Starting Over Again

BACKGROUND:

Sometimes it feels as if I've spent my whole life on diets, from the time I was a chubby ten-year old until now, six decades later.

Obviously, there were times in between when I wasn't dieting, because the weight must have come from somewhere. Mostly the weight has come on bit by bit from over-eating. I have some metabolism problems that make it a little harder to lose weight, but that doesn't mean that I can't lose weight, because I've done it, over and over.

But let's start over.

Reasons to lose weight:

I'm past the vanity thing. It is years since I had regular beauty parlor appointments, or paid much attention to fashion. 

My health and comfort are the motivation here. My doctor has put me on a new medication for cholesterol, in spite of my best efforts at staying on a low-fat diet. I also have different arthritises, so that the fat weight is causing my joints to hurt when I move. Gravity is getting me down. I also hate that everything in my closet is too tight, even my "fat" clothes. I want to fit into an airplane seat with a little wiggle room left over. I want to be able to bend over and touch my toes. I want to be able to go up a flight of stairs without having to pause.

I am now at 203 pounds, which is the highest weight I've ever been, even when I was nine months pregnant.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT?:

Name a diet, I've probably been on it. 

I remember one of the first diets I was on. I think the doctor gave the diet to my Mom, and it included a soup made by waving a few vegetables over a large pot of water, and eating celery, cottage cheese, and steak. It got so that I even hated the steak.

I've been on Optifast (not once, but twice) but the weight didn't stay off after I quit the program. I don't think I could do it again - expecially the ketosis part. It was also awkward to maintain an ordinary lifestyle while you were on the program. I remember going to Las Vegas and trying to shake up my Optifast while my husband and I were sitting in a cafe. Somehow the powder got all over the table and I had to scurry around finding napkins to wipe it up. 

Weight Watchers is a good program, but the last time I joined I really couldn't get with any of the programs. I also didn't like the group leader, who pretty much ignored me, even on my first visit.

I love Richard Simmons, and I have to credit him for making me realize that exercise can be fun, but in the end I found that his program was too restrictive for me. Somehow, when someone says that I can't eat certain foods, I start to crave them. 

I had worked with a nutritionist through my health care provider and had put together a balanced diet that worked for a while, but it became extremely boring and I started falling back on bad habits. I've also been on exercise programs, but now I don't drive as much as I used to, so I don't think I could get to the gym regularly enough to do any good. Actually, even walking out the door and around the block seems daunting to me right now, but I haven't totally given up.

So, here I am again.

WHY NUTRISYSTEM?:

I'd been on Nutrisystem twice before - once I lost significant weight, but the next time real life problems cut the program short.

I remember that it was easy, and I see that the program now includes weekends off, which seems like a good idea. I think "weekends off" will give me a chance to practice making better choices, while I still have the safety net of structured days to fall back off.

I've been doing "Mindless eating", let's try "Mindless dieting".

Note on "Before" Picture: This was actually taken on 9-29-16 when I had been on Nutrisystem for about a week but hadn't lost any weight.  I'm wearing a freeby men's XL t-shirt and very very old Alfred Dunner slacks (size 10, but pretty much stretched out of shape with the years).  My hair is naturally this color, although the grey is starting to increase.

I don't suppose anyone but me will ever be interested in this Blog, which is perhaps just as well.