RawrGirl's End of Insanity
Insanity [in-san-i-tee]: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results.
RawrGirl's weight hovers around 155 when she does nothing and eats somewhat healthy (ie not fried food, lots of dessert). But during holidays and periods of life when changes arise in her diet (like when she discovered English Toffee Cappuccino and put on 20 pounds in 4 months drinking several a day OR like when she goes on a writing kick and snacks at her comp for weeks on end), she gains weight. Then each New Years, she goes on a diet hoping to finally be thin for Summer. When that fails (see diet plans below), she picks herself back up, and tries to lose weight for Fall (RawrGirl loves fall clothes!). When that fails, and she is still not at goal weight by Christmas, the whole cycle starts all over again...for 20 years.
RawrGirl Must Stop the Insanity!
THEN
RawrGirl weighed herself EVERY day, sometimes several times a day. Numbers dictated her mood, what she ate over the weekend (ate pizza to celebrate a loss, ate pizza to console no loss or a gain).
The Cycle:
Beginning of Year Weight: 160 (sometimes 172)
Jan -- Mar: Weekly Low-Cal Dieting (1200 cal) + Weekend Binging (weight stays the same, desperation sets in)
Apr -- May: Weekly Low Cal Dieting and some cardio & weights) + Weekend Binging (loses Christmas gain, but weight stays at 150)
Jun-- Aug: Weekly Low Cal Dieting and weights & heaps of Cardio + No Binging Weekend (lost weight, down to 143-147, didn't make it to goal; burned out from cardio, especially when jogging/running 3 miles 5 days a week for months only to see weekly losses of .2lb and .4lb)
Sept-Nov: Weekly Low Cal Dieting and little Cardio & weights + Weekend Binging (maintains weight)
Thanksgiving thru Christmas/New Years: Takes Break from diet (gains weight till reaches about 160)
THEN In Summary: Low Cal Week + High Calorie Weekend + weights 2x a week + sporadic cardio ranging from 10 min to 60 min a day
Then RawrGirl discovered Atkins. Now when RawrGirl gains holiday weight, she can lose it on Atkins in 3 weeks as compared to 3 months on Low Calorie or Weight Watchers. RawrGirl is very excited and believes she can finally reach her goal without running nonstop. She goes into Ketosis, even learns for the first time in her adult that she likes some vegetables.
For months she struggles to give up pizza and dessert on the weekends, and thus is constantly in and out of Ketosis. Her weight stays the same. Then, finally, she learns to give up pizza, and eats only sugar-free dessert. Alas, her weight still stays the same. She then discovers that sugar-free candy was knocking her out of Ketosis all along. So then, she even gives that up. And eats no dessert. Instead she snacks on pepperoni and cheese and other high-fat snacks. But even then, her weight remains the same. Even though she is in Ketosis, her weight is remaining the same. Her measurements are remaining the same.
RawrGirl reflects on all this, and realizes that her weekend calories (though low in carb) are through the roof. She thinks of biggest loser contestants, who eat low-carb AND low calorie (about 1200). She thinks about how they work out 4-6 hours a day, which means they are burning off more than they ate. RawrGirl realizes this means that are in the Evil Starvation Mode. RawrGirl had always wondered about this Evil Starvation Mode that experts claim makes you NOT lose weight and may even make you fat. She questions the validity of this as starving people do not gain weight. They lose weight. Biggest Loser contestants also lose weight. She thinks and she ponders and she thinks some more...
Then she does research. RawrGirl loves research.
RawrGirl discovers that a 12-Week VLCD combined with Strength Training minimizes the negative aspects of the Evil Starvation Mode (unlike cardio, RawrGirl has never minded strength training). VLCD is based on Ketosis...RawrGirl understands all about Ketosis. RawrGirl is pleased.
NOW
Most important change: No Scale
Low Calorie / Low Carb Week AND Weekend
Enjoyable Cardio -- figure skating
Strength Training -- 6x a week
NOW In Summary: Low Cal Week + Low Cal Weekend + weights 6x a week + consistent, enjoyable cardio
RawrGirl hopes these are enough changes that she is no longer doing the same thing yet again but expecting different results. She hopes that at last, she has ended the insanity.
Only time will tell...
RawrGirl heard threading was VERY painful, and RawrGirl does not like pain. RawrGirl waxed underneath, then plucked what was still left. This is the arch she always wanted, so she is pleased.
