a history of me

The fact that you have been eating a very healthy diet, and basically a low carb one, means that once you deviate the impact is more extreme. I've heard from many people who've tried low/no carb diets that the weight pours off but once they start in with the carbs again it all comes back. That's why I don't think low carb no carb works unless you really are never going to eat any pasta again -- which seems ridiculous to me. Drastically lowering carbs causes a lot of water weight to come off, or so I've heard.

What does that mean? I think it means that you shouldn't forgoe carbs as strictly as you have been, but learn to moderate. In fact I think portion control is a huge huge part of eating well. Eating balanced meals of small amount of rice or pasta, plus vegetables and protein. When I say small amount I mean half a cup or so. Measure it out. That is what weight watchers is based on and I've heard it works pretty darn well. So when you are in Japan, eat a small amount of noodles or rice, but eat mostly vegetables. Load up on the fucking vegetables. Then some lean meat. Beans are also a good source of protein, and tofu. Again, portion control is important. They say a serving a meat is about the size of a deck of cards. If you are hungry after a meal, eat fruit, low fat yogurt, a few nuts. More fresh veggies.

I would guess that while you've done a great job making some major changes in your diet, there are still some things to work on. Portion control is huge. We went out to eat on Friday and I think the bento box was a lot..probably more than you needed. You said you love humous, but how much do you eat in a sitting? Be careful of that. Plus, food as comfort plays a big role. I would continue to try to keep that in check. Drunk snacking is also dangerous. And the drinking itself doesn't help with the diet.

Look, you've had a lot of quick success with your diet. It is not your destiny to be overweight. Stay positive! This is a lifestyle change, right? It's not a temporary diet. Now you're taking care of yourself, and it should be forever. I think slow and steady weight loss should be what you focus on.

OK, that was one huge fucking response. Hope the comments weren't too much.
 

I agree with Salena that you are not "doomed" to be overweight. I DO think, though, that there is something to be said for the low-carb thing.

I've been around the block in terms of learning about nutrition, blood sugar, etc. and in the end, the low carb/low fat or no-carb regimes are the ONLY ones that have worked for me.

Making a committment to be the size you want may just mean never eating pasta again. I don't know what goes on with your blood sugar, etc. but for me, it's a basic choice--eat carbs and gain or don't eat carbs and lose. (Of course, the amount of carbs you can eat varies in terms of how your particular chemistry responds to them AND with the amount of exercise you do).

Bottom line, it's not your destiny to be overweight. It's just a hell of a lot harder for you than for most people to be thin. So what if you never had rice or pasta again? It would majorly suck, but you'd be getting something in return. It's your choice. It's the same with me and alcohol, right?

But all of this is a life-long project. Don't sweat it that one weekend set you back 5 pounds. It's part of learning how much "cheating" your body can handle. You'll find the right balance for you...

Good luck!

:)
 

Again, I don't like to think of my diet as "low (or no) carb" because I regularly eat carbs. I eat oatmeal every morning, for example. Hummus has carbs too.

Yes, I ate far too much this weekend, and that's why I gained weight. I'm not going to get down on myself about it, I'm just surprised at how quickly I could gain that weight back. For all I know, two days back in the gym might wipe those five pounds out just as quickly. Some weight seems to disappear faster than others.

And for the record, I didn't eat any pasta this weekend. I almost don't miss it...almost.
 

The first mistake was to weigh yourself after a binge weekend. You really should have waited a week. All that alcohol completely dehydrated your body and made you retain water. It is impossible to gain 5 pounds of fat in one weekend. However, it is entirely possible to gain 5 pounds of water weight. I have been wanting to write this for some time, but the reason I think you are losing weight so slowly is because of all the alcohol you drink. Your body needs a least 8 glasses of water a day; otherwise you will retain water. For every drink you have, you have to add 2-3 more glasses of water. I doubt you do this and, therefore, you body retains water and is unable to flush fat out of your system.
I totally endorse a low carb diet but you need a plan. I plan all my meals 6 days a week (egg white omelets, non-fat yogart with fruit, lot of fruits, lots of veggies, protein). Find a plan that works for you and includes healthy food you love. Then, I give myself one "cheat day" in which I eat and drink whatever I want all day long (all the carbs and junk I want). The cheat day is really the key because it allows me to stick with my plan and easily deny temptation. For example, if it is a Wednesday and I am craving ice cream, I won't have it because I know I can wait until Saturday (my cheat day).
I went from a size 16-18 to a size 4-6 and have kept the weight off for about 6 years.
 

Thanks for the advice regarding alcohol and water weight, I didn't know that. I am drinking a ton of water/tea, but no, I don't think I properly compensate when I drink alcohol.
 

Hi again, I am the person who wrote about the water. I meant "low carbs" really to read "good carbs." The oatmeal you eat is a great choice. The carbs I avoid are the white pasta, white bread, white rice, etc. Good luck, I know it can be difficult but I think you are doing a great job.