my day or anything else! Now I’m going to make a donation to the cause in Haiti, since their suffering helped me realize that I don’t have it so bad!

In Praise of Slow Weight Loss

Things to try, Thoughts on the Process 1 Response »

Feb 122010

I’ve been thinking – wondering really – about why this time has been so different. Besides the writing, I think that the biggest difference has been a new “forever” mindset. I’m trying to think of a good analogy to explain what I mean.

In all my previous attempts at weight loss, I was like a person going on a trip. I’d pack a huge suitcase full of expectation. I’d buy a ticket to a certain destination and have a timetable for getting there. But I wouldn’t expect the unexpected and I’d always come home before I got to where I wanted to be because I couldn’t handle the very nature of travelling. “There” remained unexplored and “home” was a place that was ugly but comfortable.

I think middle age has taught me to pack light – ditch the expectations, the presumed destination and the timetable. Home is no longer an option – I sold that house and have taken to the road! This time I’m wandering around the world and I’ll know “there” when I see it.

I’m pretty sure I couldn’t make any money telling people that the best way to lose weight is to aim for an average of about a pound a month. But, with the huge benefit of hindsight, I’m very happy to be 25lbs lighter than I was 25 months ago. If I had repeated my usual on-off-on-off dieting behaviour, I’d certainly weigh more now than I did in January 08.

Maybe I should submit my idea to Carl Honoré and we could launch the “Slow Diet” movement. That’s not such a bad idea.

Results Are Typical – Before & After

Giving up, Thoughts on the Process 2 Responses »

Feb 112010

Well well well – look what I found in our 92-93 photo album.

Every Weight Watchers “Failure Story” (results are typical) must have photographic evidence and here is mine.

BEFORE – early Sept 92 – before quitting Weight Watchers.

AFTER – December 92 – after quitting Weight Watchers – what a difference a few months makes. I have a feeling that I lost a few pounds before I went back to Weight Watchers. It looks like I’ve put on a lot more than 7lbs.

These Results are Typical

Thoughts on the Process 4 Responses »

Feb 112010

So here are some old Weight Watchers cards that represent sixteen weeks of my life when I was thirty-one years old. In North America, WW is legally obliged to attached the words “Results not typical” to their success stories. If WW ever wanted to do a spread of “Failure Stories”, they’d be very welcome to these little documents that have somehow survived three house moves including one to a different continent.

So what did I notice first? The incredible 8 lb loss in the first two weeks. As a WW veteran, I had obviously worn heavy clothes and eaten a big breakfast before my first weigh-in just to make sure that there were some results that first week. Incredible.

The next thing I notice is the goal weight range for my height: 139 – 118. Eighteen years later the range is 150 – 120. I know this has to do with the advent of BMI but, at 150lbs I’m definitely overweight.

And then, at only 9 weeks in, I give up the ghost at 148.5lbs. (10 stone 8.5lbs) I think that’s where I get more comfortable in my own skin. It’s probably where my “small clothes” start fitting. So I quit in September and look what happens next after October, November, December……

I’m guessing the clothes were getting tight and I was feeling uncomfortable in my own skin again. I’d ditched the diet and certainly didn’t believe that I needed to follow the WW guidelines in order to keep the weight off. So I’m up 7 lbs (that significant half a stone, I now know) and clearly not too enthusiastic about doing it all again as I lose 4, skip a week and gain 1 back.

I get my act together for a bit, then after a gain, quit again despite my optimistic goal of 134lbs. (9 stone 8lbs)

Now here’s a public confession. To the best of my knowledge – which may be a bit dodgy – I did that in 1979, 1980 and 1981. I then lost a pile of weight with one of those 500 calorie a day diets supervised at a clinic. I kept the weight off till I had kids then I think I did it again in 1991, 1992, 1993 – moved to England and did it in 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2003.

This may mean that I’m not quite sane – but it’s an insanity that I share with millions of women over the entire world. You see, WW works – that’s why I kept going back – but it only works as long as I do.

So, what finally changed? After thirty years I stopped looking for a quick fix and I stopped looking outward – to a program or a book or a diet – to give me the solution to a lifetime of being overweight. Instead I started looking inward and using the other stuff as tools to help me on my way.

The other day an old friend who I hadn’t seen for ages remarked on how slim I was looking. “What have you been doing?” And for the first time, my answer was not, “Oh you know, the same old Weight Watchers – I’m sure I’ll do it again next year.” (Yes, I really used to say that.) Instead, my answer was, “I’m blogging – writing it all down and getting to grips with why I eat in the first place.” It was the first time I realised that this is my main weight loss tool. I like that.

Faking It

Health, Thoughts on the Process No Responses »

Feb 102010

My long awaited specialist appointment can be summed up in the following conversation:

Me: Can you explain the ultrasound results? My gp said they were unusual.

Doc – with many many years of training: No. We can explain the usual but not the unusual. That’s why it’s unusual.

Ok, thanks. He was actually a good, non-patronising human being but he also wasn’t going to tell me there was nothing to worry about. Instead, and I quote again, he said, “There is both worry and no worry”, which I’m pretty sure translates to, “It could be something; it could be nothing”.

SO. ……my big challenge is to live as though it is nothing, even though that not-so-little-voice is BOOMING in my ear that it bloody well could be fatal. You see my challenge.

So now I’ve said it, I’m going to write as though everything is fine and I will keep doing that until I know something to the contrary. That’s called “Faking It” and it’s not one of my born talents. I prefer blabbing out the truth of the matter even if it’s not warranted in that situation. But this time I’m going to hold it in – or at least express it sparingly and in the right arena.

In the process, I’ve got to get over the feeling that I’m an idiot to concentrate on losing weight if I’ve actually got something seriously wrong. I actually had a conversation with myself at the gym yesterday and came to the conclusion that I should lose weight and get fit ESPECIALLY if I’ve got some physical thing to fight.

Well, another “duh” moment on this journey.

Tomorrow – WW weight loss cards: the story of my life.

Worry is like Stress Only Worse

Food, Things to try No Responses »

Feb 092010

I’ve not been writing because I’ve been too busy worrying. Sad but true. I function ok when I’m stressed – unless that stress is caused by worry. That is, caused by something that gets worse rather than better by trying to think it through.

I’m not a huge worrier by nature but I’m a persistent worrier when it takes hold. So that’s why I haven’t been blogging.

But here I am, pushing past the worry and still trying to get off these last few pounds. Of course, if I was really trying, they’d be gone. I’m only sort of trying………probably because worry lends itself to being squashed down with food.

For days I’ve been fighting the urge to eat and losing most of the battles so, yesterday, I decided to change tack and give into my need to feel full and not have to prepare much.

Here are the essential elements of my Worry Wort Diet:

bulky, filling food
carbs
alcohol
quick and easy to prepare
can be spaced out over the whole day
some sugar

Here’s today’s menu:

Porridge with blueberries and yoghurt
2 mugs of coffee
4 ryvitas (jam optional)
4 mugs of tea
Covent Garden potato and leed soup
3 or 4 clementines
baked potato with a tin of tuna and peas
raw carrots
red wine – 2 x 100 ml glasses
1 mug of hot chocolate

I don’t have a huge amount of work to day while I wait for news on funding for 4 separate projects. I live in from feast to famine on so many levels of my life. Right now it just means that I need to keep busy, try to balance my time between things that need to be done and things that I want to do.

I won’t be blogging tomorrow unless a bit of late inspiration hits me on return from the hospital.

Moving Forward in Neutral? Nope.

Thoughts on the Process 2 Responses »

Feb 072010

I think that’s what I’m doing–trying to move forward with my gearshift lever stuck solidly in neutral. And being the genius I am, I can finally see that it isn’t working. (I say that with love and a chuckle, not with self-loathing or criticism.) Now what do I do with this faulty transmission? I hold on to old behaviors (“Just a small bag of gummy whatevers” and “it’s ok to keep that in the house because I won’t eat it all right now” and “I can skip working out today cuz I’ll do it tomorrow”) and expect to make great strides in weight loss and fitness gains. No great strides will be made until my transmission is firmly in drive. I would describe that as actually doing the things I need to do to move forward–keeping the junk out of the house, working out whether I feel like it or not, realizing that what I’m doing is the definition of insanity, which is described as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Not gonna happen. Now how do I make some forward progress? It doesn’t have to be a huge leap forward, just a small forward motion, kind of like when I was learning to ride a motorcycle. A little throttle, and ease up on the clutch, until I found the sweet spot where I could control the speed and keep the bike upright and moving even through impossibly tight turns. You can’t always just fly full-throttle up the road. Sometimes there needs to be a bit of course-correction. And so far, my only course-correction was to slam on the brakes and revert to old behaviors. A little finesse would be good here. A light touch, surveying the road ahead for signs of trouble, and using some course-correction if needed. (Can you tell the biker in me can’t wait to get the bike out this spring? I’m itching to feel the wind in my h…ok, I wanted to say “hair” here, but let’s be honest, it’ll always be “wind in my helmet.” ;-P ) I’m taking the basic riding course again in spring. Why? Because I’m not satisfied with my progress, and I know I can’t improve if I don’t do something different. Why is it so hard to realize that doing something different is exactly what I need for other areas of my life too??

Self Image 2

Body Image 1 Response »

Feb 052010

I’ve got a list somewhere that I can’t quite recall – maybe in my head. This list is studies that I would like to do or at least read the results of.

The study that came to mind yesterday would be titled something like: The effects of diet and exercise on self-perception.

All the participants would be chosen according to negative body image then grouped so that some did nothing at all, some dieted only and some exercised only. They would be (somehow?) prevented from weighing or measuring themselves for three months and instead asked to review regularly how they feel about their bodies.

The final analysis would correlate improved or reduced positive self-perception with intensity and type of exercise, injury and, of course, final weights and measurements.

I’m pretty sure that the exercise group would show the most gains regardless of weight lost.

And I feel that way because, after two trips to the gym, I feel better about my body. My feelings can’t be because I’ve lost a pound and a half of water weight. Instead, I think exercising makes me like my body more because I like what it can do. I value it because I see how I can stress it and it can bounce back. I feel more in touch with it because I’m aware of my muscles and my lungs.

Just a thought.

And when I find that list you will be dazzled by the vast volume of useless information/ desire for useless information that clogs my brain.

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Talking It Off

Life Lessons, Food Lessons

More Thoughts on Slow Dieting

And the point of all this was…what, exactly???

In Praise of Slow Weight Loss

Results Are Typical – Before & After

These Results are Typical

Faking It

Worry is like Stress Only Worse

Moving Forward in Neutral? Nope.

Self Image 2

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