I Cannot Believe I Fucking Picked Up The Phone

[redbrunja]

So my mom called to read me part of an article she was reading regarding weight loss which said, in short, a billion years of evolution is working against you when you try to lose weight and calorie counting/dieting tends to not work in the long term. Which is all stuff I know. However, what the fuck else am I supposed to do? Because when I don't count calories, I a.) gain weight and b.) make up 'deals' regarding what I can eat and when in a (vain) effort to have control over my weight, so telling me to stop counting calories is like telling me to take off a parachute and jump off a building - oh, don't worry, you'll figure out how to fly on the way down.

And I know my mom is telling me this because she's worried about me starving myself but frankly, my (unhealthy, admittedly) response to that article was, 'well, given that I never learned how to eat like a normal person, I guess I am just going to have to accept that I will be keeping track of every fucking bite of food I eat for the rest of my entire life.'

Comments

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

(cont.) Right now, I'm trying to work my way back into a more healthy lifestyle independent of the BS he spews. I just want to figure it out for myself and find something that works for me. Ironically, mom and I tend to eat considerably better now than we did back then, because we're actually able to cook without being berated or demeaned or have to deal with any sort of a snide comment. But it's slow going and I know my health has deteriorated since I started my little rebellion. My new thing is more veggies, fish/meat/protein, and smaller portions of carbohydrates.

As for the article your mom sent - I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is who wrote the article. Not all science is equal, and some people, especially the kind that tend to get published in popular magazines, can be very wrong. Looking at their credentials is important. Also important is looking at whether or not it makes sense for you. Some people need calorie counting as a way to stay focused and keep track. I know for a fact that for some people it does work and they can attribute keeping track like that to a lot of their weight loss. Calorie counting without taking into account the nutritional value of the foods your eating isn't good either, so I think it can only be used in conjunction with a basic understanding of food groups. For me, calorie counting turns into something more like, "Okay, I didn't have a huge breakfast so I can have chocolate cake for lunch", since I basically end up treating it more like Cap and Trade than a lifestyle.

I call BS on the bit about dieting. Of course, it depends on the diet, But watching what you eat and controlling what you eat is fundamental to being healthy, so I really don't know what point they were trying to make there, and it definitely damages the writer's credibility in my eyes.

My point, I guess, is that weight loss and food are personal things. There's a real science to nutrition, and I think it's important to study it for yourself, take that into account, and come up with the system that works best for you and your situation. If calorie counting works, keep it up. If there's a diet or another way of keeping track of what you eat (that's also healthy), then try that! I really, really know how dismal and frustrating and daunting it can seem.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Oh my fucking god, with your father, I can't imagine NOT having huge, huge issues and hang-ups related to food. Please tell me you are no longer living with him.

He would then proceed to send me articles or make me read articles to get me to stop doing what he wanted me to stop doing; generally, this made me want to refuse out of sheer spite of being manipulated.

Completely rational response, imho.

Right now, I'm trying to work my way back into a more healthy lifestyle independent of the BS he spews. I just want to figure it out for myself and find something that works for me. Ironically, mom and I tend to eat considerably better now than we did back then, because we're actually able to cook without being berated or demeaned or have to deal with any sort of a snide comment. But it's slow going and I know my health has deteriorated since I started my little rebellion. My new thing is more veggies, fish/meat/protein, and smaller portions of carbohydrates.

That's good. Speaking personally, one HUGE thing I love about living alone is that I'm the one who controls what kind of food is the my apartment and I don't have to deal with roommates making the place smell like french fries or cookies or whatever.

Of course, it depends on the diet, But watching what you eat and controlling what you eat is fundamental to being healthy, so I really don't know what point they were trying to make there, and it definitely damages the writer's credibility in my eyes.

The point there were making is that often, restricting calories slows down the metabolism, because the body thinks it's in a famine. (Which is information I've heard from several reputable sources.) Of course, there are ways to be mindful of what you eat without slowing your metabolism, but it is something to keep in mind.