fat fat the water rat

[susandennis]

All my life, I have felt fat. But I was actually not really fat until I hit 50 and gave up smoking and caring about how much I weighed. Then I gained and gained and gained and gained. Swimming definitely kept me from 500 pounds but not did not keep me from gaining.

At the end of March, when I went for my annual checkup, I weighed in at 244. By then I had quit swimming and so quickly saw 250.

Coincidentally and actually, for me, more importantly, I felt it. I felt stuffed and not comfortable. Particularly as I lay in bed at night. Just a blob.

I promised myself when I turned 50, I'd never have to watch what I ate again and I have no plans to give that up. I do not 'eat healthy' and never plan to. If kale passes these lips, it will be when these lips are dead. I eat what tastes good to me. I do not eat what does not. Simple.

BUT, turns out, timing is maybe even more critical. I quit eating dinner. I moved dinner to lunch. At dinner time, I ate maybe a sandwich or maybe a bowl of cereal. I never did get used to a big lunch and I did begin to learn to only eat when I was hungry. I ended up not eating as much. Still eating what I liked. Just not as much.

Now I really do eat when I am hungry and I really do eat less. If I'm hungry for lunch at 10 am, I eat it. More importantly, I've come to be less and less hungry at 'dinner' time and if I'm not hungry, I don't eat.

And, man, do I ever feel better! It's ridiculous how much better I feel.

And I am no longer 250 pounds. This morning, I was 239 and losing. Very very gradually. After decades up decades of caring religiously how much I weighed, I can't not check and can't not be happy about the decline. So I am. I'm really excited to see my cute doctor's face next March. He's been so good and gentle about my being morbidly obese, he'll be delighted.

Comments

[bill-schubert.livejournal.com]

That is nice -- the only way to do it, effortlessly.

[somedayseattle.livejournal.com]

That awesome. Keep up the good work!

[annabelle50.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[susandennis]

thanks.

[mhaithaca.livejournal.com]

My doctor will be excited, too! But I'm excited to fit in some of my old clothes.

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

I slowly started losing weight since the beginning of the COVID lockdowns, only because I'm not eating so much crap from the cafeteria in the building where my job is. I went down from 230 to 220. I'm still eating like crap, I'm just eating less food.

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

Good for you!!

[dadi.livejournal.com]

You rock :)

[zippybeta.livejournal.com]

Keep up the good work! With each pound loss should motivate you!

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

Well done! It's great to find something that works for you

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Effortless is the best! Woohoo!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Well done ... and on your terms!

[jwg.livejournal.com]

I remember once in my youth when I had my annual physical exam the doctor said you' ve gained weight and I responded with but it was only one pound. Then he said one pound a year for 30 years would be 30 pounds. I think I weigh about 20 pounds more these days, but it is pretty stable.

There are so many bad side effects of being overweight.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I also decided the way to go was to only eat when I felt hungry, rather than by the clock, but my body clock is the reverse of yours - I don't usually feel hungry until about 1pm, then I have something light (just soup sometimes, or a poached egg on toast), then a snack about 4pm (often a biscuit or slice of cake), a good dinner about 6.30pm and another snack about 8pm!

I am down from a peak of around 265-270lb to a steady 230lb for the past year or so.

I once read that eating this way you eventually go to the weight that corelates to what you are eating - i.e. if you eat the right amount of food for 230lb then when you get there, like me, you stick. But I'm happy enough as I don't feel hungry and eat what I like - but feel a good deal better than I did at the 265+lb.

[susandennis]

Interesting about weighing what you eat. Wonder what that will be for me? And yeah, the important part is feeling good!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I didn't put that well - the Australian Women's Weekly used to have the note on any page discussing weight that said that if you know how many calories (or whatever) you require to weight a certain weight, if you eat that number you will eventually be that weight, no matter where you start.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

(I eat healthy but I still won't eat kale. It's bitter and foul)

[letmesaythis.livejournal.com]

I love vegetables (even kale and especially broccoli) and I have convinced myself that this is the only reason all the other stuff that I love to eat (butter, bacon, cheese, lamb chops, butter, ice cream, cheese, butter, pizza, bacon, fried chicken, butter) hasn't made me to kick the bucket thus far.

I'm glad you've dropped pounds and that this has made you feel better. Feeling bloaty and 'fat' is not good at all. Bonus win for it being effortless!

[picosgemeos.livejournal.com]

If kale passes these lips, it will be when these lips are dead.
Lol!

I agree with you that caring so much about one's weight doesn't lead to happiness. I hope you can find the best way forward to continue to feel good. :-)

[susandennis]

Thanks!