Monday, December 7, 2015

Real Appeal

As I approached 210 lbs this Summer I decided that was fatter than I wanted to be.  I feel the weight on me, hindering how I move, aggravating what would otherwise be minor aches.  So when my insurance company sent out e-mails offering to pay for a weight loss program called Real Appeal, I signed on.

I'm approaching it differently than I did Weight Watchers about 15 years ago.  I was strict on WW.  Followed the point guidelines rigorously, lost 50 lbs in six months.  That was cool ... but I was also miserable all the time.  Soooo hungry.  Cranky.  I would have liked to lose another 10 lbs and probably could have in just another month or two.  I was just done though.  Couldn't stand it anymore.

This time I don't care about being so stringent.  Having the support structure to track my diet habits, to check in with a group all doing the same thing that's helpful to keep me focused.  As long as my weight is going the right direction, I'll be happy with that.  I don't care how fast it goes that way.  It's working out so far.  I'm down to about 198.

I'm afraid that leads me to often blow off my Coach, Lisa.  She encouraged me to try and shoot for about 1550 calories per day.  That's where I was miserable on WW.  There's no way.  "So maybe try 1900 a day to start and as you get used to it cut back."  Ha!  Cut back. 1700-1900 a day is actually not too bad, though some days I do feel hungrier and jump up around 2000-2100.  Still fine.  The RA software tells me my basal metabolic rate is about 2500 calories per day and describes finding a "calorie sweet spot" where you're under that basal rate, but not hungry all the time.  Roughly 2000 calories seems to be where that is for me.

He comment on Thanksgiving was, "I discourage 'cheat days'.  It's hard to get back on track."  Oh but I love cheat days.  Especially on holidays.  One of the realizations I had on WW was just how much a role food plays in our social lives.  And by not eating, or by significantly curtailing what I ate, I felt socially isolated at times.  I'm going to eat a lot at Thanksgiving.  I'll binge on candy at Christmas.  Snack all night New Year's Eve.  Have some cake on Ben's birthday.  So that means some weeks I may not lose weight?  Like I plateaued out Thanksgiving week?  I'm okay with that.  And admitting I'm okay with that helped me get back on track just fine.

I guess I'm figuring that the best diet is the one you'll actually do, right?

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