This is a new thing I found following up an IWSG person, and decided it would be a fun theme. Each first Monday of the month we answer a question on our blogs… see the list of participants at the end and join in if you’d like. You can get all the details here.
This month’s question is:
What are some New Year’s resolutions you’ve had in the past?
I stopped making New Year’s resolutions some time ago, because they were always the same, always to do with betterment, and I always failed. The usual one, like most people, is losing weight.
I can talk about losing weight for a long time. It is one of my expert subjects. I was about 49 when I decided that this seven-year yoyo cycle had to stop (my doctor agreed – it might put even more strain on my heart). My first diet was when I was fourteen. I could lose a stone (14 pounds, 7 kilos) in a month without too much trouble up until I was about 28. I even did a sponsored slim while at college, and raised a considerable amount for charity. But it always crept back on, partly because I love cheese, partly because I was interested in other things and meals become a necessity rather than something enjoyable, so food gets stuffed in without much thought, and then you feel hungry after since your mouth doesn’t remember eating. They say that some people’s brains have the ‘thirsty’ switch relabelled ‘hungry’ so they take the wrong input for their body’s needs. I think I’m one of those people.
Some time last year I totalled up the amount of weight I have lost over the years. It came to about 180 pounds. I could do with losing about 40 now – I’ve done it before, with Weightwatchers. I left Weightwatchers when some patronising group leader said “we must get back to our goal weight, mustn’t we?”. I left, never to return. My goal weight was probably ten pounds too low; my friends said I looked ill when I was on it, and new friends wondered what the hell I was talking about when I said I couldn’t eat something because I would put on weight.
If all this sounds familiar… well, it is a story many can tell. Nobody has really got to the bottom of the psychology of eating and obesity. The amazing Susan Powter is the best person I’ve read. Maybe it’s an opportunity for me to write another non-fiction book. But, you know, weightloss is a subject that just depresses me. And then I eat to make myself feel better.
Meanwhile, I keep writing – and you can enter the Goodreads Giveaway for book 4 of the Princelings series (which is a prequel, really) starting today!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Traveler in Black and White
by Jemima Pett
Giveaway ends February 01, 2016.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
More answers next month!
I like this–the blog hop and your thoughts on weight. I’ve never had a problem with it–until the last couple of years. For the first time in my life, I’m contemplating dieting, but I know that really I have to contemplate some dietary changes, instead. And then part of me says “why bother,” while another part points out that if I don’t, I’ll have to buy new clothes, and I HATE shopping, and above all I hate shopping for clothes. So that’s an incentive!
I hate shopping too – which is one reason for not dieting. If I stay the same size I don’t have to – and when I do it’s online so I don’t have to go in those awful changing rooms.
I also hate my blog when it displays my replies, then totally destroys them in the mad soup of the internet. One minute it was here, next it had gone forever, even from my own spam pile.
It sounds like you have the willpower to lose weight when you want but then you get busy and have to start all over. When my kids were younger and we were so busy, I started having trouble with my weight, I didn’t understand it was because I was busy, eating bad food at bad times. It’s all different for everyone. I’m not brave enough to add up how much I’ve lost over the years like you did.
I had the willpower – I don’t have it now. The best ‘diet’ I’ve tried in recent years was the 5-2 one, where you basically fast two out of five days a week. The first time I tried it I managed a month, then went down with flu and I haven’t managed to get through one fast day since!
I’ve only been thin when I’ve exercised a lot. Now I’m too lazy 🙁 and middle aged spread abounds. I’m not sure diets really work though – I’ve seen too many friends making themselves miserable with the yo yo effect you describe – and I think they look perfectly nice anyway! I’ve decided to be happy with myself as I am.
I think most people battle weight. Our culture encourages eating, lots of sugar, and a more passive life style. All best to you in 2016!
What is it about January, resolutions and weight? One thing I’ve learned is that you can lose at any time – and spring and summer is even better because you can go outside, instead of a stinky gym, to exercise! I agree with Mary – our culture does encourage overeating – just look at the ads for food! We should eat like guinea pigs, although I’m not sure I could digest it all!
Well, I don’t recommend their pellet food, but I’m sure porridge is a reasonable substitute 😉 Hay I’m not so sure of lol
Losing weight is definitely on a lot of people’s resolutions. At my day job, a restaurant, the first week of the year is always slow because of that resolution. Then business picks back up as people give up on dieting.
I’ve heard of Susan Powter, but can’t remember if I’ve read anything by her. One of my goals for this year is to lose 5-6 pounds. Like you, I’ve struggled with weight for most of my life, but the last few years haven’t been too bad.
I don’t care for patronizing comments, either. I’ve lost forty pounds during the last few years by cutting back on carbs. I lose a little at a time so I don’t gain it back. It works for me. I feel better, but I’m still not myself yet. I’m not sure who I am.
Love,
Janie
Well done. I know what you mean about the ‘who am I’.
Weight loss goals! The less said about them the better. Those are between you and yourself, right? I find being sensible, making healthy choices, eating smaller portions and moving more are balanced doable ways to lose weight. Right now I could do with a little more common sense 🙂
Trouble is, I like my food too much!
and then I get stuck into writing and lose track of the time…
It’s very impressive that you can lose a stone without much trouble. You’re right, weight seems to be the biggest one by far.
That was when I was in my twenties, Michael. I can’t shift even one pound these days!
Thanks for visiting 🙂