Holidays and Weight Issues

I know everyone is different, but the moment the words "I'm going on a diet" pass my lips I automatically eat more. I used to be very skinny, but worked very hard to do so. Definitely a little too hard. My weight consumed my life, actually. I kept my scale in my kitchen, right next to the fridge. Ridiculous right? I did much worse things when I was younger. I became a little more "normal" around 30, but that's about the time I started with the scale in the kitchen. I moved into my present home four years ago. This was the moment I tossed my scale. I decided to make a clean break. Good thing too, I was weighing myself in upwards of thirty times a day. I came to accept myself for who I am not what number I was that day. Good thing too, because due to illness and medications I had blown up 60 lbs. Every time I tried to diet, I became heavier. It was automatic, as soon as I said the word diet, I became hungrier. Worse, the more I restricted my intake in the day, I ate at night-while asleep. The more I obsessed and watched what I ate in the day, even on successful days, the heavier I got, because I would sleep eat more and more. When I stopped dieting, I stopped my sleep eating. I've seen clips of people doing this and I know a lot of people don't believe it exists, that some just use it as an excuse to eat, but believe me, not only does it exist, it is uncontrollable.

Sleep Eating is no Joke

I didn't even know I was doing this at first. One night though, someone actually saw me. They thought I was mad at them because when I saw them in the kitchen, I did not speak back to them. my roommate explained to them that I was actually asleep and probably had no idea he was even there. I didn't. My roommate went on to explain to me the many nights what he had seen. I started to become more aware when I would wake in the morning with either the taste of food in my mouth or mysterious plates or crumbs in my bed. The worst thing I "ate" in my sleep was small figurines I kept on the nightstand by the bed. I was somewhat aware of this and even remember the dream. I was dreaming I was eating chips and they were so stale I kept taking a bite of one, putting it down and trying another. I awoke to all the figurines on the floor by my bed. First thing I did was check my teeth. All there, so then I decided to figure out the trigger, and that trigger was the big D word-diet.

Holidays and Dieting, Holidays and Eating Disorders

When I wrote "Eating Disorders and the Holidays", believe me, I knew from where I spoke. I have never publicly admitted to my obsession with food and weight until today. I have only shared with a select few loved ones. So why today? Many articles about weight loss, holidays and fad diets being splashed across the TV screen have brought this to the front of my mind once again. I hope that by "coming out" I can help others who feel trapped in this cycle. Sometimes it helps when you hear others speak the things we feel but are afraid to admit out loud. Once obsessed, always obsessed, its just a matter of controlling it. I think even if one gets "better" it is always still back there nagging. I decided a couple days ago I wanted to drop 20 lbs. Guess what? True to my past, I became hungrier and ate far more than usual. So no more diets for me. Instead, I need to make it a lifestyle thing.

Four ways to Maintain Your Current Weight for the Holidays

Maintain is the key word during the holidays. When we set unreasonable goals for ourselves it sets us up for failure, failure leads to giving up. Instead of setting a goal of losing weight during the season that literally is planned around food and meals, I will set a goal of maintaining my weight. Here is how I plan to do this:

1) Step up my vitamin regimen. Why: As we age, our bodies do slow down. Some functions even become affected by years of abuse or just plain aging. Never over-do vitamins, but taking the recommended dose can actually help maintain and even lose weight, particularly the B vitamins which are essential to metabolism. This will also raise energy levels which brings us to #2.

2) Maintain my walking. I don't drive so I have to walk everywhere. The closest bus stop is one mile away and I live in what I call the valley, it is uphill to go anywhere. However, lately my health issues have been acting up and I've slowed down the walking. I ask for a ride, or sometimes just don't even leave the house. This must change, and walking a little bit everyday is not a hard goal to keep. Many vow to start going to the gym or to start a vigorous exorcise regimen, then fail to keep it and stop exorcise altogether. Instead of doing that, just promise yourself to walk a little bit every day. You'll find it easier and easier to do, and this too boosts metabolism.

3) Water is the secret ingredient to weight maintenance. When I was pregnant with my son 15 years ago, I ate a lot! In the beginning though, I gained no weight at all. First five months to be exact. So how was my weight not budging despite the growing baby and my new found love for food? I made sure I drank 8- 8 oz. glasses of water a day, just like they suggest. The doctors were actually getting upset with me for maintaining my weight and not gaining anything, I tried to explain not only was I eating, I was stuffing myself! The only explanation is the water. I ended up blowing up in the end, as I was put on bed-rest for 20 weeks. My point is though, if eating a lot, water will help you at least maintain your weight. Then, when we are not surrounded by food at every turn, when the holidays are over, instead of maintaining, a weight loss will occur.

4) Never restrict yourself from anything completely unless it is due to a health issue like diabetes or celiac disease or the many other diseases that are affected by our intake of certain foods. Its human nature, we always want what we can't have. It also in our nature to eat more of something if we are doing it in private. Instead of setting the unrealistic goal of no sweets during the holidays, set the goal of moderation. Moderation is key in our food intake. If we don't restrict ourselves from anything, but instead allow ourselves basically anything in moderation, it helps to keep us from binging on that food. In using moderation we will not feel left out or "punished" by our new lifestyle. When the holidays are over, since there will be less food around, it is realistic to think a few pounds will be lost.

Weight Maintenance Will Bring Me to Weight Loss

If I maintain my weight during the holidays with these tactics, I'm sure weight loss will follow soon after. It is a hard balance to strike for me. Any attempt at weight loss usually leads to obsessions surfacing again and in the end, more weight gain. However, my goal is now to be healthier, not skinnier. It will just be a plus if I get to lose a few pounds in the meantime. If anyone would lke to join me, your comments are welcome. If anyone fights this battle of obsession and avoids dieting because of it, I recommend speaking to a trained counselor or a physician at best. A person or group of people who have battled the big battle in the least. Strength in numbers.

In the end, love yourself for who you are, not the number on the scale. Take care of yourself because you want to live and you want to feel good, not because you want to look like a super model. I think maybe, just maybe this will in the end lead to weight loss, just an added plus when comparing to the other benefits of good mental and physical health.