I don’t know about you, but I do not consider myself a naturally thin person.  A few blogs ago I challenged you to think about whether you’ve ever seen an overweight deer or wild rabbit, or fox, or elephant.  Mind you, I only refer to animals that are truly wild.  Sometimes human intervention causes weight gain because the animals aren’t eating what they normally eat in their natural habitats.

We are the only species where more than a third of the population is obese.

Not just a few pounds overweight.  OBESE.  The why is pretty clear:  We eat foods that are refined and full of sugar and flour – two things that the human body wasn’t designed to process, and certainly not at the volume we currently consume.

So back to me.  I know that for me, right now, sugar and flour are the culprit, and I couldn’t just cut down on them, I needed to completely eliminate them from my diet.  At least for now.  They were standing in the way of me finding my naturally thin set point and staying in that range for the rest of my life.  When I completely eliminated sugar and flour, and increased veggies and the right proteins, the weight began to go.  Naturally, without serious exercise and without starvation. It took COMPLETE and total elimination of them from my diet and amping up nutrient rich good whole food.

I never thought I could do it.   I wasn’t eating badly before.  Hardly any processed foods, maybe a glass or two of wine each night, and the occasional sugary dessert.  But really, other than too much of some foods, I really was eating healthy choices.

But it turns out that my body was very resistant to weightloss.  My hormones were in flux and I have Hashimoto’s.  All of those factors made it a bitch to lose weight.  Or so I thought. By getting off sugar and flour,  I am losing a half pound a day average, and continuing past the 20 pound mark (usually the point where I’d fall off the wagon).  I’ve not deviated from the plan.  Haven’t even felt the typical cravings that caused me to slide back into eating the wrong things or way too much of anything.

It’s the first time I’ve gone the distance without the occasional “Just This Once.”  Will it completely destroy my efforts if I have a sip of wine?  Or a bite of someone’s cookie?  Or a half cup of ice cream?  Probably not.  But for me, it’s a slippery slope.  Right now, I don’t have cravings.  I’m not jonesing for the wine or the cookies or that Little Debbie Peanutbutter bar (OK, that is a very bad food!).  I think about it, but the thought passes.  Why? Because it’s out of my system, it’s not messing with my brain or clouding my judgment.

“Just this once,” is a slippery slope for me, because of what will happen in my brain.  I am susceptible to the effects of those refined powders sugar and flour.  When I get to goal, I will re-evaluate what goes back in and what stays off the list.  Will it be terrible if I never have cake again?  No.  If it’s a trigger, it’s not worth the risk.  So for now, that’s my vow.

I need to get my food right, to do this with immaculate accuracy.  And I feel fine.  I feel great actually.  I feel in control, and I’m not thinking about or fearing the next meal or obsessing about making cookies.  It’s under control.

Just this once……I’m going all the way.

Are you someone who feels out of control around your food?  Or have you made peace with it, put it in its rightful place in your mind?

If you are feeling out of control, I can tell you that nothing has worked the way this plan works.  Following the black and white rules has transformed my relationship to food.  As of today, 22 lbs off and 78 lbs to go.