My Life in Diets (And What You Can Learn From It)
- May 31, 2019
- 4 min read
Ten. That is how old I was when I started my first diet. I had been teased at school for being fat, and I decided that the was the worst possible thing that could have happened. My first diet involved calculating "points" based on a cardboard calculator. After eating half a box of macaroni and cheese for lunch and realizing that my "points" were reaching the limit for the day, I guiltily decided that that diet wasn't for me or that I just didn't have enough self control. At the ripe age of ten.
Fast forward to my freshman year in high school. Although I was not on an actual "diet", I ate very small amounts of food, despite having an hour long Physical Education class and a three hour long tennis practice or game at the end of my school day. I felt weak and overworked, but I was finally skinny! As a matter of fact, I was too skinny. Throughout high school, I continued to try and eat smaller amounts of food, and continued my tennis practices. My junior year, I wanted to lose ten pounds before I went on a choir trip. I gave myself a week, and chose to try a diet that promised I would lose 10 pounds in three days, eating things like hot dogs, grapefruit, and a horrifying cup of chopped broccoli, sans ranch (meh). I carried my canned tuna and saltines to high school in a stinky Ziploc and ate it in the quad, while my friends looked on in horror. Let me disclaim that canned tuna and saltines is not horrible, if that is your thing. But for a group of teenagers, it was verging on bizarre. And again, I questioned my self control.
By the time I graduated from high school, I had gained some weight, which I declared unacceptable. I decided to cut back my calories to a scary low. I would pride myself on only having eaten 700 calories by dinner time, even though I had spent two intense hours at the gym. The less I ate, the happier I thought I was. I wish that someone would have told me how bad that was, instead of applauding my significant weight loss in such a short period of time, but we will talk more of that later. Maybe no one knew. Anyway, I went off to college feeling like I had accomplished my goals. Throughout college, I didn't focus too much on dieting, but on building good relationships. By the time I met my husband (Scott), I had reached what I felt was a good equilibrium, although I still subconsciously obsessed of calories and my caloric intake.
After 6 months of dating, Scott proposed, and I suddenly became obsessed with the need to lose weight for my wedding. I picked out a dress that did not totally fit (cringe) in the hopes that I would lose weight. I started a VERY restrictive diet that coincided with a dance workout plan. Despite my best efforts, I gained weight. We were able to make my dress work, but it was stressful. Throughout our first two years of marriage, I tried different diets, spending loads of dough on books, cookbooks, and supplementary supplies for my different diets. Scott and I constantly talked about what it would be like to not be dieting. One night, Scott pointed out that our whole marriage had been full of diets. It then hit me that most of my life had been focused on diets. And for what?! A few months later, I would read the book that would forever change my life, "Intuitive Eating". If you have made it this far, thank you for listening! Keep reading to see what you can learn from this.
1. Do not listen to the critics. This is easier said than done, but will make the biggest change. Those around us do not know us as we know ourselves, even those that should. And why do we need to listen to what a stranger says about us?! They have their own insecurities. We spend too much time trying to impress people that don't matter. "Wow, she really let herself go." Yes, I let myself go enjoy other things in life.
2. Do not applaud the weight loss of others. We do not know what they are facing. In my time of restrictive calories and intense workouts, I did not see the danger that I was facing. I don't know if anyone else knew what I was facing. but the applaud of others was enough to keep me motivated in my unhealthy behaviors. And I would like to add another similar lesson:
3. Do not focus on the weight of others. You are unique. They are unique. Our bodies are not the same, and that what makes the universe a beautiful place!
4. Do not buy clothes based on a future you. Especially your wedding dress. Please! Do! Not! Buy! Your! Wedding! Dress! For! Future-You! Got it? It's tempting, I get it. I did it. But not worth it. Learn from me. Buy clothes that fit YOU. You will feel more confident, beautiful, and comfortable. Promise.
5. You are worth so much more than counting calories. I whole-heartedly believe that we are not on this earth to count our calories. I have spent so much valuable time counting calories and worrying about losing weight. And along these lines, it's not you. It's the diet. I didn't lack the self control I needed at 10, 14, 16, 18, 24, and I don't now. The problem is that the diets don't work. (Another post will come on that later)
And my last tip, read Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.
Not an affiliate link: https://www.amazon.com/Intuitive-Eating-Revolutionary-Program-Works-ebook/dp/B006ZL3P4G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=4HRJYELAY36I&keywords=intuitive+eating+book&qid=1559327487&s=gateway&sprefix=intuit%2Caps%2C493&sr=8-2
Until next time,
♡ Melisse
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