Continuing to use MI tools: weight loss update

So, in December, I weighed in at 317.5 which was my lowest weight in a couple of years. Over Christmas break, my healthy habits fell by the wayside, and I, gladly, leaped off the wagon. Surprisingly, I didn't gain a huge amount of weight, but I was back up to 324 or so when I first weighed in after starting school. This morning, I weighed in at 320.1 without running yesterday (I sweat a lot). A few other MI things I've adopted are the idea of writing a letter to myself from five years in the future. I will do that soon enough, but I'm not ready yet.

I've also created a reward scale where eating four or more fruits and vegetables is +3, exercising is +1, eating after 8pm is -1, eating a second helping is -1, eating out is -1, and drinking pop is -1. On Wednesdays, I received a +4, the maximum rating. On Thursday, I received a -1. Yesterday was a +3.  So far, for the week, I'm at +6, and my goal was +10. The goal is to be in the positive daily, and the good thing is that one bad day doesn't negate all of your work. My daily reward is that I get to write for fun for 1 hour on days where I'm in the positive. I'm trying to develop weekly and monthly goals.

One other thing I've discussed before is the idea of values and being consistent. I value health and eating like crap and not exercising is vary inconsistent with my values. I've also thought about how being obese has limited me not just physically but socially. I think about two amazing relationships that I passed on because I didn't feel good about myself, and I don't ever want that to happen again. Never. I've also affirmed myself by realizing that I've let anything beat me. There are things that I can't do, but becoming healthy isn't going to be one of them. The great thing about using this MI approach is that writing this confirms the changes I'm making. I'm trying to think of a basic way to make this work for everyone. I know one thing, I'm going to keep going.

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Empowering hunger

Hey all,

It's a simple enough concept. Although, I have to admit that it is very much like anorexia nervosa to a degree. For many people with anorexia, not eating is a form of control and a form of power. Eating (or not eating) is something that they can control in an otherwise, hectic and uncontrollable life. However, this concept should not be lost on those who want to lose weight. Hunger can be empowering, and this is exactly what I've discovered. For so long, I felt as though food had an uncontrollable grip on me from which I would never escape. Then something happened, with knowledge and optimism, I empowered myself. I decided that I will not fail. I will not give in this time. Success is the only option, and food would no longer control me. I would control it. When I was became down, food would no longer comfort me in my time of need. Instead, I would go hungry at night and feel better for not succumbing to the empty promise and satisfaction that food brought. With each passing day, my resolve increased. Now, I am certain that I will not only drop the weight, but I will become healthy. Hunger has empowered me, and I think that many people in this nation feel empty and are searching for something to fill the hole. Food is not only an appropriate substitute but a fairly acceptible one. You can empower yourself as well. It's not impossible. There is a solution.

Now, I have to say that I eat. I have three meals a day, but I've decreased how much I eat per meal, and, if I snack, I eat vegetables. Already, I feel better than I have in four years. It's something to think about for those who wish to lose weight.