Friday, March 2, 2012

Stop! You're doing it ALL WRONG!

I have a lovely friend who has lost over 50 lbs to date!  GASP!  You go girl!  AMAZING!  Now she is focused on losing her "last 10."  Will they be the last?  Will she be happy then?  Not when everyone, everywhere is telling her she's doing it all wrong!

Don't eat at restaurants.  Don't eat carbs.  Eggs are bad for you.  Don't eat red meat.  Eat nothing but dry lettuce and celery.  The Green Diet.  The South Beach Diet.  The Atkins Diet.  Smoothie Diets.  They all tell you that what you are currently doing is wrong and make you feel bad so that you turn to their method.  Scare tactics like this are effective so the companies continue to use them.  But the hopeless feeling we get after being told that what we are doing is wrong - even if we have lost 50 lbs on our own - may spur us to try THEIR diet.  Buy THEIR cookbook.  Buy THEIR meal plan.  Take THEIR magic pills.

It's all horsecrap and marketing.  At this moment, I am fuming with righteous indignation for my friend.  At a cooking class, she was made to feel that she can never eat at a restaurant again.  But why?  There is no secret supplement.  (I really wish there was.)  I fall into these traps too.  I want there to be an easy way.  But the basics still come down to-- burn more calories than you take in.  Period.  Simple math.  Is making it actually happen that simple??  NO, or we'd all be shapely supermodels.  Nothing worth having comes easy, I guess.

I have a problem with programs that want to break you down to build you up, so to speak.  I am not talking about the emotional break-through's on the Biggest Loser.  I'm talking about making you feel bad about yourself so vulnerable, you turn to the 'experts' for help.  CUT. IT. OUT.

We are good people and beautiful.  Don't let anyone undermine your success.  If you have lost 5 lbs- it is a victory.  50 lbs?  You should be writing this blog instead of me!  Why not celebrate every time that you make a healthier choice?  I like celebrating!  Don't tell yourself you can never eat at a restaurant or have an egg for breakfast.  You can do anything you want!  In moderation, of course.

Stand up to the bullies.  The media talks about the bullying in schools and the repercussions.  Very scary stuff.  It makes me worry for my future children.  Is what the diet industry is doing so different?  Adults have better coping mechanisms.  Absolutely true.  But the principles seem to be awfully similar.  They make you feel stupid and worthless and like they know so much better.than we do.  Stand up to the bullies.  You are doing great!  Find what works for you.  Make one better choice a day.  Start small and work your way up.

Don't let them push you around.  You're doing great!  Keep up the good work!

4 comments:

  1. Heidi...

    Celebrate the small things. Look forward to the big. If. You run a block farther than the last time...way to go. Don't get side tracked by companies selling product...its money they want. Focus your energy on what works...exercise and a moderate diet. You can still enjoy the good stuff. Keep up the great work! :)

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    1. Thank you so much! That's what I am trying to focus on. Thanks for reading!

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  2. You are amazing and absolutely correct! I think I will celebrate over nachos! ;)

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  3. you are wonderful and beautiful just the way you are and as you said celebrate every step you make... I can't diet the minute I say I am I want to eat everything. So now I'm on Loseit.com I set eveything to private and just keep track of everything I eat and any exercise I do as in cleaning the house and walking... so far since Jan. 21 I have lost 10lbs and a few inches to my waist YAY.... I have slowed now and don't seem to be losing and more lbs but I'm toneing up again which I really love... So No Diet Here, I eat what I want just a smaller amout. No more denying myself any thing cause the minute I do that's when I eat more. Now that I keep track and know whats I'm taking in I'm finally losing the lbs and feeling better. Thanks babe for writing this, I enjoy seeing I'm not alone here....
    Now if you have advice on how to keep the boobies I finally have but lose everything around them that would be great! Take care up there!

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