I decided to write about a question that a Julie follower asked me on FaceBook last night, mainly because my answer turned into a book. And it got me started thinking. She asked me if we would "ever get to eat like a normal thin person" ever again, after completing maintenance. The whole question has me in a quandary, because I don't think any of us really truly knows the answer. But I think a lot of us put in time wondering. I know I sure do.
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| Jennifer in May 2011 vs December 2013 |
As far as eating "normal" again, I don't know. I don't know what eating like a "normal thin person" is, LOL, as I have never been 'one of them'! I know Julie wants us to eat a portion of potato every day once we hit maintenance, that the amount of time doing that varies all the while jumping "back in the river" when your clothes get tight. Then there is adding other foods in, slowly, so as to reduce the chances of the cravings that got us in trouble in the first place.
This whole maintenance thing takes, in my opinion, a lot of time. Lots and lots. This whole question got me thinking about "other diets," like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, NutriSystem, etc. Do any of those programs let you "eat like a normal thin person?" Can one 'let their guard down' and 'get back on track' after "just eating?"
When I did Weight Watchers a long time ago, I did hit my "goal weight," and then I was supposed to add one or two more points in each week, until I neither lost nor gained weight. Needless to say, I never made it that far. I just started eating again, and before long, the weight was back on. Does that tell me something? Like, "no," I will never get to eat like a "normal thin person?" I think so.
Believe me, maintenance hasn't been easy. One can never let their guard down. The weight can come back on so freaking fast! Scary fast! In February 2012 I made it to my goal size of a "Levis 6." So, out of the river, and up onto the bank I went, and I ate potato for 6 months. I started not watching my meat-to-veggies ratio, ate too much popcorn (the second phase of maintenance) without eating meat and used WAY too much half-n-half in my coffee (half-n-half isn't free like milk! BAD MISTAKE), and in September 2012 BOOM I was up a size!
The motto to this story: Try on your favorite pair of pants every other day. Do NOT let them sit in your closet, assuming they will fit! Check, and check frequently! When I knew I was in trouble, I went back for a refresher, and, today I can tell you I now have wiggle room in my "Levis 6." So, I started all over again with the potato. But! It is a BITE OR TWO of potato! NEVER the whole serving!
Hmmmmmm, is this how a "normal thin person" eats I wonder?
I will follow this way of eating as long as possible. I don't know if you can ever let sugar and flour touch. The thought of having the food cravings again is not high on my list. I have watched "thin" people eat; I ask them a lot more now too about what they eat, how much they eat, etc.etc. And, believe me, they don't eat a lot! Some people have very strict rules: One thin woman I work with has a granola bar for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine, fruit and yogurt for lunch, and lean meat, pasta and veggies for dinner (she says maybe a 1/4 cup of pasta), and NEVER eats after 7 pm. Yes, I have seen her eat Peanut M+M's, but she tells me she limits that to a handful ONCE or TWICE a month!
I never see her do at work what I see other, heavier people do, which is "graze" all day long on whatever is close by. She does not eat a lot of food! I suppose someday you can eat different things - Julie talks about that - a piece of fruit here, some pasta there. But, I don't think I'll ever have a piece of pie or cake again, because of the no flour/sugar touching thing. Well, some can. One person who is on FB and the blog says she follows Julie a lot, then goes off, then goes back on. But, she is also exercising like crazy. I am not! LOL! I just don't have the time! Thankfully, I am still at a point in my life where if you asked me to eat something I'm "not supposed to," I couldn't do it. And I am okay with that! The pies that I served for Thanksgiving had no impact on me. Didn't faze me in the least. And I am very grateful for that.
As I write this, Kirstie Alley is on the Dr. Oz Show, telling people how she lives now that she has lost a lot of weight. She explained she is eating about 1400 calories a day. Counting calories. Yuck. I have no interest in starting all of that calorie counting c^*p again. Some of you may be able to do that, and eat more"normally." I am not going to mess with my journey with Julie for a long long time. I am sticking to the few rules she has given us. I like wearing my size 6's. So, I am not worrying too much about what's to come...Kind of staying true to this course....
My final advice to this lovely person who asked me if we could ever eat like a normal thin person again: As you get deeper into this and start getting thinner and thinner, you will let go of the "what ifs," because you will be very happy doing what you are doing, and how you feel and look.
Knowing that I wasn't "born a thin person" is okay, and I will continue to go one day at a time. You will see as you get deeper and deeper into this that you wont think so much about "other people" and their ways. We have to find the right way that works permanently. That answer will be a totally individual one. ONE AND DONE.
Aliede Smith