So even though I stumbled a little this last week, I had a GREAT weigh-in and managed to lose 2 more pounds!
Since I refocused (and hubby joined WW), I managed to lose TEN pounds! What I'm doing works for me. Hubs is working the plan a little differently and has managed to lose EIGHTEEN POUNDS!
I've been a WW for over three years, and though I have strayed this last year and regained weight, I am now on the straight and narrow. I have my blinders on, people, and know what my end game is. We all stumble--just don't make a point of stumbling as long or as bad as I did. Immediately get back on that pony when you see yourself sliding off.
Which brings me to today's topic: Positive vs. Negative.
For HOURS, I tried to find the right word: reinforcement, connotation, feedback, concept, blah, blah, blah, but none of the words were right. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is for a WRITER?? Yeah, that.
Years ago, I bought a book on writing that was called, THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTION WRITING MISTAKES, and as I read it, I wanted to go out and commit all 38 mistakes! Not the result they were shooting for with this NEGATIVE title.
Anyhoo, I finally decided that I thrive when someone puts a positive spin on things. Who woulda thunk it, right? Usually, when someone says something negative, "You can't do XYZ." I dig my heels in and figure out how to do XY or Z. But not any more . . . must be my age.
When I knew I was starting to get off track a year ago, I thought, "Oh, I'll just stop eating flour and sugar products." NEGATIVE
Well, that didn't work, now did it? Not by a long shot.
But when I got back on that pony and reconfirmed that I would follow the WW Simply Filling technique. I lost weight. POSITIVE
They both involve a similar concept--no flour/sugar--but they have a HUGE difference in the way the concept is presented.
When I tried to follow just the no flour/sugar concept--I seriously CRAVED flour and sugar products. Because I had denied myself, I really, really wanted it. Which is why this concept failed for me.
Whereas, on Simply Filling, I can eat, and eat, and eat...and EAT. But I'm eating Power Foods, the foods that force my body to work harder to digest, which keeps me feeling fuller longer, but I don't want to eat as much.
It's not that I can't have something made with flour or sugar, but I have to seriously contemplate the idea because it comes out of my Weekly WW points. This appeals to my analytical mind. What do I have to give up to enjoy that one fleeting piece of cake? Is it really worth it?
And I can answer this truthfully, NO.
I made a cake last night. I enjoyed a large slice. Was it worth it? Yeah, right, not in the least. And actually, I have a sugar headache this morning from the overload. I think I'd rather stay away from the sugar/flour in a positive way by eating all the Power Foods that my body craves.
It's a concept that's working for me. The scale might lie, but the clothes don't. Yes, my pants are getting baggier on me, and it's time to go to the lower size.
Later, Peeps!
Showing posts with label positive reinforcement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positive reinforcement. Show all posts
1/11/12
Weighty Wednesday--Pavlov's Dogs
I debated various names for this particular blog, anything from Head Games (the Foreigner song) to Psych 101 to You want Fries with that? I thought Pavlov had an interesting theory that was very pertinent to our ability or inability to lose weight.
In a Margaret nutshell, Pavlov came up with the idea of the "conditioned reflex". Stimulation is provided and the dogs would react to the stimulation by drooling because they knew they would be fed. Positive and negative reinforcement has been used to test this theory over the years. Think of the rats running the maze. They get zapped, they avoid a particular area until they can figure a way around an obstacle to get to the food (positive reinforcement).
Losing weight is a head game that you have to play. We aren't talking about eating to survive here. Think about it. For years and years, you have developed certain responses to stimuli. No matter the stimuli, you get the positive reinforcement from eating. Eating is a pleasurable. We like to be happy.
If you're sad, you eat.
If you're bored, you eat.
If you're happy, you eat.
If it's dinner time, you eat.
If you aren't hungry, you eat.
If you overfilled your plate, you eat it because you were taught to clean your plate.
And these are just a few eating situations that we have to overcome. It's a mind game.
It's the beginning of the year and many people are realizing that they need to get serious about their health and weight. Everyone has different reasons for losing weight, just as they have different food triggers. We are all in this together.
One of my writer friends commented that she can't go to bed when hungry, so she's grazing after dinner. My comment was, "Are you really hungry? Or do you just think you are?" She realized she had programmed herself to snack in the evenings. There's a reason food commercials are put on during certain times of the day.
Your challenge is to find something else to occupy your mind when you think you're hungry.
Good luck! If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to post your opinion. If you don't want to put your question on a public forum, then send me an email, margaret.golla @ gmail.com (without spaces). I don't have all the answers, but I have defused some of the mind games.
Oh, I almost forgot. I lost another 2.2 pounds! I've lost a total of 38.6 pounds. The last six weeks have been gain weight, lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, and I'm tired of it! I'm 1.4 pound from losing 40 pounds! I'm so close I can taste it. Next weigh-in I'll succeed.
But I've had the positive reinforcement of buying a new pair of jeans. When you can pull your jeans down without unzipping them, then that's a good thing! I honestly can't remember the last time I could wear a size 6, so this was exciting. Bra shopping wasn't so successful.
Later, Peeps!
In a Margaret nutshell, Pavlov came up with the idea of the "conditioned reflex". Stimulation is provided and the dogs would react to the stimulation by drooling because they knew they would be fed. Positive and negative reinforcement has been used to test this theory over the years. Think of the rats running the maze. They get zapped, they avoid a particular area until they can figure a way around an obstacle to get to the food (positive reinforcement).
Losing weight is a head game that you have to play. We aren't talking about eating to survive here. Think about it. For years and years, you have developed certain responses to stimuli. No matter the stimuli, you get the positive reinforcement from eating. Eating is a pleasurable. We like to be happy.
If you're sad, you eat.
If you're bored, you eat.
If you're happy, you eat.
If it's dinner time, you eat.
If you aren't hungry, you eat.
If you overfilled your plate, you eat it because you were taught to clean your plate.
And these are just a few eating situations that we have to overcome. It's a mind game.
It's the beginning of the year and many people are realizing that they need to get serious about their health and weight. Everyone has different reasons for losing weight, just as they have different food triggers. We are all in this together.
One of my writer friends commented that she can't go to bed when hungry, so she's grazing after dinner. My comment was, "Are you really hungry? Or do you just think you are?" She realized she had programmed herself to snack in the evenings. There's a reason food commercials are put on during certain times of the day.
Your challenge is to find something else to occupy your mind when you think you're hungry.
- drink a glass of water
- walk around the block
- crochet, knit or do needlework
- brush your teeth
Good luck! If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to post your opinion. If you don't want to put your question on a public forum, then send me an email, margaret.golla @ gmail.com (without spaces). I don't have all the answers, but I have defused some of the mind games.
Oh, I almost forgot. I lost another 2.2 pounds! I've lost a total of 38.6 pounds. The last six weeks have been gain weight, lose weight, gain weight, lose weight, and I'm tired of it! I'm 1.4 pound from losing 40 pounds! I'm so close I can taste it. Next weigh-in I'll succeed.
But I've had the positive reinforcement of buying a new pair of jeans. When you can pull your jeans down without unzipping them, then that's a good thing! I honestly can't remember the last time I could wear a size 6, so this was exciting. Bra shopping wasn't so successful.
Later, Peeps!
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