About me: the back-story

I’m not sure I should, in such a forum, admit that I’ve tried my fair share of fad diets. When I was a teenager I recall attempting (what I discovered later to be) the Israeli Army diet.  I think it involved two days of apples, two days of cheese etcetera.  I am pretty sure I got through a day of apples and gave up. I also recall having the occasional ‘liquid day’; as if not chewing on something for one day in isolation was going to help the kilograms fall off (not to mention, stay off).

I’d like to say the stupid diets disappeared as I matured, but sadly that hasn’t been the case. In fact, for me, the past 20+ years have been a constant stream of dieting / not dieting phases. I’ve tried Weight Watchers, counting calories, diet shakes, low and no carbohydrate diets. I even spent a month at a Biggest Loser-style fat camp a couple of years ago where I dropped 14kg. I’ve had my successes, but I’ve never kept the weight off.  And each time I’ve gained more than I originally lost.

A young Schmiet

Like so many who’ve tortured themselves with all sorts of diets and studied labels and calorie counter books I have to confess that I know what I SHOULD be doing. And, in reality it isn’t rocket science. I know that it’s all about calories (or energy) in vs calories out. And yet… I’ve continued to struggle.

As a result I’ve realized that my weight issues are more about my mindset; and over the years my binge-eating and over-eating behavior has been about almost anything over than the actual food I’m consuming.

About four months ago I started considering weight loss surgery. I felt like I’d tried everything. I just wanted to throw my hands in the air and have someone else ‘fix’ my problems.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying weight-loss surgery is an easy way out. I have a friend who’s been there and I know it’s no picnic. And, in all honesty, she still struggles with the emotional and mindset issues, but is now unable to numb them with large amounts of food.

I had the surgery referral from my doctor but was procrastinating when I came across a weight loss and fitness program, which incited much passion among its online participants. I won’t plug the program here as it would be inappropriate, but I decided that I would give this ‘trying to lose weight’ malarkey one more try before seeing the surgeon.

I wasn’t hopeful. Just days before I started I was still in the ‘I’ll binge-eat as much as possible before I start’ mindset. And I did. In fact, the night before the program ‘started’ I consumed one kilogram of hot chips (french fries). At the time I wondered how on earth I was going to ‘flick that switch’ once Monday morning came to suddenly become ‘healthy’. As a result I had little confidence in myself getting anywhere this time around.

But, I have to just say… OMFG! Twelve weeks later and I have lost 18.7kg. And… more amazingly, I’m motivated. And committed. I have no desire to binge-eat. (Well, if you were to put a plate of hot chips in front of me, I may well scoff them all!) I’ve also cut back my alcohol consumption A LOT. And I’ve started exercising again.

Before commencing this program I’d basically stopped all exercise. I was getting shin splints when I walked and had even quit my regular pilates classes.

I haven’t diligently followed the diet or exercise plan on this program but have stuck to the recommended calorie limit and I’m exercising six days a week as required.

Before starting I hired an exercise bike with the expectation that my shin splints would disappear once I’d dropped some kilograms, allowing me to then step up my exercise… and I’m thrilled to say that’s happened. Better still, last week I joined a gym and have now just started the Couch to 5km program.

I’ve been blogging for a few years now. I have another blog, which my friends and family know about; before I started this one. Perhaps one day I’ll tell them about it, but for now I like the honesty that comes with the anonymity. Others on my weight loss program know about it but I feel comfortable sharing my successes and failures (not to mention owning up to my actual weight) to others in the same predicament.

I am single and live alone, so suspect that – other than acting as my personal therapist – keeping the blog allows me to voice things that people might only tell their loved ones. Here I can confess my weaknesses and own my aspirations, and my words disappear into the non-judgmental virtual ether.

A new reader recently commented that she’d read my blog posts from start to finish and she noticed a HUGE change in my mindset from this time last year. It gave me great joy that: 1. someone was interested enough to actually do that (you may be thinking she had WAY too much time on her hands!); but also 2. that an objective stranger perceives I have changed that much.

I invite you to catch up with my exploits here. You’ll find I don’t sugarcoat my challenges or failures. I still need to get better at bragging about my successes, but I am getting there. Slowly.

 Update: January 2012. I’ve decided to change my posting regime a little. Between May – December 2011 I posted in this blog at least 5 times a week. My readership rose as a result. But, I found it difficult to do, and my other blog suffered. After much analysis (ie… I thought for a bit), I realised that I have trouble keeping up with other bloggers who post daily (and many of them do not write ridiculously long sagas which seem to grace my blog each bloody day – despite regular plans to the contrary!). As a result, and as part of my 2012 blogging goals I am intending to post here (only) three times a week (occasionally more) – ideally every second day.