My last diet

[Guest guest]

I've posted here that I'm struggling with periods of out-of-control

eating and have regained 10 pounds this summer. I've found some of my

pants from last year too tight, which makes me crazy. So I joined

another OSSG list, for post-ops who were having trouble. Many on the

list were doing the Atkins induction diet and losing quickly.

Even though I promised myself after my surgery that I would not diet

again, because I firmly believe that over the years I had dieted myself

up to 350 pounds by yo-yoing and playing mind games, I decided to give

the Atkins a try. I wanted to lose 10 pounds in two weeks.... BIG

MISTAKE!! First, I decided on Labor Day to begin the diet the day after

the Jewish holidays (so I wouldn't be limited at family dinners). That

gave me two weeks to get ready. But what happened was so predictable -

and classic. Knowing that I was going to be starting a diet, I started

overeating in a big way, telling myself it didn't matter, because I was

soon going to diet it off. Then, the day before I was to start, I went

out and bought all this horrible food - bacon, cream, butter - things

that are OK on the Atkins diet, and that seemed particularly sinful.

I woke up on day one to a huge breakfast of bacon, eggs, coffee with

cream. For lunch I went to Mcs for a double quarter pounded -

with cheese! By mid afternoon, I was sick to my stomach. The thought

of the steak I had planned for dinner turned my stomach. All I could

think about was wanting a yogurt, or salad, or vegetables - everything

the Atkins diet limits.

So, after 10 hours on the diet, I gave it up (do I get an award for the

shortest diet ever?). But it was a real learning experience for me. It

was kind of a condensed lesson in why diets mess up our heads, set us up

for overeating, bingeing, cravings, etc. Why my whole life I have been

overeating, just until I started the next diet.

So, I am humbled, and back to my original belief, that the only way for

me to stay sane is to maintain a balanced, healthy diet - yes, I will

low carb it, and keep away from sugar, but I will not cut any one food

out of my diet totally, and will not set up any hard and fast rules

[that I will then immediately break and feel like a failure...].I will

do what I know works (protein, water, exercise, etc) and I know I can

lose the 10 pounds - maybe not in two weeks, but certainly in a few

months.

Isn't it amazing how long it takes some of us to learn?

Helene

RNY 12/22/99

350/170