Hi gals!
Man, such good posts, so much to say. Will do personals and then speak to all.
Trigger---I have watched you cycle thru these tough woe times many times. The fact that you stay on plan and as strictly as you do thru most of it is so admirable to me.
Just want to remind you that you HAVE been very happy on this woe, as have all of us at one time or another, and for extended amounts of time. Seems to me that maybe it's not only cyclical for you, but seasonal as well. You really struggle w/the winter months, even though to this northern gal what you guys call winter we call early spring.
But we are all effected by the lack of light this time of year, and for you I think, the lack of travel---jumping in your beloved RV and heading for the shore, fancy free. Of course you know, there is a name for this and appropriately it is SAD---Seasonal Affect Disorder. Do you think you suffer from this and if so, do you think it also messes with how you feel about food? Seems to me there may be a correlation there, in that when we have less of the things we love going on, food becomes a bigger player.
Jaz---You and Trigger seem to stay more strictly on plan more of the time than the rest of us, no offense to the rest of us. So I understand not getting the rewards of dropping pounds and feeling slimmer feels like a real kick in the A**.
I totally cheer you adding some variety to your woe. And the things you listed are healthy foods. They may not keep you zero carb, but they may keep you very low carb or just plain old low carb. And really, I think that's the best ticket in town, which I'll talk about below.
Seems to me you have been stressed out of your mind in this last year, but you're such a pip and such a fighter you have just been your own best cheer leader, pom-pommed yourself thru it all. But y'know, that stress is there and sometimes even growing while you try to stuff it under the bed. Hello cortisol extravaganza. I absolutely think that's a good part of the weight you've put on.
Really hoping for you that w/school gone for now, and the crazy hair tugger in bad boss time out forever, that you not only have more time for yourself, but more down time, more serenity. Serenity is such a fab thing, and so hard to get to.
Lori---I'm with you girl, I've got "a broken switch" too. But to be fair to us
I think it's about how we define "satisfied." Seems to me, there's TWO levels of satisfied. One is, am I still hungry, do I need more food? The other level is, am I done enjoying the taste of this yet? For me, I've eaten enough considerably before I'm ready to give up the pleasure of the taste and the sensation of eating.
Not everyone is like this. I know people for whom the "two hungers" sync much more closely together, and when they're body full, they're all taste full. Portion control, and I hear you---it is absolutely my biggest eating issue.
Nic---First things first, move aside woe! I'm "mama proud" for you and with you.
I so remember when your son was applying for colleges and all the work and effort and hope and sometimes disappointment that came with that process for him. But then just look at everything that has happened since then!
He's at an excellent and beautiful university, and he is excelling there like crazy, this internship the latest experience and reward, and I'm sure far from the last. Feels to me like he is exactly where he should be and running with ball like no one's business. You dang well should be proud of him to bursting.
On the woe thing, you seem very accepting to me of the ups and downs of this process...which doesn't mean I think you like it. Just that you kind of ride the waves as they come and can let it be a bit more than some of us. That's a good thing I think.
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So...hahahahahaha, all THAT said from the gal who hasn't been on plan AT ALL for weeks and weeks. What nerve, huh?!
Seriously though gals, I do empathize, I do remember these feelings, and I do expect to feel almost everything you gals are talking about again.
And yes Jaz, you're right, I could be back on plan right now doing the things you have suggested. I have tried to explain why that's not happening, but I realize I have concentrated on the current logistics of our kitchen in explaining how I feel (which
are absolutely a big part of the story) but I need to say this part:
I'm not ready to do that!
We have been thru no end of stress and work and adjustment and adaptation for months and months and NO, I'm not ready to wrestle with a pan or a crockpot, no counter space and boxes all around, (and ALWAYS something you need you can't find,) AND jump back on the woe like I never left it. I'm still pretty exhausted from these last months, and the work to get settled is not done and
I'm not ready, to put an honest effort forward, and I don't want to bum myself out w/a bunch of false starts. Dang it feels good to say that.
I'm OK with choosing my time to re-committ and I'm Ok with saying I don't know exactly when that will be as of this very moment.
Here's what I DO know is true for me. I must go back to a low carb life but defining "low carb" as I go will be my focus. I may re-start as I did almost 6 years ago: 50 net carbs a day, focus on water. Then work myself down to less as it feels more comfortable. Jumping from off plan to strict plan is a deprivation pot hole for me, particularly at this point in time, and after the rigors of this last year, which I am still recovering from.
Here's what else I know. Carbs seem like the answer to happiness till you allow yourself to have them without a guard at the door. And there are moments of happiness when you can eat what you dream of eating. But then you feel bloaty and uncomfortable. You have less energy. You gain weight and can't wear the clothes you love. You have additional health problems caused by weight gain---doesn't have to be diabetes 2 or high blood pressure, can be as simple as more weight on your joints---like your knees for instance, and that begins to take its toll.
So gals, there's got to be an in-between here. All or nothing rarely works. Seems to me we're all looking for what's going to work for us now. Things change, sweet zones don't stay sweet, but rather need adjustments, something let out a bit here, taken in a bit there.
I'm n search of my new LC life. Seems like we kind of all are right now.