Stop expecting miracles, like yourself instead

There are a lot of diet and life-change 'sharks' out there trying to give us a fast miracle cure to weight loss. It does not exist, all weight loss is through reducing calories and increasing activity - even if you have taken the option of surgery (gastric bands/stomach stapling). I have yo-yo dieted in the past because I did not get to the bottom of why I overeat, why did I always turn to food when tired, stressed, upset, happy? Why did I see food as a treat, and I always wanted to treat myself?

I have had counselling which has partly unlocked the answers, and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has been discussed as an option once - as has medically prescribed diet pills (oralstat) and surgery. In the end up, for me, I did not want surgery, oralstat, or anymore counselling. My answer was Scottish Slimmers eating low calories, low fat, carbohydrates, and 5 fruit and veg a day. This is backed up by doing my weekly detailed plan of eating (counting my checks) and at the end of each day updating it for what I really did. I have kept these for every week, except holidays, since last January. When I have a day of going off PEP I still count the checks and look at why I have done it, what happened that day, what was I feeling, who upset me, what food did I crave and eat, what could I have done differently, how can I spot the signs the next time, how can a plan for it before it happens?

Bringing the issue to the Scottish Slimmers forum and my blog has been positive. Now, if I am at home and I know I want to binge, I sign into the forum or write a blog and 30 minutes can disappear as well as the urge to binge.

I am beginning to learn that a treat can be to buy myself flowers, a new shower gel, book a facial (I am too embarrassed to have a massage as yet), read a book, pick the phone up and talk to a friend I have not spoken with in a long time etc. It is not easy, it takes a long time to change the habits of a life time, but positive thinking and just re-reading the Positive Eating Plan (PEP) book on a regular basis, together with reading Boost (the Scottish Slimmers magazine), other inspirational stories, and talking problems through with my Dietline consultant all helps.

I am also beginning to like myself for what and who I am and stop expecting miracles, the weight took years to go on and it will take time to take off.

diet, dieting, obesity, weight loss, fatblogging