Comments on Escape from Obesity: Insistence on Strict Following of Rules

Oh, I just read a book and had to think of you... ...

2012-01-15T02:33:39.836-08:00

Oh, I just read a book and had to think of you... haven't read it myself, but I was thinking you might want to pick it up... it's called "Brain over binge", by Kathryn Hansen. There's a website about the whole thing as well...

Geez, what a big deal about the shoes! Seriously t...

2012-01-14T17:10:16.667-08:00

Geez, what a big deal about the shoes! Seriously they were going to leave because someone said they couldn't wear their shoes in the house? They must have holes in their socks lol ;) I probably would have been like okay BYE.... :D

I'm surprised you stayed at the dinner- if someone talked at my child that way I'd have gotten up that second and left. Probably thrown my plate on "dad" too ;)

Glad you moved on from that disaster!

Paula Peeke, who knows something about women and w...

2012-01-14T14:27:06.193-08:00

Paula Peeke, who knows something about women and weight loss, has a whole thing about Plan B, and the need to have something to fall back on when life doesn't cooperate with our oh-so-perfect Plan A:

http://blogs.webmd.com/pamela-peeke-md/

Sue

You are so right, Lyn! This has been one of my bi...

2012-01-14T12:37:42.278-08:00

You are so right, Lyn! This has been one of my biggest discoveries in my weight loss journey. Too strict "rules" are a sure way for me to gain weight, and I am not kidding! It leads to guilt, self-hate and depression when I inevitably break one, and that just leads to more eating with a feeling of hopelessness. I like your Plan B, and I don't think you need to be surprised or dismayed if you have to come up with a Plan C at some point to accommodate some other situations. You are doing so well, and I think you are really on the right track. Good for you!

I admit I am a bit of a rule-maker and keeper, but...

2012-01-14T12:12:16.380-08:00

I admit I am a bit of a rule-maker and keeper, but I also agree flexibility is key in certain things! The point of rules is to make life easier, if it becomes tyrannical or guilt inducing, it has surpassed and violated its' original purpose.

My goal with my kids, home, and self, is to make a few rules that are easy to keep and helpful. For diet, that includes eating slowly, avoiding sugar unless it is a rare occasion (like a piece of birthday cake), avoiding grains and legumes. These keep my cravings under control, prevent overeating, and the food I do eat is satisfying and rich without wrecking my blood sugar.

But do I despair if I break a rule? No way! That doesn't help me or anyone else.

I think it's amazing that a family with such s...

2012-01-14T11:25:32.738-08:00

I think it's amazing that a family with such strict rules themselves like NO TALKING at meals would balk at following someone else's rules. Especially a simple courtesy of removing shoes. (I, too, remove shoes when I enter another's home unless we're going to stay in the kitchen and I have "ties".)

I know the silent meals rule is not the object of this post, but I'm just struck by it. As a mom of sons, I worked very hard to get conversation going at dinner. Who wants to sit at a table where people ore silently shoveling down food? Well, okay, maybe the shoveling part only happens with sons. :}

As far as the point of the post, I really do think a Plan B is perfect when following something as rigid as Medifast. Many "diet experts" reccomend that, as a matter of fact, as a way of being prepared for out-of-the-ordinary evetns like holidays and birthdays, etc.

Anyway, good job with passing on Brett and on having a Plan B. :)

Deb

Hi, I just found your blog as I'm beginning m...

2012-01-14T10:57:16.861-08:00

Hi,
I just found your blog as I'm beginning my own weight loss journey. I think that flexibility is important and got the point of what you were saying. I didn't take it to mean an escape route just more of a 'making it fit with life' thing, which should ultimately help.
Look forward to reading through the blog :)
Nicola

Such a great reminder that being rigid about rules...

2012-01-14T10:57:09.944-08:00

Such a great reminder that being rigid about rules is not always best. I'm not at the place I will someday be at with my health, but I know that I will not succeed by trying to follow very strict guidelines that allow for no freedom to be human.

For me, I started off being strict but have slowly...

2012-01-14T10:43:50.473-08:00

For me, I started off being strict but have slowly started to re-introduce some things into my diet and learn moderation. I got a terry's chocolate orange for Christmas (my fav) and have been having just 1 or 2 slices occasionally. That is exactly what it should be and what I need to learn as 'normal' ..

Funny that they would rather leave than take their...

2012-01-14T10:41:20.773-08:00

Funny that they would rather leave than take their shoes off. I always take my shoes off when I enter someone's home.

I would take my jeans off too and slip into comfy pj pants if I could :)

Anonymous~ True, but to me it seems like I have...

2012-01-14T10:30:19.945-08:00

Anonymous~

True, but to *me* it seems like I have been doing this forever. I started Medifast almost 2 years ago. I am hoping to finish it this time, maybe that Plan B a day or two a month will help in certain situations.

I agree with you that "too strict" is no...

2012-01-14T10:24:12.260-08:00

I agree with you that "too strict" is no good. I do think that problems can happen when you become too flexible, Howe er. If you can handle the plan b and whatnot, then fine, it just seems kind of early to already be thinking of an alternate route. You only decided to get fully back on track a few weeks ago, right? No hard feelings-just my thoughts.