Debbie Cousins's Journal, 10 Oct 22

May I make a suggestion. Instead of focusing on all the things that you should cut out of your nutrition, try to focus on one of them. I would highly recommend that you cut out your sugar intake. Also instead of sugar for your tea try Stevia. It is a lesser evil and plant based. If it were just a calorie count than all of us on this site would be skinny. It’s more what you eat. I have increased my calories but don’t eat any sugar and only very little fat and I am loosing weight easily. Good luck. 

You're right, @golfmarina, I am trying to focus on a lot of things at once. Perhaps I would do better if I would just pick one thing and really go at it 100%. 

I love your plan and happy you won’t let these past couple of weeks discourage you!:) Have a great week!:)🌸 

Many times our bodies have to have time to settle into a new lower set point. I too, reached a new low by 1 lb eight days ago but couldn't stay there. It wasn't until today that I was back there. I was thrilled eight days ago, and I am again thrilled today. And that is only 1 lb. It has taken me 10 months (since last December) to lose 18 pounds. The lower you go, usually it takes less calories and more time to lose pounds. And for some of us old goats, like me, we can't even do it with sweets or high carbs. Years ago I could eat bread and potatoes and still lose if my calories were low enough like 1000 a day or 1200 if exercising. Not now. Your body is changing again and it doesn't want to. If we make up our minds we want to be lower, we can do it, but our bodies scream for sweets and high carbs if those were things we ate in the past. Enjoy your candy because it may come to an end if you really want to go down. You are having to make choices. Don't they call that something like opportunity costs? I have been making very hard choices, and often go to bed hungry but it sure feels good to wear a smaller size. I can get back in nearly half of my clothes now. I don't give them all away, I just take them in (and let them out). I have always regained, not doing well on maintenance. But sometimes went a couple of years. Probably I only have a couple of years left this time around. I hope for the sake of my memory I, my emotional health, and actually, because of the danger of cancer at this age, I hope I remember to stick it out. You want to weigh less for many of the same reasons: being trimmer feels good, and your knees. It is so easy to feel deprived, or frustrated and just treat ourselves. Our choice. You are really working on it, and I give you a lot of credit for that. You may have to get tougher if you want more results. It's hard, isn't it? But there's a price to pay either way.  

One thing that always helps me a little is to remember I want to be healthy, not lose weight. Naturally our bodies will sit at what they need to if we eat the proper amount of calories, and we slowly lose weight if that's what our body needs us to do, just keep loving yourself! Don't let no weight loss affect you, your body is just getting used to things is all :) good luck!  

You got this! Maybe try one or two of those changes to start or find a healthier alternative. Maybe find a lower calorie bread option for your nightly toast. I’ve found in my past experience if I try to cut or change too much too quickly I lose motivation and it’s harder to stick to my goals. Good luck to you! 

Good luck with it. Taking the calorie average down a bit is a good idea. 

For me, I know that stress can add weight no matter what I do. And, it sounds like you had a stressful week. Do you sing hymns, spiritual songs or have learned scripture songs? Singing them helps me :) Enjoy your day!! 

Another thing to suggest to you...add fresh vegetables in your diet. You may see a difference just with that little change :) 

@jsjamie, thanks for the suggestions! The problem for me with fresh vegetables (e.g., salad) is that I want to douse them with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. I am able to eat sliced mini cucumbers with just salt on them. I bought two packages at BJ's yesterday. When I want a low calorie snack, they sometimes will fill the void. I can have three of them sliced and it's only 27 calories or so. I have been trying to sing hymns lately, when my mind goes in the wrong direction. At least I WAS. Someone posted a tribute to Loretta Lynn on Facebook, and I watched the video of her singing Coal Miner's Daughter, and I have had that stuck in my head for a week.  

I'll echo raven -- focusing on my health is what keeps me going. Yep, part of the process. Have you thought of trying a healthier dressing on your salad? A lot of options out there. I make a simple tahini-miso blend that's creamy, but gets in a serving of seeds 

And I commend you on how you keep making those steps, even those that feel like small ones. It's all forward progress 👍