Well, I've sent in my final photos for two of my dietbet games and they've verified that I've won, and I'm thrilled. It's positive reinforcement for all of the work that I've put in to improving both my willpower and my focus. I lost about a pound and a half more than I needed to, and I can't believe I managed to stay still long enough to snap my winning pictures after getting on the scale this morning....I was jumping out of my skin with excitement!
I avoided my scale since my last weigh-in a little over a week ago - I was so close that I knew I could do it, but I needed to kick it into high gear. I decided to modify my diet and eliminate most carbs for the final week. I've done Atkins in the past and lost about a total of 12 lbs. in a month, but it simply wasn't a sustainable lifestyle for me. Occasionally, though, I go low-carb for short bursts, especially when I feel bloated from retaining water (for a variety of reasons -- carbs to hormones to simply not drinking enough water), and this time I found it helped me to clear some of my junk food cravings. After eliminating carbs for the past week (except for those naturally found in vegetables and the small amounts in the occasional miniscule treat - like coffee creamer or light cream cheese on a celery stick), I no longer feel like I want to devour a bag of potato chips or mindlessly dive into a bag of cookies. Honestly, I'd like a baked potato (I eliminated starchy veggies that have carbs) or maybe a nice turkey sandwich on wheat! I also have stopped feeling lazy - I seem to have more energy and drive to exercise or go for walks. Even my house is spotless, because I'd rather be vacuuming or washing floors than sitting on the couch like a lump of fat when I come home from work, and I suddenly have the extra energy for it.
One dietbet to go and I have that final weigh-in in three days. I know that my extra pound and a half of weightloss is probably attributed to water weight loss due to my low-carb burst, and I can reasonably expect that to add right back on as soon and I have my date with that sandwich and baked potato. I also know that if I remain carb-free for the next 72 hours, I will probably lose a little more. Right now, I'm okay with either scenario, because I know that my persistance all month helped me reach my goal weight for the bets, and that alone is something for which I can be proud of myself.
So, what's next?
Yes, I plan on doing another dietbet (or two, or three!). I may give myself a week, not to indulge, but to get back into my normal weight-watchers lifestyle and see what happens when I add some carbs back. I'd like try to keep my carb intake scaled back because of how much better I feel, but total elimination is too drastic. This entire weightloss journey is a learning experience for me - a way of paying attention and understanding how my body responds to different things, including my balance of carbs, proteins, fats, calories and different kinds of exercise - and dietbets provide motivation to keep trying and learning.
These are the TEN new things I've learned about myself so far:
1. I need outside accountability to maintain motivation...Weight Watchers meetings and now Dietbet are good sources of accountibility, and when I am successful, hopefully my dietbet winnings reduce the cost of WW (or, in a perfect world, winnings would completely cover the monthly WW cost!)
2. Concentrate on staying in the moment. Don't lose yourself TODAY with clouded expectations of 6-months from now. Try to focus on living healthy for TODAY.
3. Social events or visits from friends (of family houseguests, in this particular case) are NOT excuses to go hog-wild. It is possible to go out for dinner and drinks and have a good time without going completely off the rails.
4. A little extra exercise goes a long way in burning off special occasion indulgences.
5. Excessive carbs make me feel lazy. Too little carbs make me feel unsatisfied. I need to continue to find a balance.
6. Artificial sweeteners do nothing but derail me. Their flavor is unsatisfying, yet they only serve to ignite my cravings for more sweets. I need to rely on natural sources of sweets like fruits instead of added sugars and sweeteners.
7. The treadmill is not your enemy...and guess what...you can still mindlessly watch tv while you're walking on it!!
8. Water is your best friend. It can help remind your stomach that it's not hungry, it's bored.
9. Sleep is your other best friend. Staying up too late when you are tired only confuses your brain into thinking you are hungry.
10. I really CAN do this.
And you can, too!!
Best of luck to anyone reading this!!