Random Thoughts 3: A Little Bit of This, and a Little Bit of That...

[Ryika]

But who knows, maybe this time it'll be different.

With that attitude? Probably not. That phrase alone suggests heavily that you haven't fixed the problem that prevented you from being successful last time, so why would you expect a different outcome this time? "Well maybe... possibly... potentially... divine intervention will fix it!" never works.

If you want to change something, make a concrete plan, create realistic milestones that have some room for error and relapse, and then document your progress. Review it on a regular basis, adjust milestones as necessary to keep them realistic, find the reasons that keep you from achieving those milestones and address them.

 

[shadowplay]

Ugh.

I think starting tomorrow I'm going to give this weight loss thing a serious go.

Putting this here because I didn't have the willpower to see it through at the beginning of the year. But who knows, maybe this time it'll be different.

Do you like oatmeal porridge? I've finally started making some more inroads with my diet since I started eating it regularly.

 

[Synobun]

@Ryika: I know. I'm not a stranger to this. Six years ago I went from 270 to ~170. I have a very poor relationship with food. I gained back to 200 pounds after moving to Vancouver and getting another dip in my health and I rollercoastered between 180 and 200 pounds for a couple years, but in 2017 I ballooned from 200 to 270 in six months. Since then I've been going between 260 and 240, back and forth and back and forth. Not great.

Really the only real obstacle in the equation is me, and nobody can do anything about that except, well, me. But I'm the problem. Screw that guy. He's the worst.

What worked for me last go around was a strict intermittent fasting diet but I'm struggling to keep with that as I developed something of a bit of a binge eating disorder in the past two years. I'm going to try it again but from a different approach. I'll also need to cut out soda, again, because I got back up to drinking 600-700 calories of the stuff every day, again.

(Oatmeal is super gross, just a bee tee dubs.)

RE: milestones, I'll just take the same one I had at the beginning of this year. From 270 to 220 in 6 months. Three months left in the year, so we'll make it 245 by 2019 and then revisit.

 

[Takhisis]

I don't know whether you can afford it, but you should consult a specialist.

 

[Synobun]

To... lose weight? Been there.

 

[Ryika]

I never had to deal with having to lose a great amount of weight, so I can't really say I know the process, but it seems to me that using weight goals as milestones isn't really that useful. After all, while losing weight is the goal, saying that "I want to have lost this amount of weight at this date." does not dictate behavior. I've had quite a bit of success with setting goals that actually directly address behavior. I guess in terms of diet that would probably things like eating healthy meals X amount of time within a week, or exercising X amount of times a week, or maybe just upholding a regular eating pattern. Or maybe those are just stereotypes, but you probably know what I mean.

Maybe even smaller things like "Don't do other things while eating"/"Eat Slowly"/"Drink 2 glasses of water during a meal"? Don't even know whether those work in real life, that's stuff my mother always told me when I was a child.

But anyway, milestones should address the behavior that you need to change to achieve the goal.

 

[Synobun]

With the weight I'm at, a weight goal doubles as a change in behaviour. But you're right that a different way of approaching it would be to assign the behaviour change as a goal instead of the desired weight point.

Right now I'm going to try and gun for a strict feeding schedule three times a day in a 8-hour window. Which doesn't sound difficult, but right now I'm on a five-to-six-times-a-day schedule in a 14-hour window. If I can hold onto that plan, next would be gradually cutting out the soda again. Normally I'd do the soda first but that didn't work earlier this year.

 

[Broken_Erika]

(Oatmeal is super gross, just a bee tee dubs.)

How about some Oreo Oatmeal?

 

[Takhisis]

Not just that, but to sort out your impulse control. I think that your exces weight is just a side result of other problems in your life which need sorting out. It's kinda working for me.

And drop the sugar. Drink tap water as often as possible, tea or coffee only in moderation and never with sugar, chocolate/honey/etc. every other day at worst, and just to show you how serious I am, I am not making Oreo jokes.

Ah, x-post!

right now I'm on a five-to-six-times-a-day schedule in a 14-hour window.

I recommend that you find out why you are doing that.

 

[Synobun]

How about some Oreo Oatmeal?

That would honestly make oatmeal even worse.

I recommend that you find out why you are doing that.

Oh, I already know why. None of this is a mystery to me.

 

[Takhisis]

Oh, I already know why. None of this is a mystery to me.

Then figure out how to stop… since I'm not physically there at least I can tell you what I did.

 

[shadowplay]

That would honestly make oatmeal even worse.



Oh, I already know why. None of this is a mystery to me.

Do you like chili?

 

[Broken_Erika]

Why is this a thing?

Spoiler :

 

[Synobun]

Then figure out how to stop… since I'm not physically there at least I can tell you what I did.

"You're sick? Have you tried not being sick?"

Do you like chili?

I do! But my tummy doesn't.

I'm actually investing in some containers and bullion cubes soon. Going to make soup in bulk and freeze it.

 

[Takhisis]

"You're sick? Have you tried not being sick?"

Oh, come on, we both know I'm not saying that.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Drink tap water as often as possible

Not sure I'd drink tap water in Vancouver. At least not without boiling it first.

That would honestly make oatmeal even worse.

Oatmeal and honey is a nice combination.

 

[Broken_Erika]

This is a little dated.....
https://web.archive.org/web/20041127024434/http://forums.civfanatics.com:80/

 

[Ryika]

This is a little dated.....
https://web.archive.org/web/20041127024434/http://forums.civfanatics.com:80/

CFC OT discussing the important issues as always - "Who here thinks the skin of the chicken is the best part?"

 

[tjs282]

Drink 2 glasses of water during a meal"? Don't even know whether those work in real life,

That one at least is useful advice: water helps fill your stomach without adding calories, and it also helps you to digest your food more efficiently. So if you don't add extra, it has to come from the foodstuffs themselves (which makes the food bolus more stodgy/ less digestible) and/or your own digestive juices (which dehydrates you).

Right now I'm going to try and gun for a strict feeding schedule three times a day in a 8-hour window.

Reducing the amount of calories eaten is a good start, but (like @Ryika hinted) losing weight happens most effectively if the amount of calories burnt can be increased as well.

I know you're not in great shape medically, but how mobile are you? Because if you could manage it, setting aside 5-10 minutes (ideally 2-3 times a day) for some gentle physical activity, would also likely be useful. Doesn't really matter what kind of exercise you do, although it would be best to choose something that you think you'd be able to stick at.

I mean, I'm not suggesting you take up jogging or high-intensity aerobics or anything similarly sweaty — but even something as simple as going for a short walk, maybe just around your building, or around your block, would provide some benefit. Or if joint-pains/impacts are an issue (or it's raining again!), maybe something even lower-impact than that (and indoors), like yoga/ Pilates/ t'ai chi (there's plenty of workout videos available on YouTube), or some time on the lowest resistance setting of an exercise-bike or rowing-machine (if you already have one).

(Swimming is also great exercise for people with limited mobility — and being immersed in cool water stimulates the body to mobilise/burn additional calories for warmth — but obviously requires someone to have the ability/ time/ funds/ inclination to get to a pool in the first place.)

And drop the sugar. Drink tap water as often as possible, tea or coffee only in moderation and never with sugar,

Yes, this, a thousand times this. There's plenty of evidence linking obesity to diets high in (refined) sugar, never mind what it does to your teeth.

(I know you'll disagree, but soda is even worse than Oreos in this respect ).

 

[Zkribbler]

Why is this a thing?

Spoiler :

Marketing, marketing, and above all marketing.