WARNING: THIS MAY BE A VERY LONG POST -- as a professional author, I sometimes lose track of all the words I write, so please keep that in mind as you read!!!
Anna --
God bless you for your wonderful and inspiring story!
I can't tell you how important it was for me to read it.
I've been struggling like crazy, and so much of what you said resonated with me in BIG ways.
If y'all will indulge me as I recount my story:
I was a chubby child, chubby teen and began crash-dieting at age 11, which I'm sure threw me off even more. For certain, it gave me a distorted idea of what was `thin enough' or `right for me', because I always thought I needed to lose about 30 pounds when ten would probably have done it.
I tried it all: Stillman (anyone here old enough to remember that? A '60's high-protein diet), Atkins, the Beverly Hills Diet, calorie counting, eating the same small meals again and again, yeah, even diet pills (through a doctor). Having a pretty healthy body, I always lost some weight, but for me, it was never enough. And it didn't stay off.
Finally in my 20's, I got down to a reasonable weight. I'm 5'1" and weighed between 112 and 122 for more than 6 years -- a perfect size 5, and I was very happy about it and certain I'd never gain weight again.
Wrong.
When I was 30 I started gaining a few pounds due to changes in my schedule. Then a few more and a few more. As soon as I moved in with the guy who became my husband, I immediately gained about 7 more pounds, then more, and after having 2 babies in 3 years, the weight just stayed on.
Turns out my thyroid was slowing down all this time and I didn't realize it. Two years ago I went back to Weight Watchers and lost 35 pounds, also starting thyroid meds at the same time. I was very happy with my success -- but could not seem to get lower than 162 pounds, which was still WAY too much from my small-boned frame.
And this year particularly, with tremendous stress (including separating from my husband, managing a political campaign, holding down a full-time and very stressful job at the same time and now a sick child), my weight has soared up. I haven't gained back everything I lost at WW -- but I'm up to about 177, and I absolutely hate the way I look and feel.
Anna, I LOVE what you said about all other diet plans making you constantly think about food and wanting freedom from that. That is EXACTLY what I've been struggling with and wanting desperately -- something that would TAKE weight off me immediately and KEEP weight off me permanently, something simple, something that allows me lots of freedom and lots of choices, something flexible, something that works and that I can count on not to hurt my body.
Back in my single days, when I wanted to lose weight in a hurry, and not having to cook for anyone else, I would eat a good breakfast, a nice-sized lunch and STOP EATING ALTOGETHER at 3 pm. After that, I had tea or water or diet sodas, but no food. The weight FELL off.
BUT ... now having to manage family dinners and having people around me eating all the time, that wasn't much of an option anymore.
Now things are a bit different. My sons spend two weeks a month with their dad, and I suppose I COULD simply stop eating at 3 pm if I wanted. (Right now I'm working at home, so my schedule is very flexible.)
I want to thank you again, Anna, for a most inspiring story, esp. including your thoughts and your reminders to yourself about all the success you've already had. It certainly sounds as though you've found the way that works for you, and I love that you're actually using it with your teenager, because I've thought of trying it with my teenage son, who's quite overweight (he's the one who's sick). I just wasn't sure I should try it, since he isn't an adult yet, though he knows how I want to eat.
Interestingly, I find that it's quite easy to skip eating in the morning -- it's just getting into the afternoon that can be tough, since I do want the opportunity to eat in the evening. However, given my other son's baseball schedule this fall, a lot of the time, eating in the evening is not an option, since we're at his games. So I guess I could change my desired window, which is usually 3:30 to 8:30, to noon to 5 pm, to accommodate that.
Anyway, your post was an inspiration, Anna, and I do thank you from my heart for it. I've been struggling to get onto Fast 5 again. It worked beautifully (but briefly) last year at this time, when I started it mostly because my work schedule dictated it. Then I somehow adjusted to the schedule and my eating went haywire. I can't stand how I look and feel and I HAVE to find a way to get back to something helpful.
I did rejoin Weight Watchers (mostly for the discipline and inspiration of the meetings and weigh-ins) but simply cannot bear to count points anymore, and I find myself VERY hungry on my allotted points -- much different than my experience 2 years ago.
Would appreciate hearing from anyone about foods you use to break your fast -- I know protein is recommended -- do you do that? My biggest problem with Fast 5 has been eating really terrible junk food, rather than good food, in my window, which I know is NOT what is intended, and I could use some suggestions in that area. I'm getting back to exercising (feeling MUCH better as a result!) but would love any and all thoughts about food to break your fast and also for you successful Fast5-ers, generally what was your average weight loss per week and did you find, if you adjusted your window, that eating earlier in the day helped you lose more weight than eating later?
Thank you again, Anna -- you have truly made my day and I pray my post is not longer than yours, but I fear it is. Sorry, everyone!!!
Susan
--- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, annafogg1@... wrote:
> Dear Struggling, last week someone else asked for success stories. Perhaps my story will help inspire you at work and on
> the weekends. These stories, and my own little tangible steps I take and achieve,
> these are what I focus on as I live each day, and they keep me plodding along, slowly, perhaps, but definitely surely. I am a homeschooloing
> mom of 7, and I have lost weight in all the ways possible, and have been successful in all those ways, too, but never successful in getting my body back
> to its ideal weight, and then keeping it there. I will say that weight watchers, low-carb, low-fat, small frequent meals, they all work. BUT they
> only work continually if you keep them on as a lifestyle, continually. That seems like a simplistic elementary concept, but obviously it eludes
> many, as folks continue to diet to lose weight.
>
> I realized just this year that I needed to completely change my mindset and make
> a decision that whatever method I choose needs to be a lifestyle permanent change. Then I had to really ponder. Which way could I choose
> to stick with for the rest of my life? All the other methods had one thing in common. They forced me to think about food all day long. Every
> meal had me planning, cooking for me and cooking for the rest of the family, taking little baggies everywhere, weighing, measuring, counting
> every calorie or every gram of carb. Instead of getting a better handle, the other methods made me incredibly consumed with food. It was sheer
> bondage. When I found Fast 5, and spent a couple weeks with it, I found one big change for me, and that was the liberty in fasting. Who would have
> thought it? So back in March I completed a month (lost 8 lbs as well), and despite my setback until July, I knew that this was the way I could
> live and eat longterm.
>
> I found Fast 5 (on a great group called www.welltellme.com)
> Began March 1st or so, but April 1 I went out of town, and used that as an excuse to 'take a break'. Huge mistake.
> It took me until the 1st of July to get back on Fast 5, feeling guilty the whole time I was off as I realized and knew that this was the lifestyle
> that would help me to heal my body and free me from the fat. I started back with a vengeance after seeing a friend's major success on Fast 5,
> I was in fact shocked when I saw her, and had to smack myself because she and I had both begun in March, but she stuck with it. (and I am the one
> who told her about it! Ugh, I thought, but I just picked myself up and began again)
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