Back on the Wagon

We all know that Oprah Winfrey has gone up and down in her weight. The Biggest Loser Season 3 winner Eric Chopin has put all but about 50 of the 222 lbs. he lost back on again. It's just very sad that some of us cannot get a permanent control over our weight. Yes, I've gained back weight. It took 2 years to get it off, and then over another 2 years, much of it has come back on, about 45%. Why? For the same reason alcoholics fall off the wagon; why drug addicts keep going back into rehabilitation. This is a very difficult devil to defeat.

My Stake is having a Weight Loss Challenge, and I've gotten involved. Those who choose to participate are grouped by sixes or sevens, and we had group weigh-ins. Our group is called the donettes, after our collective love for donuts. The Challenge will last 3 months, so I've set 25 lbs. as my goal, and that will get me about halfway back to where I was before I started to gain the weight back. It's been a week, and I've already lost 4 lbs. Yeah!!!

My method this time is simple: Use a smaller plate, fill it only once, and no between meal snacks. That's the golden rule. I am focusing some on getting back to a more wholesome diet, but right now, my primary objective is to get control of how much I eat. Yes, I get hungry between meals. And to be honest, that feels good, as it tells me that I am in control of food, not the other way around. I do have treats -- but they are eaten with meals, and they must fit on my plate with all my other food. Some things obviously do not fit on a plate, so when a bowl is needed, I make sure it's a smaller bowl so I get the same portion control. I DO NOT count calories or points.

Nutritionally, my preferences are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Very little meat, rarely more than once a day. I love to make fruit smoothies, and I have a Vita Mix so I usually have one a day, and that is part of one meal, usually with 1/2 sandwich. One of my favorites is an orange (peeled, but leave as much of the white as possible), a banana, and about a cup of ice. It makes a tall glass of smoothie.

I've made a ticker to show my progress during this weight challenge, which will automatically update each time I record a new lower weight.

I know family and friends want to help, so I'm going to give some pointers that might help you be a support instead of a hindrance.

1. Recognize that we are individuals, and what works for one, does not work for others. So make your suggestions, but don't be surprised if that terrific diet you or someone you know lost tons of weight on is a flop for your friend, neighbor, or family member.

2. Offer a treat once, then move on if the person says No. Dieting takes a certain amount of rigidity to be successful, at least in the beginning, and some of us have food addictions - we CAN'T eat just one. So take "No thank you" for an answer and don't pester us to eat what we know we shouldn't be eating. It is really very rude for anyone to tell a dieting person, "Oh just one won't hurt you." Would you tell that to an alcoholic or a drug addict?

Other than that, just be a compassionate friend and don't be judgmental if the dieter falls off the wagon now and then -- just lend a hand and help them get back on.