Take it off | Week 46: I hate your diet

Naturally, I follow a lot of weight loss blogs. I don't discriminate. I like blogs of people that use brand name diets that are not Medifast. I like blogs that don't use diets at all but choose instead to use old fashioned calorie counting. I'm interested in blogs that showcase non-traditional plans (hello? cave man diet?). I enjoy blogs that utilize none of the above and focus on something entirely different - perhaps not even losing weight at all but instead choosing to give up the battle and just be. I find inspiration in their motives, theories and struggles. I applaud, support and respect whatever their efforts might be. I appreciate each blogger's unique journey for what it is - their journey. 

And as unique as each blog and blogger is, almost all have one thing in common:

They hate your diet.

I've never been a competitive person. I never played sports and I rarely enter contests that require a voting process. I don't enjoy competing for trophies, badges, or status (unless there is money involved, then you can sway me ;) ). I especially do not enjoy every day competitions that come with keeping up with the Joneses. I don't care how much your house costs, how new your car is, what label is on your clothing or if you have a stable full of Lipizzaner stallions. Those things are so far off my radar that most times I could not even tell you what is considered luxury and I am generally unimpressed when people name drop and brag (though I am polite enough to pretend). 

So it wasn't until I became a mom that I realized how competitive people can be. Who's baby has what car seat, who walked first, how high can they count, who's baby is bilingual, who already has their ticket stamped for sainthood. I thought surely none could be more pious than the American parent.

Then I got into the world of the weight loss blogger. And let me preface by saying: y'all still rock. I've got mad respect for all you do and continue to do. But there seems to be this unending competition of diet vs healthy choices and frankly, I don't understand it.

I've written in the past about 'diet' being a four letter word. I do not see it as such. It's just a word. But among the weight loss bloggers it seems that if you use a 'diet' program versus a 'healthy choice' regimen you are not allowed in the inner circle of success stories. You are tolerated yet still somehow on the outside. 

It's wrong.

We are all looking to each other for support and inspiration on this journey and I think it is wrong to criticize and judge other people's methods of weight loss and/or means of getting healthy. Whether you are using a food delivery plan, counting points or calories, restricting certain foods or whatever your choice is - only you can say whether it is right for you. Though I will make an exception in the case of things like the HGC diet, or when you are sprinkling magic powders on your food or something insane like the Cotton Ball diet (in which you eat actual COTTON BALLS!! Can you hear me screaming?).

While some one else's method may not be for YOU, it is unfair of you to shame those who choose to use them. I’ve done them all the only plan I have ever been successful on is Medifast. And Medifast is not for everyone. Just as other ‘healthy choices’ (ahem. Medifast IS a healthy choice) such as calorie and point counting is not for everyone. Some people need a little extra help. I am one of those people.

I’m an obsessive over-eater. Calorie and point counting only exacerbated the issue because I was thinking about numbers incessantly until I’d give up and binge. On Medifast I still have to think about numbers and I still have to plan and make healthy choices. I'm still learning how to eat and more importantly think differently. Being on a plan like Medifast has allowed me the space to identify and work on the issues that caused me to become obese in the first place. 

Let's say that pre-Medifast, this was my brain:

Let's break this down.

Thanks to Medifast, lately my desk looks more like this:

photo from: Linniebell - a cute little crafty blog

Still a little messy but completely manageable. 

And hopefully one day it will be closer to this:

Okay, maybe that's a tad ambitious. But my point is that Medifast, a so-called 'diet' *gasp!* helped me go from an absolute disaster (that by all rights should have just had a lit match applied to it) to a manageable state of chaos. Once I hit goal, I will transition from the plan foods to real-world foods. I now have the peace and the tools to carry this journey through to the end. I’ve worked very hard on my ‘diet’ to fix not only the way I eat but to fix ME. And I think we all know that at the root of any successful weight loss plan is a person that has fixed themselves more so than their food.

My 'diet' is no better or worse than your so called healthy choices. It just happens to be what is working for me. I won’t try to convince anyone here what the better option is because only the individual can decide that. But I hope that you can see that this is the right choice for me and thousands of others that have gone on to live and maintain healthier lifestyles long after ceasing the program because of their choice.

I'm not interested in competing and arguing over who has the better plan. Weight loss is not one size fits all and there is no single ideal plan suitable for 100% of the population. So I don't hate your diet, plan or choices. I respect you for answering the call to action and support your efforts whatever tool you've decided to use. 

But ask me for a recommendation and I think you will know what I will say. ;)

• • • •

Slow week this week. I'm only down one pound. It's been stressful around here (a post for another time). And while I am happy to say that I've stayed on plan, the bummer is that when I am stressed, my body hangs onto the fat.

Also it has been wicked cold in the past week and that has put a damper on my running. However I scored some great UnderArmor cold weather gear at TJ Maxx this weekend that I can't wait to try out. I'm hoping this does the trick for me because the chill is very painful and even after being indoors for hours I've been experiencing extremely cold and numb extremities. If I don't see an improvement with the new gear I will be going to the doctor. It's pretty concerning to not be able to feel your toes for hours at a time.

Month One: -16 lbs

Month Two: -5 lbs

Month Three: -6 lbs

Month Four: -6 lbs

Month Five: -6 lbs

Month Six: -8.5 lbs
Month Seven: -7.5 lbs
Month Eight: -5 lbs
Month Nine: -2 lbs
Month Ten: -5 lbs
Month Eleven: -6 lbs

Week forty five: -2

Week forty six: -1

Total: 76 lbs gone forever!
Current weight: 164 lbs
Distance from goal: 24 lbs!!

If you're interested in trying Medifast, I have a great deal for you! Use the code TURNIP56 to get $50 off an order of $275.


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*FTC Disclosure: Medifast provides their products for my personal use for free. I am not paid or compensated in any other way for mentioning their products. All thoughts written here are mine. I love complaining so I would tell you if I didn't like something in the program. :)

~*Stephanie at A Grande Life*~ 
~*Jenni at Jenni From the Blog*~

~*Stephanie at Goober Monkey*~

~*Alison at O My Family*~

~*Jessica at The Unemployed Mom*~

~*Mariana at The Domestic Buzz*~