It's been two months of very strange things in my diet life.
First of all, I went off to start my Phd. It was something really important to me, because I wanted to exercise my mind. It turned out to be one of the best things in my life, because it totally changed the way I look at my life.
But, my first week into the program, and I gained three pounds that I haven't lost. I became very discouraged.
In that discouragement, I discovered some other things.
First of all, I discovered that I needed to eat more at breakfast. Eating more made certain that I wasn't hungry at lunch, so I could control my food choices better. And, surprisingly, that fullness feeling also lasted into dinner time.
Second of all, I realized that I'm a bad cook. And being a bad cook essentially made it very easy for me to order food out, which is always going to be calorie ladden. So, my mother has come through to me and will make extra food staples for me, all I have to do is put together a meal. And chances are, it's a nice macrobiotic meal, because she's macrobiotic. It works.
Third, I had gone to my doctor and she recommended I start eating fiber because I had this bad reflux thing going on and she said it was fiber related -- or rather, lack of fiber. I've been taking that every morning and it makes a difference in terms of full-ness throughout the day. It's helped the reflux too, when I eat fiber rich foods that tend to be the healthier foods, like fruits, veggies, and legumes.
Fourthly, I discovered that I can use a blender. I've been making banana-strawberry smoothies, using Rice Milk, and no sugar (no sugar needed, it's sweet enough as it is). It's been great, because I'm eating more fruits and vegetables and I think I've discovered I'm really becoming lactose intolerant -- I've been using rice milk for everything and I feel much better than using cow milk or cheese or cream.
Fifthly (see, I said there's been A LOT), I've been focusing on the whole concept of the "fullness" feeling. When I was taking Meridia, I could go for ages without eating because my hunger pangs didn't exist. My cravings were still there. I started to really LISTEN to my body and feed it appropriately. This was something new -- I was being pulled by the cravings, rather than what my body really needed.
Eating well -- the breakfast, the food, more veggies and fruits -- has really helped me identify when I'm hungry versus craving. I've found that my cravings have gone down, by eating well.
BUT, that's also made me realize how much of my eating habits are HABITS. I feel like I have to finish this or that because that's what I USED TO DO. It's weird.
I have Toll House Cookie Dough sitting in my fridge and I haven't gone after it. It's been three days. I also just ate a piece of chocolate (which I allow myself -- this is not about deprivation) but I had that piece now for four days. Sitting there.
Before, this chocolate or cookie dough would call my name -- until I finished it off. But... it's not happening.
I've just been very conscious of my hunger. It's been an interesting experience.
So, the result?
Not really weight loss.
Not by my scale.
But what I have had is a number of people who have remarked that I look thinner, asking me if I've lost weight. I don't know where it's coming from, because my weight loss is definitely not showing up in the numbers. I even measured myself just in case it was a case of inches.
All I can think of is that I'm carrying myself differently because I'm changing my relationship to food. Before, where I felt like a slave to cravings, I now feel like I can control myself like never before.
When I crave something like those chocolate chip cookies that are sitting in my fridge, I can imagine what one tastes like (because I've had enough of them) and I don't need to actually taste one, because I remember.
I went to the movies this weekend and my habit is to always get popcorn and diet coke. I had a friend of mine buy me some sugar-free gummy bears from the store, so I could munch on that instead.
I've also been avoiding the diet cokes and other things in this world. I've just read too much on the whole aspartame thing and I hate to say it, but I think my body is responding to less crap in my system. I'm allowing myself lemonade and things like that, even if they have sugar in them, but I'm trying to reduce the soda -- both with and without sugar.
I feel very good.
My overall plan is to get The OTHER stuff in place. My fears about never eating another food again, the fear of having to cook for myself and not liking it, the agony of having to clean up after myself, all those things will hopefully fall into place, so that when I have to cut calories again, I can do it much more successfully.
The last thing I've done is SLEEP more. What a freaking difference. I agree that we're all chronically tired.
I would say that I'm exercising more, but I'm not. I did sign up for Pilates classes again and I've been twice already. I'll go again tomorrow and see if I can make it into the studio three times a week.
Oh wait, there is one more thing -- I also had a very hard heart-to-heart with my friends. I needed their support and they've been very supportive. They are thin, so in some ways they understand (although in some ways they don't, because they don't have PCOS).
But, it's been great. For May 1st or thereabouts, I've made the commitment to lose 5 pounds. I think that's feasible.
I'm at 197. My goal is to be 192.
I can do that in the next few weeks.