SBD:] fats/ frustration/fears/commitment/ characterization

[Guest guest]

You're probably right. Since I had done everything imagineable at WW, and still

didn't

lose, I wondered if SBD could help where WW didn't. I didn't have a whole lot

of

confidence in ANYTHING and thought I'd experiment with SBD, give it a go and a

real try,

and see what happened. In fairness, I was a total junk food eater my whole life

.. . . never

had to think about what I ate or how much. My Mom hardly ever cooked for the

family and

I was always working so hard that I never really started to learn much about

food until I

had a child and wanted to make sure he was nourished properly. I made sure I

had a

green and yellow vegetable every night, and a salad, and a good source of

protein, but I

still really didn't learn much about diet and cooking and nutrition. So, when I

started WW

last February. I had to start at the beginning and learn from scratch , and I

had to learn

just about everything about nutrition. I still couldn't tell you what HDL fats

are, or the

difference between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated, and I need to learn,

really and

truly, what " triglycerides " are and how they relate to food and fats and

cardiovascular

training. Being on the WW discussion board taught me a lot and encouraged me to

do a

lot of research on my own. If you've just read the paragraph above, you

probably think I'm

still vastly uninformed, and I admit I have much to learn. But I have learned a

great deal. I

drastically transformed the way I eat. I began exercising. The results have

been so good

that although my bone density test several years ago showed a 10percent bone

loss, the

new test I took last week shows that I have regained some of the loss and I am

back in the

normal zone again!! So, nothing more than an alteration of eating habits and

exercise DID

make a major alteration in my health and showed that, in my case, beginning

osteoporosis

was reversible.

As for " some people " sharing the mistakes --well -- yeah. I think that, since

I have no

one else to talk to about SBD but you guys, I'd be deceiving everyone, including

myself,, to

pretend that I was doing this all just right, or that it was a piece of cake.

(Ooops. Sorry.

No pun intended there.)

Maybe for some people it is easy as pie, but not for me.

BUT -- but it took me about four or five MONTHS to get the full hang of WW,

and when I

finally DID get it, then I started to lose. And I DID lose 15 pounds! And I

was very, very,

very proud of that. But, just as easily, I gained five or so back.

So, to me, weight control is NOT just about food. Or just about exercise. Or

just about

psychology, or aging issues.

It's all the above.

And sharing errors, I think, is more of a commitment than brushing them under

the rug

and pretending I've done everything just so.

Whenever you hear about people losing weight, the phraseology is always

something

about " battling the pounds, " or " struggling with weight. " And the reason fat

celebrities go

on TV and tell you how " easy " various plans, like Craig, ARE is because

everyone

knows how DIFFICULT it is to stick perfectly to a plan.

In my case, even though there are meal plans, it's still rough when you

consider

everything else that goes on in a life throughout the day. . . and if you're

missing one

ingredient that you thought you had, for example, a whole day's meal plan can be

off

kilter...

Plus, I think there's some value in sharing what works and what doesn't work.

Every time

people write in -- you included -- I learn something. Perhaps I don't agree

with

everything said, but that isn't necessary. I can always learn.

For example, Carol Parsons has written some wonderful and informative posts

about

food, weight loss, comparisons of one plan with another. But I disagree with

her about

medical experimentation on rats. A rat is a rat, not a human.

Anyway, I do disagree with some of your opnions, but I also value some of your

opinions.

But I also see, or feel, a judgmental and somewhat disparaging tone . . .. as

though in

order for this to " work " I have to totally believe in it. I think that if I

follow the rules as

closely as I'm able to do so, the either the biochemistry of it will work, or it

won't. . . over a

period of time.

I also think that there's some kind of conflict going on inside me -- and I've

mentioned

this before -- and I've thought about it, but haven't been able to pinpoint

anything for

certain. If I could identify it, then it might be easier not to make stupid

mistakes, like

buying Andouille sausage for a gumbo. Or, eating sugar free chocolate baking

powder.

Or eating the lemon flesh that day. My mind would seek out and glomb onto the

new facts

better, and retain them better. So, part of my particular goal is also looking

within to

discover whatever ambivalence or counterproductive tendencies, or defiant

streak, might

be there.

I'm not hiding that.

That is exactly what part of the challenge IS for me!!!!!

If my personality were totally compliant, or if I could march lockstep to the

advice given

in the book, and do everything as proscibed, then maybe I'd already be 135

instead of

143ish.

But I'm not. And this is a journey. And, I thought that PART OF THE PURPOSE

OF A

BOARD was to SHARE.

And by sharing, other people can look at what I'm going through, and either

dismiss it,

or skip over it, or read it and identify, or just laugh at it. . . .Whatever.

This is a complex issue . . . not just for me, but for many.

In the book, I can read the words, but sometimes only see them. . . .not

internalize

them, or feel them, or get them in a way that's meaningful to me.

Being able to discuss it, or have people SPELL THINGS OUT IN LARGE CAPITAL

LETTERS

can be extremely validating and therefore, helpful.

Eventually the lights start to go on!

As I said -- I consider the improved bone density test a perfect example and

a real

victory.

All that said, I suppose it's frustrating for people who truly BELIEVE

wholeheartedly in a

plan, for some upstart to join the board and start discussing things that seem

so obvious

to everyone else with a rather doubtful or dubious voice.

Particularly when she sounds, as well I might, a little, um, uh, oh -- I

don't know --

would " smug " be a good word? Or self-consumed? Or possibly intentionally

ditzy?

Attention hungry? Or, bent on twisting a simple, or primary, or obvious concept

into an

entertaining phrase? Or, do I flatter myself?

I am in transition at the moment -- bored, sometimes, but unable to remedy the

situation until various things happen. So, therefore, able to devote more

thought to this

than might ordinarily be warranted. PLUS, it provides a GREAT escape to some of

the more

pressing issues of the moment. As to the other self accusations (which, I

feel, are not

entirely self accusations, but strains I seem to hear between the lines in some

of the posts

I've read, but which, are really pretty irrelevant since I take nothing

personally and am

grateful for the help I get) well -- I admit the good characterizations and deny

the bad

ones!!

But what I really am after is answers -- so whatever your opinion might be of

my

personality -- if you have opinions, or even insights, do keep putting them out

there. I

can evaluate them and accept them or reject them. And, who knows, one might be

just

catalyst necessary to spark something within that will get me to the next step.

Thanks again.

Annie D (D for Ditz)

-- In South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right , " -Beth "

wrote:

>

> oh gosh...I have made many mistakes on this diet...maybe I just don't share

them as

much as some people.

>

> In reality, you have been on the beach for maybe 7 days and there were slip

ups during

those 7 days. With that said, you also do not have much to lose so it will come

off slowly.

My opinion is that you are not giving the beach full chance and second guessing

some

things. That is what I meant by commitment. I know you are committed to lose

the

weight but I am not sure you were committed to the plan.

>

> MB

>

>

>

>

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