Time for an update since it's been 14 months since I got back to my ideal high school weight after decades of obesity. Before I reveal if I kept it off, check out my progress photos: https://imgur.com/a/UVKVB.
The last photo shows me at 175 in Dec '17. I started 2018 eating at maintenance but my body apparently felt my 'correct' weight should be 170 because that's where it went in Jan '17 and has mostly stayed within a few pounds of 170 since. I've been as low as 164 and as high 175 but mostly between 168 and 172. This morning I'm at 169.
So has maintenance been hard? Not really. During the 6 months of weight loss low carb seems to have reset my metabolism. I also lost my life long craving for sugar and sweets. When I started low carb I'd planned to go back to eating what I then considered to be a more 'normal' diet but by the time I got to my dream goal, I'd changed my mind. The low carb had me feeling more energetic, emotionally stable and mentally sharper. I've occasionally tried having a few of my most favorite treats from the dark past and found they no longer tasted like manna from heaven. Some tasted "just okay" and some actually tasted pretty bad. The sugar rush that inevitably followed also gave me headaches and left me feeling sluggish and depressed for days after. Then I remembered that's kinda how carbs used to make me feel all the time and decided it just wasn't worth it.
I wouldn't say I'm as 'strict' anymore but it's felt right to stay pretty consistently low carb and it's easier because I really enjoy what I eat every day. I've never had any willpower to speak of and still don't think I have much but it doesn't take much willpower when things don't tempt me like they used to anymore. The other day my mom tried really hard to push her legendary homemade snickerdoodles on me (my favorite since childhood) and I just smilingly scolded her, "Mom, you know that's not food to me anymore" and handed them to my daughter and wife to enjoy. That's something I never thought I'd be able to do. I guess it's just a testament that with effort and knowledge we humans CAN change ourselves - not only our bodies but our minds, metabolisms, preferences and palettes.
So, what has changed since my loss? I mean besides my health, clothing choices, ability to sleep, breath better and not have to take statins, high blood pressure depression and IBS meds every day? Well, in maintenance, I don't measure, weigh and log like I used to. It's not that I don't keep track at all but it's more subconsciously automatic. Turns out that by doing it religiously for six months (every damn molecule that went in my mouth) I was training a valuable skill. Now I can just eyeball a plate and know quite accurately the calorie and carb count. One of the best things I gained (besides the health, appearance and clothes), is a new relationship with my body where I feel much more 'tuned in'. This makes staying in sync with it feel natural. If I get a few too many carbs or calories, my body lets me know. I start to feel run down and a few hours later get hungry, hangry and cranky, which I notice immediately because it's now so rare. I'll also start to have stomach and bathroom issues. Back in the bad old days, I had IBS and chronic heartburn and used to need daily meds for them. Unpleasant bathroom experiences were pretty common. I think now maybe my gut biome has changed, perhaps because I'm feeding it so much better. The foods I love now (meats, eggs, cheeses, veggies, etc) tend to be fresh and unprocessed. The other day I overheard my daughter telling one of her friends, "Dad pretty much doesn't eat things that come in boxes."
If you have any questions just let me know. Also, here's my original post from Dec '17 which has lots of info on what motivated me to start and kept me going. https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/7ov47z/lost_70_lbs_and_reached_my_goal_beforeafter/
[link] [comments]
from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2IQXonK
No comments:
Post a Comment