Fat Fairy - 10 Me - 0

Remember this little fairy - looking all sweet and innocent?

Yeah, she has it in for me.

No matter what I try, the weight stays on.

Winter is a tough time.  All those natural instincts kick in and I eat like my life depends on it.    No mercy from the fairy.  Nope - she played no favorites, she didn't care about millions of years of conditioning - she just packed the pounds on.

Now it is spring and you think she would give me a little break.  Still no luck. 

What are your secrets to counteract the evil, evil ways of the fat fairy?

Comments

[Nat]

This kills me.
If she is out to get you, she has put one hell of a curse on me too! Not sure how I upset her so. Maybe I ate the last chocolate chip cookie - or the last four.

Seriously I have found that sticking to whole foods help. And does the boring and dreaded strength training that I find every excuse not to do. (The second left hair follicle on the right aches... I think I'm getting a pimple on my nose .. no squats for me.)

[Betsy]

Weight Watchers. It made me accountable for those "Whoopsie, I ate something unhealthy, tee hee" moments and made me realize that that scone I ate at Starbucks was almost enough calories for the entire day.

[Kent]

Anyone who knows me knows how I killed (Atkins) the fairy once and for all, but that still doesn't prevent her neice from coming around every once and awhile.

To keep her neice at bay, I simplify my diet again - cut out some of junk or higher carb foods of that entered the diet recently. I also watch the overgrazing and make proclamations that nuts for time being are outlawed in my kingdom. Then of course, I do penance and make sure I am doing the exercise I should be doing. Or simply being patient to finally get healthy works wonders when injured, and then you get plot your cold cruel revenge.

[oktree]

I have been battling an extra 5-7 pounds the past few months. My weakness is the chocolate and simple sugar snacks at work and the high calorie / fat creamer I have been using lately.

I cut those out, am drinking more water and no sodas (even diet) and am slowly inching back down.

[William carter]

Hi Amy

The only thing that works for me is a reward system. My reward is Thursday night (today!) every week. That is the one night that Donna and I get carry out from a restaurant or go out to dinner. The other 6 days a week I watch what I eat, but look out Thursday because all bets are off. I know I can't give up everything, but I am willing to compromise with just being human and living a little.

[Eileen]

The fat fairy is evil. For me, I decided to just take baby steps:
-no more soda. Very little juice. Just water and Propel.
-eating clean. Whole wheat bread instead of white, brown rice instead of white, more fruits and vegetables, etc.
-I don't weigh myself more than once each week. I judge how I'm doing by how my clothes are fitting, etc.
-No sweets. Maybe eat dessert once each week.

Hope that helps. :)

[Nancy]

If I knew, I'd share. :D

I do know that I have to weigh myself often to keep in check. I could easily go off the wagon for a week and be up 3 or 4 pounds, so weighing daily helps me at least re-commit daily.

[Bryan]

Having lost 45 lbs. since this past November, you'd think that I would have a clue, or at least half of a clue, but I don't really have much to add that hasn't already been said...

For me it was about priorities--do I want the cheese enchiladas more than I want to be healthier/thinner/faster? Or, put another way, thin feels better than that cake will taste. So basically I've just cleaned up my diet--eating lots of fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, and drinking a lot of water--while being consistent with my exercise (running and strength training).

Don't get me wrong, I allow myself my favorite things, just not as often as before.

[Bob Allen]

Like some others:

--> cut out the sugar, including and especially high fructose corn syrup

--> eliminate or severely limit white potatoes (a diabetic will tell you that white potatoes affect blood sugar more than a Snickers bar, leading to increased insulin secretion, leading to more of the calories being stored as fat, leading to....)

--> substitute whole grains, stone ground flour, and brown rice for the white stuff but don't go overboard on these carbs, either

--> increase protein and even fat intake (counterintuitive, I know -- see Good Calories, Bad Calories, Gary Taubes)

[Heather]

Yes, I feel you there!

I've had luck with The Paleo Diet for Athletes book. The principles are pretty good - say yes to a high-protein, vegetable and fruit filled life and use grains sparingly (after working out). Say no to highly-processed foods.

This may sound extreme, but in practice it's very easy.

Also, I use this great rule of thumb: When buying groceries, if it has more than three ingredients, I won't purchase it. (that pretty much cuts out all processed foods)

[Irish Cream]

I agree that baby steps are the key. I've found that if I make a plan each week to cut out one thing I know is unhealthy, my body eventually rewards me by starting to crave healthier food items in place of the junk items. It's kind of bizarre . . .

Also, I think lifting weights is highly underestimated . . . that will get the metabolism going in no time!

[sRod]

Cut sweets in half. Literally. If you have a dessert share it or cut your serving in half. Usually I realize that the whole serving is too big for jus tone person!

[Marnee]

Lenient but accurate calorie counting.

I use caloriecount.about.com to track my calories as well as calculate my caloric needs based on body type and activity levels.

I'm not a maniac about it, I mean I eat what I please, but counting helps me to use my calorie budget wisely and keeps me from over eating as well as under eating.

Cheers.