Extreme Mistakes

Webmaster's note: this article was originally posted to our forums by one of our members. It got such an outstanding response that, with her permission, we are making it a permanent part of our Low Carb Knowledge Base. Here's some wisdom from our wonderful member known as "granny"...

I wanted to share my thoughts on 'extreme people' and mistakes I have made on my lc journey and some hard learned lessons.

As I read the posts and as I see myself as a person of extremes and not very balanced in the area of food. Many posts are did I eat too much? Did I dot that 'i' and cross that 't', can I lose 100 lbs. in 10 days attitude!!! I see me in so many of those posts!!

I began to gain weight at age 12 or 13 when I had my tonsils removed, messed up my thyroid and no one noticed till I weighed close 170 lbs. I was so skinny until then due to being sick so often that Mom was glad when I put 'some meat on my bones'. When I gained so much, she wasn't so happy. My mother has often said that it's a good thing that I never started drinking alcoholic beverages or I'd be on 'skid row'( an old fashioned term for hitting rock bottom) by now, as I just do everything to one extreme or the other. That used to hurt me a lot, as Mom in her efforts to help me always seemed to say derogatory things. YOu know like... you have such a pretty face, that outfit would look so nice on you if it could be 4 sizes smaller,can't understand why you don't do something about yourself, don't you care how you look... So the end result was she constantly tried to find new diets etc. etc. Many of you know the drill! My reaction was to kind of put a barrier up to what she said, smile and mumble something or not answer, but I ATE all that criticism and negativity.

I am just now realising that in every criticism there is some truth, right? Well, Mom hit the nail on the head. I was either doing some 1000 calorie or similar rigid plan with NO allowances or leeway ,so if I didn't lose at the rapid rate I planned which was totally unrealistic or something 'set me off' I went the other way. After every diet, I usually went to the other extreme of eating anything and everything I wanted! I FELT in those days of being 170's in high school as though I weighed at least 400 lbs and truly that there was no one bigger than me.

Fast forward to my earlier lc efforts. At first I didn't have a book or anything to go by just what someone told me. So I started by eating a certain breakfast, lunch, dinner...no snacks..was afraid that there was a tiny piece of onion lurking in a salad. EXTREMELY strict and DIET oriented approach. Later I got a book and thought induction was the whole thing, although I have no idea why I got the idea from Atkins book that you did induction until you reached your proper weight and then you could eat a LITTLE bit of veggies and fruit. Later, someone told me about Protein Power approach, again no book (remember where I live) [Ed.: Granny lives in Venezuela].

So what did I do then, I decided or understood tht the more protein I could eat in a day the more weight I would lose so off I went to eat LARGE amounts of protein. I would eat a large bag of pork rinds even when I wasn't hungry to be sure I got enough protein to BURN the fat. I didn't lose as well, so I went back to extreme induction...more like the old Stillman diet, and I lost weight nicely. I remember now that I felt that I could eat that way for the rest of my life due to the high energy and good lose. I went down by 60 lbs. I went from size 28 down to a nice 18, looked and felt good except that my hair was falling out I think due to too much protein or lack of balance!! So how did I gain it all back plus??? I slowly slipped back to my old carby way of eating, got less and less exercise, and became lethargic in mind and body!!

Then I found this board and got lots of encouragement but somehow I was not making the connection. I hated KNOWING so much and DOING so little about it. My own mind condemned me by telling me constantly...what's wrong with you...you did it before what is your problem..give it up you can't get over thsi weight problem...you will die fat. Then I couldn't come to the boards for a while and just gave up and was going to be fat forever...then it got to where I had few clothes to wear that fit. In this culture, it is so important to dress nicely, so I began to think my way back. I started lc in 1998 and this time just 11 days ago.

So what's the point? I have been back on lc, induction for 11 days now. I am losing weight. I have made some unintentional mistakes, such as ordering grilled fish with cheese and a green salad in a restaurant. Although it was a good choice, I didn't think to tell them no dressing and there must have been sugar...cravings came at me wildly!! So did I give up...NOOOOOO!!

REVELATIONS:

I am not on a diet.

nor in a race

Mom doesn't live with me, and no one is judging me

I am a person who can take control DEPENDING on what I want to control!!

I can 'slip' even if intentionally and just go right on, much as making a mistake when playing the piano...keep going anyway.

Eating in not the center of my universe just now although i spend a lot more time thinking of what I am eating and preparing food.

This WOE allows me to be balanced and not under or over eat AND feel good physically.

It doesn't matter if I ever weigh 140 again...keep eating right.

This WOE is not all about weight loss.

There is no point in being excessive or extremely strict which leads to frustration nor going the 'what's the big deal I can eat' route.

I can do what it takes till the craving passes when I go off plan and have no reasonn to keep beating myself up or hearing Mom in my head!

SO those are hard learned lessons, maybe learning a little 'late'...but I feel in control of food, healthier, more energetc, more clear minded...so what if I get to enjoy it for less years than some of you might...my quality of life is going off the charts improving nd I cannot go back to the past but surely can be proactive in my present and future!!!

So maybe you can teach 'an old dog some new tricks'...sorry about being so wordy. If no one reads this, it has been therapeutic for me and hopefully will help someone else!

Have a great lc day everyone.