Why I don't deny myself anything.

Posted on April 26, 2015

My main objective with this dietbet is to find a sustainable way to live for myself. I know many people find it necessary and helpful to cut dairy and bread from their diets, but denying myself these simple pleasures just makes my setbacks that much worse.

By allowing myself to eat a moderate portion of the foods I love, I find that I am always satisfied. I have such a great love for food; eating it, cooking for the people I love, and experimenting with new recipes. To lose that would be to lose a huge part of who I am. So, rather than denying myself what I like, I am being more mindful about how much of it I am putting in my body, and what kinds of nutrients I am getting out of it.

When I finally get to a place where I feel optimally fit, I want to be able to maintain my life the way I have been living it, and not crave or regret anything I have given up.

One of my tricks is that I keep Hershey's kisses with almonds in my desk drawer. When I can't shake a craving for chocolate, one kiss is the perfect amount to satisfy me, without making me feel guilty. Obviously everyone has different tactics that work for them, and I am very happy with how my tactics are working for me!

All that being said, I have found that I no longer crave sweets as much as I used to (that was always my biggest weakness). In previous incarnations of my "dieting" self, I tried to cut out sweets altogether. That just lead to hormonal nights of binging on chocolate ice cream and feeling so guilty that I just gave up on getting fit. Just because of one setback!

I'm not saying that I don't have setbacks anymore, but now when I go out with my girlfriends for drinks, or when my boyfriend pulls out my favorite chocolate ice cream, I am in control of what I consume.

One of my greatest success and failures was my stint using nutrisystem. I really enjoyed the program. I knew exactly what to eat. I exercised. I got very fit. But soon, I became bored eating the same old thing. Finally, I gave it up completely. Unfortunately, by just eating prepackaged foods for three months, I never learned how to sustain that way of life and level of fitness using "regular" food. Fast forward one year, and I was exactly where I had been before I started nutrisystem.

The lesson I took from this is exactly what this entire post has been about: Find a way to eat the foods you love in such a way that you can live with yourself and enjoy life to the fullest.

I am not "dieting." I am finally living in harmony with food.

Comment Now!

Jan R.

05/24/2015 6:36PM

Congrats on the weight loss. Eighteen pounds is a lot. I haven't joined up yet. I'm just looking around trying to get the feel of things. I know it isn't about the money, but no one wants to lose money. I don't understand three rounds and an eighteen pound weight loss with a win total of $47. Are you not required to put $35-50 in the pot every month? Thanks. Jan

Torpedo

Hi Jan! Thanks for reaching out. The only diet bet I have completed was a month long, $35 bet, so I made $17.98 for winning that game. That's why it says I have won $47.98. I am also in two 6 month games. Those monthly winnings don't become available until the end of the 6 months. My first 6 month game is $25/month. Each month, half of the monthly bet goes into the pot for the month and the other half goes into the pot for month 6. So each month that I win, I am winning beck $12.50 or more, depending on the number of other players who win the round, and at the end of month 6 there is a BIG pot, comprising half of each month bet, plus the $25 bet for month 6. So, even if you don't win one or more of the previous 5 months, it is possible to earn back all of the money invested plus more in the 6th month, again, depending on how many other players win the round. I hope this helps answer your questions. I also suggest reading the rules carefully, and exploring the FAQ section. That's what I did before joining a game to be sure I was fully informed! Good luck with your future games. I highly recommend joining up. Everything is very above ground, and fair, so long as you understand how the process and payouts work.

SaraSueSue

04/28/2015 10:02AM

Sounds like a wonderful idea!!! When you deny your body things it wants it has a way of rebelling and going WAY overboard when we lose control. How do you handle a night out with the girls? I find it really hard to control those calories.

Torpedo

It is hard. I don't go out more than once or twice a week, and I usually only drink alcohol once a week at most, so it's not as difficult for me anymore. When I first cut back on alcohol, my friends were all concerned that I would abandon them and never go out with them again. But I'm still around, and nobody really notices that I don't drink much. When I do go out, I limit myself to 2 or 3 (on very long nights) drinks. I go as low calorie as I can, and I try to get some benefit from it. Vodka soda with lime is my favorite. It's only about 70 calories per serving, and I get some vitamin C! (at least, that's what I tell myself). I also typically go dancing when I'm out, so that's some added exercise that I wouldn't have gotten at home, so I never feel guilty about my nights out.

Torpedo

As far as food, I usually split something with my roommate (she's also doing this dietbet, and that's incredibly helpful). Even if I don't split something, I make my meal as healthy as possible. Substitute the french fries for the veggie of the day. Get a burger without a bun, etc. Also, I stop eating when I'm satisfied, and I don't take the leftovers home. I hope you find a method that works for you!

Kelly

04/27/2015 10:05AM

I keep a bag of dove dark chocolate with almonds in my freezer. That way it takes forever to eat just one, because it is frozen. Great ideas!

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sovitko

04/27/2015 1:12AM

Wow! I agree with you on so many points! Well, I wish you good luck so this all works out for you in the long-term run :)

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