Does the dieting mindset ever go away?

[elcee 3,340]

I am wondering if it is possible to ever truly shake the dieting mindset. The good food/bad food, I shouldn't be eating that etc way of thinking.

I have been banded just over 2 years. I reached my goal at about 8 months and have been happily maintaining ever since. I don't diet, I don't log my food, I don't low carb etc. If I want a biscuit(cookie) I eat one, ditto chocolate so essentially my band is doing exactly what it should be doing. Allowing me to live life as a normal healthy weight person without having to think about it too much.

Yet I still find myself looking at "new" diet books (and some of the old ones I have in my study), reading articles, watching things on TV and wondering if I couldn't be doing better. If I have a really "bad" day I may even start logging my food onto calorie king. Usually when I do that it confirms that I have eaten far more as Snacks or unhealthy extras for the day but that my total consumed for the day is less than it should be. I then don't bother logging anymore.

I see the virtues of a low carb way of eating presented and wonder should I try that .......................... and so it goes on.

It would be nice to not think like this but as they say old habits die hard. Is it just me or do some of you find yourselves doing the same?

[Dreamalways07 12]

I WONDER THE SAME THING

[123crod 170]

I have been banded 2 years too and I still need to lose 15 lbs to really be happy with my weight. But I picked up a flyer at the clinic the other day offering weight loss plan, I am always looking for a way to get the last 15 off, but I know the answer, watch my food better and work out a little longer and harder.

But that “easy way out” never leaves my mind. I think I have lived with it too long. But I love my Band, it really has been my lifesaver I knew I could lose it if I had just a little help which the Band provided. I would like to hope one day I could change my way of thinking.

How about some input from some who are Banded 4 and 5 years and longer.

Cheri

[Jachut 487]

I dont think it does. I'm thrilled with what I've achieved on that score, but I'm a dieter and always will be. I refuse to log, count etc because it makes it worse but I cant give up always trying to lose a bit of weight. I lost 8kg when I was having chemo, I was underweight and loved it. I've regained 5. I shoudl be happy, its healthy regain that I needed. But I cant stop myself from trying to lose it.

I dont think you ever really get over being fat. I've done my best and my life is much better and I'm much less afraid of food than I was. I exercise becuase I love it and I love the way that it makes me feel and not to lose weight. I maintain a normal weight, even if I"m not a supermodel (I'm a perfectionist, nothing is ever good enough for me). I've learned to accept that as a big achievement and be proud of it.

but will I ever be an effortlessly thin, totally normal person with a healthy relationship with food? I suspect not.

[kll724 3,055]

This is all so true. I think that inner "fat person" would like to escape. I always have the diet thing on my mind. Karen

[123crod 170]

I was wishing a real pro at this with more than I think 5 years would answer this and she DID!! Thank you Jachut! You have the best advice and knowledge on this subject. I always look forward to reading your post!

Cheri

I dont think it does. I'm thrilled with what I've achieved on that score, but I'm a dieter and always will be. I refuse to log, count etc because it makes it worse but I cant give up always trying to lose a bit of weight. I lost 8kg when I was having chemo, I was underweight and loved it. I've regained 5. I shoudl be happy, its healthy regain that I needed. But I cant stop myself from trying to lose it.

I dont think you ever really get over being fat. I've done my best and my life is much better and I'm much less afraid of food than I was. I exercise becuase I love it and I love the way that it makes me feel and not to lose weight. I maintain a normal weight, even if I"m not a supermodel (I'm a perfectionist, nothing is ever good enough for me). I've learned to accept that as a big achievement and be proud of it.

but will I ever be an effortlessly thin, totally normal person with a healthy relationship with food? I suspect not.

quote]

[Jachut 487]

Aw shucks.

I just think you need to treat obesity like a chronic disease. I've reflected a bit on this lately when my oncologist told me that although we had such a great surgical result, I'm not cured, I will always be in remission. Obesity is the same. I feel like over the past six years I've had periods of remission and periods where I've fallen ill again - although these periods dont necessarily correlate with having lost or gained weight.

For a good year or two, I ate what I wanted, when i wanted, most of that was healthy, I maintained fairly easily. I had some little lapses, got back on the wagon, lost the 4 or 5lb and went on my way. Getting cancer has thrown me for six, I was SO afraid of losing my band, of losing my fitness, I went completely over the top. I forced myself to run ten days after a major surgery, I restricted what I ate, I worked so hard I actually lost 8kg whilst unfilled, although a lot of that was probably just the strain of the treatment on my body. I was definitely indulging in anorexic thought patterns and behaviour. Of course as chemo finished, I was cancer free, the ileostomy (which quite literally was draining the life out of me, I cant see how anyone could be fat with a stoma) was gone, my body returned to health and that sick weight loss was regained. But its doing my head in. I am unhappy being 140lb again - for pete's sake I"m 5ft 10, I know how ridiculous this is. I am obsessed with one particular pair of jeans, I need to stay in them, but they're tiny. I could just buy a bigger pair (but they were $300).

So to my way of thinking, I have defintiely relapsed. I am in no way fat, I'm still very close to the bottom of my healthy weight range. I eat healthy and exercise, but its not healthy behaviour at the moment. I have a fair amount of work to do to bring myself back to a sensible and sane relationship with food and exercise. For me that involves 3 meals a day of whatever I want, restrict nothing except for portions, exercise moderately and STAY OFF THE SCALES! This works for me but it takes time. By not weighing I learn to listen to my body again and not get involved in that how much weight did I just gain by drinking a cup of coffee type behaviour.

I dont necessarily think any of this requires therapy for any one of us - as long as you can recognise your own dysfunctional thoughts and behaviour patterns and correct when you go off course. Of course it can be helpful to some people but I"m way t0o private/stubborn/sure I'm right to develop a productive relationship with a therapist. . I'm fairly sure as I get my life back on track post cancer (Hey! I got a teaching position for next year at a GREAT school) my relationship with my body and food will improve again. You can spend too much time inside your own headspace I think, you need to focus outwards rather than inwards sometimes. Then I'll be back in remission from obesity.

that's my way of looking at it anyway.

[rebandedgrl 0]

I've been banded and rebanded. It's been about 5 years. I have never reached my goal, despite low carbing, tracking every single calorie for 4.5 years straight, running a half marathon, training for one 4x, working out with a trainer for 2 years, becoming a trainer myself for 2 years and getting rebanded due to a leak.

Just as before the band, I still have to count all foods, no sugar, minimum carbs etc. I took about 6 months off of logging, had a tight band, stuck with my usual diet of whole grains and lean Protein, worked out 6 hours a week and gained 40lbs back.

So no, for me the diet mindset is CONSTANT! the moment i relax I gain wait. I've been losing about 2lbs a week since rebanding 10 weeks ago. I relaxed one weekend and ate 1800 calories one day due to having ice cream on a weekend get a way. And gained 4lbs back in one week. I even have a bodybugg and make sure i'm in a 1000 calorie deficit or more each day.

I often wonder is fat is my plight in life. I can't seem to shake it. I currently run 5 days a week and strength train 3 days with a trainer and still, can't seem to lose more than 2 lbs a week. So for me, I would have to say the diet mindset looks as though it's permanent , i'll never be "normal" and be able to have bday cake without gaining a lb that week.

I wonder if I sleep walk and eat fast food in the middle of the night!