Viewer Mail: So many diets. Which to choose?

by

I love your site and find you quite encouraging for the active life.  I too love to workout, so my question for you is in relation to the energy to keep that active life going.
Unfortunately, I am prone to reading nutrition articles and then thinking “that is for me”!

Years ago, as a college athlete, I went all Atkins.  While I was really trim I did not have energy.  Most people around me hated me for being so cranky!

In the past few years I keep thinking in order to be healthy (avoid cancer??) I need to be a vegetarian/vegan.  Well, that leaves me completely unsatisfied and flabbier.

I have started a little food journal and weight tracking as a tool to see how my energy and weight fluctuate with certain foods.

The question for you is this: Do you struggle to change your eating habits because of what others say? Or are you comfortable because you found what **works for you**?

Oh that I possessed all the answers to this question (insert joke here about my ass, a television couch & appearing on Oprah if I did).

I can, however, add my .02 and share my own experience for what it’s worth (you? please to chime in below!)

Once upon a time, when I was in college & had happily gained the freshwoman forty due to a steady diet of crap sugared cereals, pizza & beer, I decided it was time to change my ways.

It was time for a diet (old definition here. not the current ‘a diet is merely a food plan. A way of eating.”  I was thinking short-term lose weight return to old habits later.).

I cant recall exactly how I formulated this food plan (Im confident I wasnt mature enough to consult any professionals), but I ate mainly fruits & veggies and pretty quickly lost most of my college-added fluff.

Until I regained it.

Pretty soon I grew tired of my lack of complex carbs, protein or good fat (go figure huh?) not to mention I grew *hungry* and I returned to a steady stream of Captain Crunch, delivered Dominios, & Old Milwaukee’s Best Light.

At the time I didnt give this much thought.

I really didnt care that I regained the weight (at all. that’s a post for a different day) & happily returned to my old ways.

Later, however, when I was ready to recommit and *really* get healthy I reflected upon this experience and realized something:

I DID NEED TO TRY OUT DIFFERENT WAYS OF EATING AS, ONLY THEN, WOULD I FIND WHAT WORKED FOR ME.

And try on I did.

I tried Susan Powter‘s way (consumed lots & lots of fat-free stuff from potatoes to snackwells) and found that I succeeded…in becoming a slightly smaller, definitely weaker, & really really dimplysoft version of my original self.

I tried Atkins (consumed a lot of LEAN protein & mainly veggies with a few fruits tossed in occasionally) & found I succeeded…in feeling AWESOME for about 4.5 minutes.  Then I realized I couldn’t think straight and was really, really freakin tired.

I tried listening to my body (consumed more protein than many would suggest, lots of complex carbohydrates, more processed carbs than some are ok with, plenty of good fats, volumes of veggies & foutains of fruit, & less wine than most studies recommend) & found I succeeded.

Period.

I felt energetic.

I felt lighter & less bloated (& less itchy. My skin doesnt love the highly processed stuff).

I could think clearly.

I slept fantastically.

I listened to my body because I knew intuitively (rimshot?) that what worked for friends or clients simply wasnt going to 100% work for me.

I have many friends who possess BOUNDLESS energy and are total vegans.  Not me.

I have many friends who posess BOUNDLESS energy and are 100% Atkins eaters. Not me.

This, oh emailer, is your key:

I have started a little food journal and weight tracking as a tool to see how my energy and weight fluctuate with certain foods.

I’d encourage you, in fact, to focus a bit  more on the former than on the latter.

You mention wanting energy to maintain your active lifestyle.  Through journaling and then taking the time to reread and decipher what works best for YOUR BODY you will find the key to that energy.

And, methinks, once you discover THAT you’ll realize the weight has fallen into place as well.

I know that it did for me.


The email below required no response & the sender agreed that I could share it with you.

It was sparked by our discussion here.

Please to sit back, settle in, & let her amazing words flow over you.

Miz, This was partially inspired by you. I wrote it after I threw the thing out my second-story bathroom window.

To My Ex-Scale:
I am leaving you for someone else.  Someone with curves and strength, beauty and power and resilience.  You will never have those qualities, scale.  You will lay there in the mud of my backyard, broken and unwanted.  I will plant
flowers over you and you will spend your days telling hostas and impatiens how much they, their roots, the nutrient-and-warmth-giving soil, and the life-giving rain “weigh.”  And that number will be as meaningless to them as it should always have been to me.

You, scale, were wrong about me.  I was never good or bad, fat or thin because of the arbitrary numbers you showed me.  You could never truly define ME.  It is meaningless to define my hostas by their weight, except to indicate whether they have enough water, and it is similarly meaningless to interpret the numbers you use to represent me as anything but an indicator of my hydration.

I am angry at you, scale.  You were judging my body, my partner in life.  I realize, though, that much of the blame was mine.  How could I spend so many years of my life fixating on something silly like numbers on a scale, judging my own body so harshly based on your almost random read-out?  How could I give you so much power over me?  I had muscles and bones to build that could learn to run a half-marathon, climb a mountain, or just play at the park with my son, and I wasted time worrying about you.

I know why.  I was seduced by your promise of perfection, of acceptance and praise.  And that is where your true danger lies.  There is some truth behind your lies.  “Weight” loss always brought a measure of acceptance of praise.  But even if that acceptance was satisfying or praise gratifying, it wasn’t because of you.  Well-meaning, loving people praised and accepted me.  And I’ve decided that I can cherish all praise of my body as it is now, not in comparison to what it was or could be.  I am happy with me* now,* not with me “improved.”

I almost feel sorry for you–so silly, so obsolete and empty of meaning or real purpose.  I will wonder what you might say about me sometimes–you have been a habitual part of my life for a very long time–but I will realize that it is not a feeling about you, really.  I will remind myself that wondering about my weight is an expression of sadness, fear, insecurity, frustration, or anger.  I will acknowledge and release that feeling, and I will feel the feminine curve of my belly and the lovely power of my muscles.  I will think about how far I can run, how yummy my guacamole is, how good I am at my job, how happy I am to sleep next to my husband.  I will forget you and return to my true love–my self, my skin, my body.

Goodbye scale.  And good riddance.

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Comments

  1. I think that it’s so interesting to write this post. I have come to this conclusion myself. I went to Timor w/ no scale or diet mindset..lost 1.5kg and 3cm on my waist. The moment I touched down on OZ soil..I started binging and freaking out.

    Listening to your body and silening that fake self is essential. Think that we’re raised in a culture that doesn’t promote listening to our bodies..because we’re so out of touch with them. We’re so totally and honestly not in touch with what our body needs/wants desires..we’re always listening to something else…not us.

    Thanks for writing this. I love the scale letter. I got rid of my mine and wont live by it again.

    Here’s to listening to our bodies..it’s that simple.

    ~M

  2. The way we eat and what we eat is truly an individual thing, what one person loves another abhors. No way could I cope with a diet that leaves me feeling tired and washed out (I want to get stronger not weaker, lol!). And your type of eating sounds just perfect for me too!

    Love the scale letter – my scales are nice to me at the moment and keep me on track, but I don’t obsess over them – if that happens, they are outta here!

  3. Awesome scale letter. I gave up my scale a long time ago because I found that numbers just made me crazy/obsessive and less focused on how I was feeling in my own skin. Bravo to anonymous letter woman!

  4. Wonderful! I love the scale letter. I haven’t ditched mine yet, but I’m pretty inspired after reading that.
    I’ve taken your advice and added more fats to *each* meal and that is really helping with satiety. Thank you!!

  5. Yep I feel better, skin is clearer, my weight slowly dissapperas. Totally agreee.

    Now to just keep my mind srapped tightly to the fact that it DOES & it WILL work and ditch this evil diet mentality that seems to slip back upon me time and again and then…

    Yep you guessed it! The weight fluctuates, I plateau out, get frustrated, begin gaining, and the wicked viscious “diet” cycle begins again!

    Need to work on a mantra to keep the diet mentality gone…and for good!

    Awesome post Miz, Thank you!

  6. I’m so glad you clearly stated that what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another – it’s so important to find the way that YOU feel good about. That said, I still can’t imagine you carrying an extra 40 pounds…you should post a before picture!

    LOVE the scale letter.

  7. Why can I not even imagine this:

    I returned to a steady stream of Captain Crunch, delivered Dominios, & Old Milwaukee’s Best Light.

    Do we have photographic proof? LOL

    Thanks for sharing what you did in order to discover what works for you.
    I am almost there…

  8. So very true. Once I gave up on other people’s diets and figured out what worked for me physically, mentally, and emotionally, I was able to succeed. Amazing what a little balance and rational thinking will do for a person. 🙂

  9. I know the scary thing for me is that, in exploring different ways of eating, I will GAIN WEIGHT.

    Did that happen to you?

    (I second Bea’s comment. I need a picture of you with the beer and pizza.)

  10. I had no idea that you tried Atkins.

    I do Atkins now and for me it works.

    I don’t do it the lots of bacon way 🙂 I tend to eat lower fat meats but not much carbs and I feel great!

  11. I think this is such a great post because our bodies really seem to respond differently to different diets. I think one of the biggest variants is the protein/carb mix. Some people do NOT do well on low carb diets, and others do really well!

    The average american has so far to go, though, in terms of eating more produce and whole foods and less processed crap, that ANY diet that restricts portion sizes and ditches the junk will be helpful at first. But like you said, you ultimately need a plan that will keep you satisfied enough to stick to it–and that seems to be an individual thing.

  12. Sleep is my indicator.

    I have been really thin and garnered many compliments and at the same time been so hungry sleep eluded me.
    I am now less thin, more fit, sleeping great.

    I urge your emailer to think about those kinds of things as well as fitting into skinny jeans.

    Lara

  14. I have recently ditched my scale. It so much easier to like myself when I accept that I’m more than a number on the scale. My clothes do tell me all I need to know! 🙂

  15. I like this post (what else is new?) I keep a journal but haven’t always used it to figure out what foods fueled me the best. But I have paid attention to what foods gave me more sustained satisfaction and energy. And even now, I am learning and changing my diet so that I stay satisfied longer, and have the most energy.

    The whole scale thing? I feel a blog entry coming on!

  16. I also went through several phases of eating styles before finding the one that works for me, which is:

    Avoiding: dairy, wheat, processed foods.

    Eating lots of: lean meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, and nuts.

    I’d say my worst phase was the “lacto-ovo vegetarian phase’. Cheese slopped all over everything, and lots of fake-meat products. I was such a squishy butterball, but I could say “It’s not my fault; I’m a vegetarian!”

  17. I love the idea of keeping a food and PHYSICAL feeling journal.

    I have only done the food and emotion kind.

    Amazing letter to the scale.

    Hooray for your reader.

  18. quick peek in as its gonna bee 100+ degrees here today so we are already ouside.

    Nan and others (can see easily on handheld):

    As far as gaining weight when I tried out various food plans:

    Maybe?

    I wasn’t a weigher even then (I knew what fit me when I arrived on campus and also knew I wasn’t crazydieting then so those thing were my barometer) so if I did gain from my experimentation it was not another major.

    And I DO think I have pics here some where!!

  19. I have found that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables (very limited starches), lean meats, and whole grains works for me. I also realize that what works for one, doesn’t work for all.

  20. I’ve had one of those letters to my scale too. Although, I still do struggle a bit…stupid society’s ideals and magazine covers.

    I think experiementing is good! Finding out what works for you is what matters.

  21. It is amazing that our bodies ever recover from the massive quantities of pizza/beer/chips/sodas from our youth. But that just proves what the body is capable of I guess!

    Thanks for the reminder that we really do have to find what works for us. That is true. Although I admit that sometimes I think we use that as an excuse to eat what we want and avoid what we don’t.

  22. To each his own! So many people, so many variables, so many factors! Wouldn’t it just be easy to see a flashing sign pointing us in the right direction? UGH…I’m STILL lookin’ for my flashing sign!

  23. Loved that scale note from your reader!!!! Awesome writer & awesome sentiment!

    Like you, MizFit, I don’t try new things just because I read it or a new study comes out. I like the knowledge & I may try a certain food BUT I have found what works for me in terms of protein/carb/fat ratio & what foods do & do not “like” my bod. I also am in tune with my bod food wise so I know when to makes changes.. and I have! Age & hormones do that to you!

  24. Learning to rely on how i feel and look rather than a number on a box of springs has been a VERY long journey for me. I hate that cliche, “journey” but it really has. Lots of bumps, lots of tears, and finally realizing that if I’m hungry, I should eat. Not an excessive amount (though I do that sometimes too) and without guilt. Love your post, as usual Miz 🙂

  25. It is amazing that our bodies ever recover from the massive quantities of pizza/beer/chips/sodas from our youth. But that just proves what the body is capable of I guess!

    I LOVE THIS and second it all. Our bodies are so resilient. it is never too late to get healthy.

  26. I absolutely love the scale letter! Its amazing how when we listen to our bodies we will become healthier. I too have tried different diets only to feel let down, hungry and guilty. When I started feeding my body real food, I had more energy, slept better, my skin looked better, it was amazing!

  27. I lost and regained so many times I didn’t know which way was up. I finally watched fat percent, portions and exercised. I lost 150 pounds and have kept it off for 12 years.

    Every person is different – but even with our differences, the focus should be on healthy eating that will enhance our health forever, not temporary changes which are easily abandoned.

    I weigh every day – it’s an accountability thing for me, but there are lots of people in the weight loss class I teach that don’t. Either way works!

    Great post as usual!

  28. What a great post! I have only recently decided to trust myself AND get rid of the scale. It has been so freeing! Of course I know my body and myself! Why did it take me so long to trust that? I have no idea but now that I am, I have such a sense of peace and contentment. I am still working on emotional eating but now that I am not hyper focused on what everyone else is saying and doing, I am finding that the emotional component is actually easier to deal with!

  29. I come here first thing every morning although I do not often comment.

    This post made me realize that I need to trust my body more and look to MizFit a little less.

    In a good way.

    • I come here first thing every morning although I do not often comment.

      This post made me realize that I need to trust my body more and look to MizFit a little less.

      In a good way.

      I adore this comment as that is 100% my goal.
      I dont want you to think you “need’ my insights at all as ALL the answers you need are waiting inside of you to be brought outward.

      If I can help tease those answers out—IM HONORED.

      and if youve found youve grown beyond what I have to give— IM DELIGHTED.

      in a way 🙂

      I was the same way when I was a trainer (teach and emancipate).
      clients would often return for refreshers (their word) but they came back because they WANT TO not because Id succeeded in convincing them they couldnt do it on their own.

      here’s hoping I can do the same with the Tornado.

      ROOTS and WINGS.
      thank you for sharing that thought Nettie.

  30. I love that she threw her scale out the window! Trusting our bodies is great, although those of us with compulsive/binge may have trouble doing it. My dream is to someday truly hop on the intuitive eating wagon.

    Nice post Miz.

  32. (Why can I not imagine you drinking Old Swill??)

    I wish I were where your emailer is with the scale.

    Mine is still front and center in the bathroom.

    someday.

  33. This is exactly what I needed to read this morning. Every week I try something new because someone said this or someone said that. I have lost in the past on my own terms and it was by LISTENING TO MY BODY! Who knew?! You hit it on the head, some things work for some and not for others.
    We are not all text book clones so we should not expect to go on a diet plan and get the same results as someone else.
    Thank you Miz Fit for pointing out the obvious, that’s why I love ya!

  34. Old Milwaukee’s Best? Seriously? And you’re from da’burgh? Miz, honey, tell me you downed some IC Lite back in the day, too…;)

    Anyway….I’ve noticed as I get older my body’s needs change. Where I could handle more carbs five years ago I can’t now. Where I could handle meat, that’s a no-go, too. It’s all one big ebb and flow, isn’t it?

  35. MizFit – Thank you for being so supportive. I’ve taken your advice to heart, and the shift in attitude has already made me feel a bit better. 🙂

  36. That’s why we love you Miz! “teach and emancipate” Your goal for us, it seems, is to help us learn to rely on ourselves, to listen to our bodies! Trust ourselves! There aren’t too many people, places or things in the real world that want that for us!

    I’ve said it before I love your philosophy on life and you have helped me in so many ways! 🙂

    Thank You!!!
    xoxoxo

  37. I like the figuring out what works for you part of the post. The scale letter not so much. It’s an inanimate object and incapable of judgement. Anything that the author wrote about the scale telling her she wasn’t good enough was HER projecting her thoughts of not being good enough onto the scale.

    Although if she’s no longer feeling that way, I guess it worked for her.

  39. No two people are the same. That being said, finding what works *for you* is key. Weight Watchers has taught me accountability and portion control. I’ve used their tools as a guideline and have customized the program to fit me. Tailoring shouldn’t be reserved for pants & suit jackets.

  40. Oh, yes, we want pictures of a chubbier, beer-guzzlin’ Mizfit slammin’ down some pizza! 🙂

    Great post. Loved the letter to the scale.

  41. SUCH a great post! You are so right – there is no such thing as “one diet fits all.” Somehow I am reassured that you tried a bunch of other stuff before finding what works for you. I’m still in that process of finding what works for me although it seems that I’m getting closer! I need my complex carbs. And some protein – but not a ton of meat. And oodles of veggies and fruit. And Ben & Jerry’s because… well, do I need a reason??

  43. I quit going on diets because they’re temporary. I changed my entire lifestyle and that’s what has kept the 30 pounds off for the past 9 years, and that is what works for me. 🙂

    Great post!

  44. I love the Dear John letter to her scale.

    I tried Atkins once a few years ago and felt so sick. My body was screaming at me that it couldn’t take it but others were saying I was just adjusting. I abandoned it.

    Right now I’m just doing my own thing but recommitting to being healthier. I am tracking what I am eating and hoping I can find what works for me.

    Thanks for the information and inspiration.

  45. Try and try again. Try until something works! I agree with Miz – I’ve been on a series of “diets” and, in fact, I am still figuring out what works best for me. It’s been a long journey – and I still have weight I’d like to lose – but for now I am feeling better about my choices all around.

    Good luck! Keep journaling – that will truly help the most.

  46. ok I’m totally CRACKING UP.

    My dad?

    Completely came through for you guys and emailed me a photo of a COLLEGE AGED BLOATED INEXPLICABLY TRYING TO BE BLONDE (ok, litelite brown) MizFit.

    (He’d never say it that way as its from a fathers day dinner out. Great great memories)

    It’s priceless.

    Keep an eye out for it.

    Either on HIS guest post (7.25) or on my First Person Friday on the day before my 40th (7.17).

    So funny.

  47. I am a weak POS and my scale has returned to my bathroom so that I can check to see if I’m fat or fluffy. (Hint: I do NOT meow).

  49. As always, I 100% agree with you!! The key to weight loss is breaking away from the mainstream and finding what works best for you. I think the reason a lot of people don’t do this in the first place is because, well, they don’t know where to start. But it also takes a lot of time and involves a lot of trial and error. Many people don’t like to experiment with diets because they are terrified of seeing the scale go up 5 lbs. But =that’s the only way you’re going to find what works specifically for you!

    In my experience, I got my healthiest after I stopped counting calories and obsessing over macronutrient ratios. Everything fell into place when I just started eating foods that made me feel good, rather than forcing back foods that were “supposed” to.

  50. It is really vital to find a way of eating that suits yourself. That is the only plan you can really stick to, IMHO.

    That said, I think the most sustainable one for a lifetime is to eat whole foods as much as possible. That doesn’t mean you can’t have treats, but an 80/20 clean eating lifestyle is not that hard to do and can make a huge difference in your life.

    As for the scale, I am a numbers gal. I like the scale as a tool for me. I had said this on another blog, but pants can fit differently on different days due to a lot things (like water retention) and really are just the same as the scale, only without the digits. It’s all in how you react to the fit or the numbers, not what those actually are.

  51. I liked the letter to the scale. The thing itself is a harmless piece of equipment, though… it’s what we do with it, how we see it, how we interpret it, the stigma that has been attached to it, that is NOT so harmless.

    And your response to that first email is so good! The reason why there are so many diet plans out there is because something different works for all of us.

  52. I agree completely! One of my earliest blog posts was about peoplke finding a diet that works FOR THEM. Not every diet fits every person.

    Coincidentally, your diet (I mean diet in the sense of it’s what you eat) sounds very similar to the way I eat.

  53. Wow great post. Great message, great guest email ^_^ I’m still working on finding a “diet” that works for me. Still nudging the nutrients around.

    I often have problems making sure I get enough protein, as I’m not a big meat eater, and most of the healthy recipes I find involve some sort of chicken or beef (or chicken or beef alternative, a la Bocca burgers.)

    I am still a slave to the scale, but mostly because it gives me hard numbers to track my progress. It’s got the Body Fat % thing that I find very helpful. Someday that number will be meaningless, but only once I achieve my weight loss goal ^_^

  55. It’s so hard to let go of the diets and plans. I feel like a loose cannon without guidance. I’m trying to just eat more clean foods (but don’t always succeed) and move more. Sometimes I overdo it (my nature).

    I love the idea of no scale. My scale has controlled my emotions and self worth for this whole journey. I let that number decide if I am succeeding or failing but it doesn’t measure my effort.

    For at least the month of July I will not visit my scale. Such freedom! Such liberation! 🙂

  56. Email No. 1: I don’t think there could possibly be a better answer ever. We are conditioned by the past few decades of scientific progress to think that everything is absolute – a thing either “works” or doesn’t…but it’s just not true. We’re all such delicate, unique individuals that we simply have to custom-build our own healthy life.

    Email No. 2: Amen. Just Amen. 🙂

    V.

  57. I feel like a loose cannon without guidance.

    I think with regards to this, Kelly, (at least for me) it finally became that my gut (pun intended) was my guidance.

    It took a while.

    It required trial & error.

    But it finally is completely my guide.

  58. Great subject, Miz. It really is an individual thing – what works and what doesn’t – as all our bodies ARE vastly different (not to mention our personalities). But everyone I’ve known who was on Atkins eventually went off it and gained back everything – and more. I think they may have thought the weight loss was the solution for everything – even the mental piece, which is still about 75% of my story.

  59. This is exactly where I am right now. I’m experimenting with my diet (yes, again), and finding that I MAY have stumbled on something that I can do indefinitely, without making myself crazy. (YAY!)

    And due to a break in recent routine, I haven’t been on the scale at all, lately. I was thinking that the only time I really lost a lot of weight successfully (and healthily) and kept it off for a long time, I didn’t even HAVE a scale. I used a tape measure. So I’m back to that. I still have a scale in my bathroom, but at the moment, I’m tiptoeing around it as though it were a live bomb. Can’t quite bring myself to get rid of it, but haven’t been getting on it, either.

  60. I love this whole post, from your answer to the first emailer to the beautiful goodbye letter. Your answer reminds me of why I hate all “diets”–I don’t like people telling me how to eat and know that I eat healthy “enough.”

  61. I love the scale letter! I’m still attached to mine, but I haven’t given it permission to make me feel bad about myself… It’s as much a tool as my mirror is.

  63. My scale is a tool. I get mad at it sometimes but I know that it’s only giving me one measurement out of many to judge my progress. I just have to give myself permission sometimes not to make progress. Maintaining (whether a level of fitness or weight or job or anything) is not a bad thing and not a failure.

    Oddly enough, I’m finding that the less intense exercise I do, the more I can keep my appetite at reasonable levels, and the better chance I have at losing. It is totally against my MOREISBETTER thoughts but we all know those are bad sometimes. As for eating – I find a balance of all things is good for me. Any time I try to eliminate forever, it makes me crazy.

    Ramblerambleramble is me today.

  64. I’ve never had a big problem with weight but, in my opinion, diet plans are silly. You either embrace a healthy all around liefstyle and live it permanently or you are doomed to keep failing. Get active. Eat healthy. And repeat until death.

  66. Nice post! I think you find what works for you and stick to it! There really is no magic number of anything. I find that if I do more cardio and eat more veggies that I will lose and also have a lot of energy (now sticking to it is a different story).

    Mara
    http://24stepstogo.blogspot.com/

  67. What we eat is such a personal thing. We each have our own personal preferences as to what will keep us satisfied in addition to what will keep us feeling healthy and energized. The downfall to this individuality is that there is really no ‘go to’ diet plan that will work for everyone. We have to figure that one out for ourselves…

    Interesting perspective! 🙂

  69. I’m with Lara (way back). Sleep is key. The other key is your point about energy. So while the stuff & nonsense about don’t-eat-late-because-your-metabolism-is-slower deserves a good flush, what I have found is that I have more *energy* when I eat very lightly in the evening.

    A heavy meal or a lot of calories from a decent meal and then beer and/or ice cream (a typical scenario is one beer and then ice cream or chocolate in front of the TV seems like an OK idea 😉 makes for a very sleepy and slow Leamur come 6am. My days start and progress a lot better with an early, light supper the night before.

    Also, not that I pay it too much attention, but in choosing a side in the low-fat vs low-carb fracas, IME low-fat feels better. I just try for some balance with the carbs, get as much whole-food carbs as I can, and as long as it’s not mostly mainline-carbs (beer, ice cream, chocolate, etc. in no particular order) I feel OK about it.

  71. Yay for your Dad! Can’t wait to see the picture!

    I have to say I was disappointed with the reaction of some friends I showed it to.

    I expected SHOCK & AWE 🙂

    I got:

    Yeah, so? That’s you younger and a bit larger.

    perhaps Ive oversold? methinks not.

    the hair ALONE is pretty damn shock & awe, IMO.

  72. No scale here, too. It is freeing and I found sticking all the easier. Living by my own rules of eating and behaving – if I’m cheating, I need an adjustment. Trying to abide by other’s rules I could not maintain was self defeating. Why give anyone else my power? I took it back.

  73. i liked the scale letter. i also feel better when i’m not obsessing over those numbers so much.

  75. love the letter to the scale! and great advice, it’s really about finding what works for each and every one of us 🙂 we’re all unique!

  78. As usual, I needed that!..I was all gung ho a few months ago..I rejoined WW, joined a gym, and it was all wrong. All those things did was aggravate me. And let me tell you, I had a big birthday several months ago, and I am easily aggrivated. I have a need to be calmer, healthier, and more active. I literally feel like I have one of those sumo suits on top of me.
    here’s to a new day…My father used to say Luck, health, and happiness, and drink a big scotch. I’ll try that tomorrow morning.

    without the scotch

  79. Great post and great comments! I think it’s so important for everyone to figure out what works for them. It’s so easy to follow a certain diet/way of eating because it works for others. In blogland there are so many different popular foods/diets/ways of eating, and I think it’s okay to experiment with them, but it’s also important to never forget to question if it really works for you.

    The scale letter is great. I think it’s important not to obsess about a certain number. However, I do weigh myself about once per week as I once gained a rather huge amount of weight by never weighing myself and wearing lots of elastic… But I think wearing fitted pants and making sure they still fit would probably work too! 🙂

  80. I find myself at exactly this place right now.
    I found an eating plan that I can stick with for life.
    veggies, fruits, lean proteins & powder, legumes, whole grains, a wee bit of butter and olive oil and I’m set and happy.
    I came to terms with the idea that I can enjoy a slower paced weight loss rather than a 50 lbs in 3 months mentality which has always driven me crazy and is never lasting for me.
    And yes, this week I too gave up my scale and have written about it for the past 3 or 4 days because it was such an importang milestone in my weight loss endeavour.
    There is a pair of jeans I’d like to get in to. When they fit, I’ve arrived.
    In the meantime I can go about the business of being a healthy Karen and let my body make the adjustments while I feed and exercise it well.

  82. A few years ago I realized that I was no longer my previously thin self. The scale topping out at nearly 160 (I had been as low as 110 in college) should have been a clue, but what did it for me was a photo of myself. I couldn’t believe it! Anyway, I tried to lose the weight myself and that worked for about 10 pounds. Then, I realized I needed help. So, I joined WW online and was able to lose about 20 more pounds, which put me at a good weight for me. I’ve been able to keep most of the weight off (I’ve gained about 3 – 5 pounds back), but I’ve been doing it by eating mostly fruits and vegetables (and exercising, of course). The little protein I eat comes mostly from soy-based products rather than real meat. And, I’ve noticed that I still look fat. Not size-wise, but my skin is dimply and flabby-looking. I noticed, Miz, that you had mentioned this issue before, so I started looking into the Zone diet, to see if it getting more protein help alleviate my problem. I got serious about following it this week and I’m now on day 4 of my first week. The first day I felt better and I thought, “Wow, this might be just what I needed.” But, perhaps because this is actually more food than I’m used to eating, I have started feeling sluggish and way too full. I’m going to keep with it for a week to see how it goes, but I might have to adjust my food intake to make me feel better. I guess this is my long-winded way of saying that I’m finding also that, although others have good ideas for eating healthfully, I need to pay attention to my body and make adjustments that work for me.

  83. Fabtabulous post!! Love the story and you are so right! We are all different and wonderful. Everyone can find their own healthstyle with good old-fashioned trial and error (a tad bit of science helps too).

  84. Ok… I won’t say I love exercise…I love chocolate and sex– ( in no particular order) I am vegetarian, not vegan– I can’t seem to chase out every single form of animal product and am not compelled to Have to. I hike, run, work out, do yoga– and take a few supplements (for bones,for recovery, and for general health) I’ve found what you are doing now to be the right thing. Eat something and listen to how you feel. If it’s good; enjoy; if it’s not so– well, then trade it in for something that makes you feel good. (Chocolate in moderation and sex in binges??? possibly???) I threw out the scale 3 years ago along with a poor choice of life partners, both of those are re-energizing choices and I lost 180 pounds immediately followed by 4 sizes of clothing. (From an 18 to a 12) (I’m appx. 6 ft tall) I have NO idea what I weigh– but have energy, sleep well and have a thrill to be awake in the mornings! Listen, to your heart and follow it.

  85. I don’t know the foods that give me energy yet, but I know what doesn’t: ice cream and sweet things. This is very unfortunate because I happen to love ice cream and I bake often, and I eat them anyway. I also made a connection between my emotional state and red meat. I have to have red meat every so often or my mood fluctuates like you wouldn’t believe. I don’t know why that is, but there it is. I should try that food journal thing…..

  87. I dont know if you have heard about this new garment called the BODY MAGIC, but it is phenomenal. When you put it on, you instantly drop 2-3 sizes w/out diet, pills, exercise, or surgery. I was skeptical of it when I 1st heard about it, but when I tried it I was blown away. I actually went down 2 sizes when I put it on and I have lost 4 inches just by wearing it. This might be something you want to try…Thanks

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