The weight loss continues

So, I'm keeping it up. I exercise almost every day, and I feel a lot better than I used to. There are still improvements I can make, but I feel great. My weight fluctuated  a lot this week, but the most accurate (not the lowest) estimate of my weight was 317.2.  I was as high as 322.2 and as low as 312.8 (on a different scale after a workout). It's not an insane amount of weight to lose, but it's slowly coming off.

I've continued to use the MI techniques. I try to rate my behaviors every day and stay in the positive. In the future, I'll have to place more negative value on drinking pop. I want to quit it entirely, but I've cut down significantly. So, I'm not terribly concerned about it yet. I've amped up my fruit and vegetable consumption to roughly 4-5 a day. Some days, I still do poorly, but this has also improved significantly.

Today, I had another highlight. I went to work out at a local fitness place, and I ran on the treadmill. What I've usually been doing is going for half an hour and often covering a little over two miles. Today, I didn't have half an hour, and I wanted to cover at least two miles. I walked my usual 0.15 miles and started to jog at a pace of 5.2 miles/hour. At the 0.5 mile mark, I wasn't tired, so I kept going. I eventually ran it out and did two miles at that pace. I am so proud of myself.

I've used other techniques to keep me focused on my goals such as focusing on how my weight has limited me. This hasn't worked as well as I'd hoped. It's helped to keep me going, but the two examples I was thinking of aren't as false as I thought on further examination. But, it's true that being this weight really limits my confidence. In that regard, it's still useful.

What are your weight loss stories? How did you overcome obstacles?

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.

For more information about Motivational Interviewing:

 

Using Motivational Interviewing techniques to change behavior

Motivational Interviewing is a treatment used to (surprise, surprise) increase motivation for change. It's a powerful tool, and it works by addressing ambivalence to change. When it comes to behavior change, we are torn between changing and not changing because there are good things we stand to give up and negative consequences to that change. To provide an example, I'll start by having a conversation with myself.

Why don't I want to change my eating habits (especially drinking pop, eating out, and eating large portions)? This is good question when you're just thinking about changing, possibly even before.

Well, I think food has an emotional benefit for me. I eat when I'm stressed out, and I often mistake hunger for stress.

Reflection: Food is important to you, and it makes you feel better. There are only positives to continue eating like you do.

It is important, but it doesn't make me feel better anymore. There are a lot of downsides to eating as much as I do. I feel tired. I have to buy large clothes that are harder and harder to find. I get tired easily. I miss being in shape, and I want to be attractive to women. I don't feel that way currently.

What are the negatives of not changing?

Well, things will stay as they are. I'll probably develop diabetes, and probably die early of a heart attack. There's nothing that can be done for me at that point.

It's a bit early, but I'm going to summarize.

So, I recognize that they are some short term benefits to keep eating the way I do. There are also some serious benefits. I think that I'll feel better and not be so tired. It will also help me to get in shape and lead a healthier lifestyle. It will also help me to feel more confident and possibly meet women. Overall, it will make my current focus on health less inconsistent with my lifestyle (developing discrepancy). 

For anyone interested in learning more about motivational interviewing: