Diets Are Temporary. I Need A New LifeStyle.

At the end of every diet, the path curves back toward the trough. —– Mason Cooley

Has this ever happened to you?  You plan to diet and eat right in order to lose weight for your wedding, your class reunion, so you can have that beach body for the summer?

You diet and diet and lose all that weight…only to gain it all back when the holidays come or when someone offers that beautiful slice of cake.

It has happened to me.  I counted my calories. There was a wedding I was attending and I told myself I would lose weight for that wedding. I exercised and I worked out constantly. I lowered my calories and every day I counted every single one.

I felt so great when the numbers on the scale were getting lower and lower. 

I attended that wedding and had a great time in my dress that was 3 sizes smaller than the other dresses in my closet.   

Then I returned from the wedding and I slowly stopped my vigorous exercise routine and my eating habits slowly started to return to what it used to be. Before long, I was back to my original size and all of those cute clothes that I wore to the wedding were way too small for me.

I was depressed and that only made me eat more.

I tried to lie to myself and say that I was happy with my size and I should just forget about dieting and just eat whatever I wanted.  The truth was I was not happy with my size and it made more depressed.

Eventually I realized that those diets just set me up for failure.  I love food and dieting was only temporary. I needed something that I could do for the rest of my life.

I love cake and I love ice cream.  I love cookies and fruit juices.  I can’t just give these things up.  That will make me miserable and in the end just makes me give up and eat more.

I decided that what I needed to change more than my eating habits was my mind set.  I decided that I would fill the house with tasty yet healthier choices.  Yes, I still eat cake and cookies, but I eat them in moderation. I don’t try to eat a whole half of cheesecake. I eat a slice and that’s it.

It makes me feel better that I do not have to give up the things that I love.  I have added exercise and I am losing weight. I have made my changes a lifestyle and when I wake up in the morning I don’t have to count my calories. I just choose the healthier choice, exercise 30 minutes a day and move on.

No, I am not losing weight as fast as I did before.  The weight is falling off at a slower pace, but it is falling off.  I feel healthy and happy at the same time. 

And…I can still have a piece of cake.