Thursday, January 10, 2008

Myths that tripped me up

I was on the phone last night with LaLib. We were discussing knitting patterns that we liked, loved, wanted to wear. I REALLY want a Fifi. The top is pretty simple. It wouldn't be any problem to knit.

The problem is my figure. And I am not lying there. I've been living on the high stress potato chip diet for almost three years, I am pushing 50, and holy crap, all of a sudden I look like this:



That's only a slight dramatization. The thing is, I didn't start out this way. If you look at my family, you wouldn't suspect that I would be the chunk-a-miss. Actually, that's not true-if you look at the Japanese side, they are all what I think of as regular sized-somewhere between a size 4 and a size 8. The British side, well, they are another matter entirely.

But I can only blame so much of that on genes. I can only blame the most recent 7 lbs on stopping my 30 year smoking habit. The rest is up to me.

I think two things that give ME trouble are diet lies the media taught me in the 80s, when I was a little tiny stick girl and care passionately about my weight.

1) Carbs don't have fat. Eat some.

2) Eat more smaller meals.

I've looked at the way I eat. These two statements have done a lot of damage to my waistline and to my eating habits. Any more, I just shove a lot of starch into my mouth at all hours of the day. And it shows.

I have to move my mouth less and my ass more. I REALLY want a Fifi. And I can't cast on for it until my scale numbers have moved down significantly.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, I for one love your tatoo. Try to make the Fifi with a cut out on the belly.

Anonymous said...

You know I am kidding, right?
:)

benne said...

Don't you love that pattern? I want one too. About the diet/no diet situation. Stopping smoking changes your body's metabolism too. After a few months of not smoking, get your thyroid functioning checked out with a TSH test. If you were borderline before, it's probably changed. Low-fat does not mean low calorie, and bottom line, it's calories that cause weight gain. I think the South Beach style diet is pretty healthy and doable as diets go. No diet is easy when you were working 12+ hours a day under major stress. Give yourself a break, you'll be casting on for the
Fifi before long.

Gryffinitter said...

I am also fighting the good fight. I also bput on weight like a little tattoed Buddha. What shall we reward ourselves with on our way to La Fifi?

Suzann said...

Maybe we can all get tummy tattoos. Just think how surprised they will be when I go to the old ladies home.
When you work as hard and as many hours as you did, it is hard to find the time to sit down and enjoy a meal. All those mini feeds add up. Ask me how I know. My doctor told me to forget diets, and change how I ate. Eat lots of colors but little white. I try to eat slowly and really taste what I am eating. I put too much effort in cooking the food, to just wolf it down. This has been hard for me, cause I got into the habit of eating in front of the TV. You can do it girlfriend. And Fifi will look smashing on you.

LisaW. said...

my 2 cents...cast on for the fifi in a size that will look good on you...and hit the exercise big time..30 min/day...then increase by 5 min each week. This does not have to be hard awful exercise...just walking briskly with some light ankle and wrist weights (so's you have to swing your arms) will get you started...and seriously drink water...2-3 liters a day..WATER...religiously...salad and lean meat...LOTS of fresh veggies...criminy you live in the land of fresh veggies....the exercise will boost the metabolism...the water will make you feel good and your skin will look gorgeous...the veggies, well, they'll keep you poopin' and you won't be bloated...and seriously you will notice a huge difference within 2-3 weeks...hmmm...just about in time to wear the Fifi...in a gorgeous red...or teal ;0 your reward for quittin the smokes!

LisaW. said...

Ditto on getting the thyroid check too....hypothyroidism is the single most missed diagnosis in women...ahem...of our age ;0 and it contributes mightily to weight, mood, and energy levels. ok, shutting up now.

sk said...

Love that fifi, have a piece of beef jerky instead of potato chip.

Anonymous said...

Fifi is so much fun to knit and wear. Of course you want to look your best in it, but I like what Lisa W said about casting one on now. In addition to everyone else's suggestions, push the water, fruits and veggies, nuts, and whole grains and park the car further away from things. Fifi might be great motivation. Bri