Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 3200 of 3212

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Well, I have to admit, I fell off the nosdiet wagon b/c I got tempted 
w/another diet :( I don't even know why that was- it was a diet where 
one eats when hungry and stops when satisfied, cut out sugar for the 
1st 3 weeks and then limit the consumption to once per week, and chew 
food extra slow. Plus, we were "encouraged" to only eat 1 or 2 times 

per day(!!!!) I ended that up with a MAJOR binge, b/c that plan was 
just not doable for me.
Why did I allow myself to be led astray? Because I have had major 
doubts of NOS really working for me. First, I am 4'11 and have been 
told (granted, by "diet gurus") that being that height means I need 

to eat even less than other people do (in other words, no 3 meals per 
day). So I end up either hungry and miserable, or satisfied but 
certain I am gaining weight. Second, it is just hard to comprehend 
that something so simple and doable for the rest of one's life could 
actually cause me to lose weight(after all, the premise of every 
other diet out there IS to suffer and sacrifice if you want to lose 
weight). Third, I have a major scale obsession where I was hopping on 
almost every morning, and getting angry/nervous when I would see 
either a gain or a maintain.

After my binge, I got ANGRY. Not at myself- OK a bit at myself but 
not b/c I binged but b/c I bought in to the diet industry way of 
thinking again. But mostly I was angry at the diet industry and angry 
at the media for telling me that I could not be attractive unless I 
am skin and bones. I will NEVER be skin and bones thin- even at my 
smallest, I have always been curvy! I then decided that it while 
weight loss is a good thing, it is not the be-all end-all. What I 
want is to be healthy, happy, and strong. I want energy to play with 
my kids, I want to be able to sleep well at night. I don't want a 
number to make or break my day every day. Were I to die tomorrow, 
would I have regrets? Well the answer is yes if all I pay attention 
to is my weight and not to the things that matter, like my family!

So I tossed the scale. Don't wanna know numbers, not for a long long 
time. I started walking in the afternoons at work, about 25-40 
minutes listening to a good selection of tunes on my IPOD to get me 
moving. 2-3 times per week I do some isometric strength building 
exercises called Chicometrics, b/c I enjoy doing them and it feels 
good to work my muscles. I may take some classes in the near future 
to learn Yoga and other things, simply b/c I like to learn new ways 
to move my body. 
Now I am ready to start NOS again. Not for the weight loss (although 
that would be a nice side effect), but for my health. I don't really 
have any problems with snacks and seconds, my problem is sweets- I 
need to cut back on those for my health- I don't want to end up with 
stage II diabetes. After a few weeks of that, I will start aiming for 
better quality meals than the local fast food joint- once again, for 
my health.
So I don't know if I will be able to report actual weight loss, nor 
even inch loss. I might be able to tell a change in clothes sizes 
over a period of time though, which I can report. But I CAN report 
how I am feeling and how my health and energy levels have improved.

Thanks,
Beth