I've successfully lost 10-12% of my body weight (mostly fat) twice now. And after each time, I resume my less healthy eating habits and regain 80-90% of the weight I lost. I guess I'm stuck on the DietBet rollercoaster. I suspect that many of you are trapped on the same ride:
- Eat super clean, cut out the sugar, white flour, white rice, and soda. Reasonable portion control on protein and fats.
- Lose 4% or 10% of my body mass
- Win $$$
- Eat all those foods I've been avoiding for weeks or months
- Regain most if not all of the weight
- Sign up for another diet bet because this time I'll lose the weight and transition to the maintenance game and keep it off.
Whether I'm dieting or not, I go to the gym 4-6 times a week for 45 minutes of metabolic conditioning, which is basically weight lifting with cardio.
Clearly this isn't working for me. Between steps 3 and 6, I start really enjoying eating anything I want, and I go crazy on chocolate and popcorn and bread. Then my weight goes up, and I can't start the maintenance game.
So, I think I need a way to include a bit of step 4 in my step 1--that is, I shouldn't avoid all the less healthy food choices for weeks or months on end. As a good friend says, "A little of what you crave is good for you!" Hopefully, I can learn to eat a little bit of chocolate, a small glass of Sherry, ..., and maybe I won't be craving these foods when the bet ends.
To this end, I've started using a "Kitchen Safe." It is a plastic box with a locking lid. The lid has a timer. So, the chocolate, the desert wine, and the bagels go into the safe, and I set the timer for 24 hours. When the lid unlocks, I take out a bit of chocolate--maybe 50-100 calories worth, or less than half a normal candy bar or half of a small bagel. Then the lid goes back on and the timer gets set for another 24 hours.
So far, so good. Yes, I'm eating 50-100 calories a day of low nutrient density foods. Would I lose weight faster if I didn't, yes! But not by much, and I'd probably stay on the roller coaster.
My problem is simple discipline. Take out a treat and Lock the blasted safe!
Choose nutrient dense foods, eat slowly, and stop eating before I feel full.
Thanks for listening -- we can do this!