The Diet Fix - A talk by Dr. Yoni Freedhoff

I wrote up the talk I went to at the WLSFA's Meet 'n Greet. I wasn't going to post it here but then I saw the "I'm ready for my scolding thread" and I decided you guys need to see this... 

http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-diet-fix-why -everything-we-know.html

Pay attention to the 7 Deadly Sins of dieting!

Thank you for posting this, I really like most of his points as they relate to maintenance.

What I find interesting is that I found that blog post I wrote back before I even had surgery where I talked about some of the all or nothing thinking he talks about.

I think that you can avoid all these dieting "sins" and still be really strict during your losing phase. A lot of this is about state of mind. One of the things I like about our program is that there are no forbidden foods. If you can figure out how to make a food fit into the under 800 calories, under 40 g of carbs, under 30 g of fat, at least 70 g of protein rules, you can have it.

But I do think where it really kicks in is for people who lose 100+ pounds and still can't stop the cycle of weight gain/loss. They aren't losing and gaining hundreds of pounds any more. But they are driving themselves crazy over 20 or less. Or when they get near the end and are completely determined to get to a certain number on the scale even to the point of doing something that isn't sustainable.

I sometimes feel like that. I am 23 lbs away from that number which I have defined as 'goal' for me.. which is still technically overweight if you look at my height (5 ft 0). I battle the all or nothing mentality every minute of every day even though at 143 lbs now I am totally feeling awesome and looking amazing in my size 10 clothes. If I never lose another gram I would still consider myself successful but something in there is telling me to keep going. I am not particularly 'militant' about my eating and exercising so I can totally relate to that which is being said about it in the blog. But I do want to get to the normal BMI - even though I know that it is not a 100% accurate representation of what is 'normal'. It's all wrapped up in the history of my personal weight I guess and everything that made me fat in the first place. I am not sure if I will ever unravel it all but something in me says that the first step is to get to the 120 lbs that I set for myself as 'goal'.

If you look and feel amazing, isn't that enough?

I'm 5'2" and for me to be a "normal" BMI, I'd have to lose another 20-30lbs. Honestly, there's no way IN HELL that could happen. I can't see where those pounds would come from. I like my size 6-10 clothes. and I'm healthy. I do CrossFit 3-5 days a week and I have more muscle than I've had in years.

But yes, it's a damn head game. Try not to let some silly chart define you. It's quite possible that you may not see 120. and if you do, great! But you may also not like how you look at 120. Personally, I got down to 140 and didn't like it. Too many bones and not enough boob. ;) I'm happier in the 150s and try not to stress about it (too much).

Hugs!

You are right, it should be enough ...but it isn't....and it is definitely a mind f... All the way!!! Hugs back!

Thank you for posting this! I don't pop on often anymore (partly since I can't really relate to much of the same topics he pulls apart in this synopsis..) I particularly liked these ending thoughts (re-pasted below) especially the point of food as celebration and comfort. I see so many here blasting that point, something that is likely ingrained both genetically and bio-chemically. Sorry, but saying food=fuel only is not only unrealistic in any sense, but it's self-delusion of the highest..

Some other points:

• If you can't happily eat any less, you're not going to eat any less. 
• If you can't happily exercise any more, you're not going to exercise more. 
• If you don't like the life you're living, you're not going to keep living that way. 
• If you accept your personal best at everything else in life, why not weight? 
• If you can't use food both for comfort and celebration, then you're on a diet that ultimately you're going to quit. 
• Simply tolerating your life isn't good enough.

And finally: weight that is lost through suffering always comes back!

My lowest ever weight cannot be maintained with comfort and ease, the way I want to live.. (I also had too many ribs showing at that weight, in addition to an overly-thin face!) but 10lbs up (still 10lbs below goal) and I can enjoy a normalish life and not say no to something because of fear. There are triggers that get all of us, and one of the big ones I find coming here (or any support board made up of mostly folks in the early-stage talked about in the post) is the all or nothing, must be perfect mind-set.. must work out 4x a week without fail, eat lean, deprive if up a lb, or other over-fixatng thoughts on only one aspect of health, instead of seeing the bigger picture/long-view. Sustainability, which shifts and changes over time/cir****tance, has been my goal from the start.. and so long as I don't allow myself to get tripped up too badly by the all-or-nothings that can happen when I start paying more attention to what others do, than to what I am comfortable doing.. I seem to  be doing pretty damn well.

 

Perfect reply to a great post!! 

You aren't the only one who finds that being online at some point stops being constructive. I know I've had to back away at points myself.

Thank you so much for posting this! I have just started the maintenance phase of my journey and know that the more knowledge I have will help me be successful; quite frankly I'm scared and feel sort of like I did when I passed my driving test (40 yrs ago); the first time I drove by myself I found myself going 50 mph in a 25 mph zone and I "suddenly" realized that I had to control the car!