White Knuckle Weight Loss

White Knuckle Weigh Loss..

Does this resonate with anyone?  Do you feel like you are holding on for dear life trying to manage this weight loss thing? Is it exhausting and you feel like you can barely hang on anymore? You have to follow this food rule perfectly!! One small thing can make you crack and then BOOMyou gain back that weight you worked SO hard to lose!

I have been there many times and am embarrassed to say how much time of my life has been wasted thinking about FOOD!  It has consumed my life many times..Maybe most of the time! 

But,I have also seen the other side of weight loss too. I have seen weight drop off me when I become at peace with who I am. 

Over the years my weight roller coaster had left me with a pretty severe case of emotional eating.  Believe me, I could tell you stories that would make you gasp, and I will if you ask!   My weight has bounced dozens of times in my young life so far!

The ONE trend that I find true with myself and have read it over and over again in the probably 100 books I have read on the topic is…

WHITE KNUCKLE weight loss DOES NOT WORK LONG TERM.  I believe the statistic is that only 2-3% of people who have lost weight maintain that loss long term.  YES, it does work for a time and if we were robots that didn’t think, feel and hurt then it would work all of the time.

I am excited to be part of that slim statistic of those that maintain weight loss! Over 12 years and counting!!!(And NO I am not a Robot like some you may think)

So how did I do it andKEEPit?

I began to LOVE myself AND accept that I am NOT PERFECT!! I also had to accept that I am not perfect at not being perfect. (All you perfectionists understand that, wink wink) I mess up and eat 10 cookies or a whole bag of Doritos more often than most would think.  The WHITE KNUCKLE approach would say “you failure, now you have to only eat raw veggies and chicken until you lose what you just undid”.   This had most often been my line of defense to maintain my weight loss.  Turns out I can only be perfect for about NO SECONDS and it would start a vicious spiral down for me.  My self worth would crumble because I couldn’t even stay on track for a day!   My coping mechanism would be to eat to comfort myself, which always blew my mind because food is what made me loath myself..(That is a whole other article)   

Now I say WHOPPS!  Forgive yourself and MOVE on!  Logically one “binge” doesn’t derail weight loss!  You may be up in weight the next day but if you go back to your normal eating your weight will go back down in a day or two. 

Become a student of yourself! I would try to figure out why I just overate.  Believe me there is ALWAYS a why!  Was I tired, bored, upset with someone, feeling anxious, I worked out and deserve this, etc.?  When you understand why then you can come up with a plan to not turn to food next time.  There WILL be a next time!  This takes away the power food can have and puts it back in my hands!  The more awareness you have of why you do something the less likely you are to NOT do it again. 

Make a CHOICE to eat healthy! Not as a punishment for the “garbage” you eat, but because you want to feel good and have energy!  I choose to eat healthy about 80% of the time and I really enjoy that 20% of splurges. But I am in charge. Not FOOD! (most of the time, remember I am not prefectJ)

We are meant to live life together and have accountability.   I know it’s hard to share your struggles with others but it is also very freeing too. The perfect persona is gone and you find out you are NOT ALONE!  Now, I am not saying blab your junk all over town…but find one friend, pastor, counselor, or trainer that you feel safe with.

Honestly those are the biggest changes that help me maintain weight loss.  It sounds easy but it truly isn’t.   You are worth being at peace with yourself. Freedom from the constant weight loss battle IS POSSIBLE!

I also have to say.. I truly believe I can stumble my way though this addiction of food because of my faith in Christ, He truly came to save and give HOPE to the HOPELESS.

~Sarah