A really thought-provoking thread Dinkey. Thanks for starting it.
I got to goal with LL a couple of years ago, having lost 100lb, not cheating once. I was finally a size 10/12 for the first time ever, from a 24.
So, why or why was I nearly back to square one this year? Why was it not enough to get to my dream size and weight? Why, after following the rules to the letter, did I still cock it all up?
It's simple really. Long term I use food as a coping strategy, to cope with feelings I can't (or won't) express. To enable me to switch off and relax. To give me a feeling of relief when it all gets a bit too much.
Dealing with this is not simple. Following the rules does not solve the problem.
A few weeks ago I decided to start CD. This time I was not prepared to 'follow strict rules' again - this time I had to introduce a degree of flexibility. I had to 'test the waters' regularly to monitor how I coped. So, sometimes I will have an evening meal, sometimes not. Ususally it will be low carb, occasionally not. I don't get worked up if it contains stuff which is not low carb. I keep an eye on the bigger picture, I stay vigilent for the 'crooked thoughts, and the anxiety feelings which draw me to want to eat to suppress feelings.
This means that it may take 'longer' to achieve my goal. But so what. What is important is that I learn this time to maintain my goal. It may take the rest of my life and it is entirely possible that CD will remain an integral part of my daily diet. It is probable that I won't be 'cured' but will have to 'manage' my addiction long term.
Dinkey, we all learn different lessons. We are all different. Try not to compare yourself to others. It will just cloud the issue. Your weightloss journey is yours and yours alone. If you see other people 'cheat', it is not a reflection on your achievements, or theirs.
Dinkey, you will be in danger of reacting to what your friends do, for example, you don't want to eat during the Christmas holiday, but dwelling on your friends who can eat and still lose weight, you might tie yourself up in knots thinking about it. The crooked thoughts will take over and you may eat. You may then feel that you've 'failed', feel guilty, and feel like giving up.
What I'm trying to say is, this is YOUR weightloss journey of discovery, and yours alone. Everybody is different, and have different lessons to learn.
I remember giving birth to my first child. I lay there exhausted on the bed and suddenly saw a small, pinkish wriggling creature at the end of the bed. Boy was I surprised. "A baby." I thought. "Blimey, that's what all this fuss and effort has been for all these months." I had been so focused on preparing for the pregnancy and the delivery, that I'd quite forgotton the end result. That's when I realised that I was not at the end of a pregnancy, but the beginning of the greatest challenge of my life - raising a new human being.
It's a bit like that with losing excess weight. It is only when you finally get to goal, that you realise that now the real hard work begins...
AJ
