Wednesday, 1st of April 2009 at 01:53:42 PMI must apologize for not getting around to posting my weekly weigh in yesterday as I have done for the past two months now. Work and life kept me offline yesterday, but I’m back with a vengeance today. Yesterday marked week 9 of my goal to Lose 30 Pounds in 90 Days. At my weigh in this week my weight was…
210 lbs
My new weight marks a total loss of 27 pounds in nine weeks!!!!! I am already starting to dream about weight loss goals like 190 and 180 pounds. I feel like I have finally found the secret to weight loss success – Control Calories, Exercise Regularly and Stick with It.
A healthy obsession with weight loss is sometimes what it takes to reach your weight loss goals.
Last night while my husband and I ate our dinner together, I was filling his ear about how many calories certain kinds of foods contain. Recently I have been checking the food labels of everything I buy. This has given me a much larger awareness of the kinds of calories and fats that are contained in the everyday foods that I buy when I grocery shop. It sometimes blows my mind when I pick up an item I have been eating for years and then realize that every portion size (of which I eat 2-3 times the amount) contains 200+ calories. Many of these items are snack foods and it was a real eye-opener to realize that in one short snacking session my husband and I would consume anywhere from 400 to 600 calories or more each. It is a wonder that I am not more overweight.
When I was finished my brief rant about how many calories are in my favorite cheesies (Hawkins – they are soooo delicious and totally a no-no now), my husband turned to me with a concerned look and said the most startling thing, “You have a weight loss obsession”. I admit his comment made me pretty defensive at first. Here I am trying to make myself and our family healthier and now my husband says I’m obsessed with losing weight. I was pretty angry, but now I have had time to reflect and I feel it is helpful, for me and my readers, to address the whole weight loss obsession issue.
Thinking about my husband’s comment with a clearer mind, I do understand his point and I think it is a valid one. Nine weeks ago now I set a goal for myself to lose weight and for the first time I am determined beyond everything else to make this happen. Part of the weight loss process for myself is to closely manage what I eat and in particular how many calories I consume daily. Counting calories, as those who have done it know, requires constant calorie checks and calorie calculations for everything you put into your mouth. These days, before I buy or eat anything, I am calculating in my head how many calories this food will cost me. This process, in many ways, is taking the fun out of eating.
Am I obsessed with weight loss? Right now, maybe yes. My husband calls it weight loss obsession, but I call it weight loss commitment and both of us are right. Sometimes you need to submerge yourself into your weight loss program so that you can just manage to stay on track. I equate it to how horses that pull carriages have blinders put over their eyes so that they can only see straight ahead and are not distracted by other things in their periphery. For me, counting calories, planning my meals, scheduling my workouts and writing in this blog are my blinders that help me see straight ahead to my weight loss goal. I know that it won’t always be this hard, but for now my “weight loss obsession” is what is keeping me going and I am grateful for it.
I would like to say as a side note here that there are some people who have an unhealthy obsession with losing weight. People with an unhealthy weight loss obsession will often force rapid weight loss by any means possible, including starvation diets, extreme exercise, purging and the abuse of diuretics and diet pills. These unhealthy weight loss methods will often be accompanied by very low-self esteem and poor body image. If you feel like you have an unhealthy obsession with losing weight, or a friend or family member may be suffering from this, please visit the following website for help: National Eating Disorders Association.
Great work and accolades to you for your efforts! Don’t you feel more energy? Sleep better? It’s a whole new world opening up for you. I commend you, as someone who has overcome childhood obesity and has been in the health & wellness professions since 1983 focused on writing about and living a healthy lifestyle. Best to you! Dr. David Robinson
Hi! Great blog and article. I remember when I lost 40 pounds how great I felt! There are obsessions and obsessions. I guess what I’m saying is there are “good” and “bad” obsessions. At least your obsession is with health, as opposed to eating chocolate! 🙂
I never count the calories i eat in one day! you said at the end of first paragraph that you wonder why you are not more overweight! well, if u sit all day on a chair or a couch yes u will gain in weight! but you also burn calories all day! (even when u vacuum you burn calories! or you cook!) if i’m taking on a diet, i make my own meals, lots of vegetables in every meal no suits no juice (not bought from stores, the only juice that i drink is home made lemonade with no sugar, sometimes i add honey!) and i do cardio exercises almost every day! That’s it! and i always have good results! I think this “obsession” of losing weight can sometimes get you sick (if you are not eating enough vitamins or proteins, even fat (good fat) is important for the body to be healthy!).
I started at 230lb, and I’m down to 210lb after about 9 weeks. Once you find out what works, it’s hard not to think about it and talk about it and act on it. Tell your husband you’ll start to worry about the obsession once you are below the recommended body weight. If we go below 175, and start seeing our ribs again, and tie our shoes comfortably in a seated position… Until then, we call dedication to exercise and limiting our diets Motivation leading to greater health.
Georgian – You’re right there. An obsession with losing weight can be very unhealthy if you are not following proper nutrition. I am glad that making your own meals, eating lots of veggies and doing cardio works for you when you want to lose weight. Although that is not the diet fix for everyone, it is the foundation for a good and healthy weight loss program. Thank you for your comment.
Ben – It was wonderful to hear your story and I completely agree with you. Once my weight reaches a place where it is healthy for me I have no doubt that I will not be as “obsessed” with losing. Keep up the great effort you are making and thank you for your thoughts and support.
Omg…. I feel my Weight Loss Obsession is controling my life I am doing every think that Guinea Piggy is doing! my bigest problem is it’s realy upsetting my other half as for exsample last tonight we decided to have a take away we dont have them very oftern but I went over to get mine and the Guilt of I could eat that many callorys took control of me and I went to the shop insted to get salad stuff, Im so obsessed that He not talking to me now as he dont want to eat one if Im not!! I do feel Im getting a eating disorder as I cooked two peaces of chicken but again wouldent let my self eat both! I feel sick every time I eat but stop my self from being sick!
I dont realy know what to do as I cant stop thinking about how to loose more weight next? I dont know what it is in pounds but I weigh 9st 10!!! and I still feel fat and not good looking at all. I need help as I got 3 Daughters and I dont want them following suit. Im writting this and not sure what good it will do? but thanks miss Piggy.