The email…

This was the email I received that prompted me to check out the blogs concerned and then post my thoughts…my response to the email is in capitals below….

Lately I am really confused about this new “movement” that’s sweeping across blogland…

Women whom I admired, who seemed very dedicated and serious about their fitness and health are seemingly changing direction.

They are bagging accountability of any form, they are refusing to weigh or measure (themselves or their food), and are embarking on these journeys of self discovery that don’t involve any set plans when it comes to food.

Most of these people have competed in Figure at least once, and they all talk about having eating disorders because they have been obsessed with weighing and measuring and as a result give in to bingeing on a regular basis.

When a girl who lost about 26kg and became a Figure Competitor wrote in her blog about the good old fashioned basics needed for weight loss, she was shot down for being so black and white and not giving any thought to the “heart mind body” connection.

As for me, I am delighted with the results I have achieved by following the IBO program. I need accountability, and if I don’t weigh or measure my food, how do I know if I’m eating too much or not enough? If I don’t weigh or measure myself, how do I know if I’m making progress?…As for the “heart mind body” thing, if I am happy, the three are in sync. Losing weight and improving my fitness levels has given me a lot of happiness and confidence, which makes all aspects of my life better.

Just wondering what your thoughts are, do you ever feel like throwing in the towel?

NO – BECAUSE THIS IS HOW I LIVE, I KNOW NOTHING ELSE (OTHER THAN WHAT IS A DISTANT MEMORY). I DON’T WEIGH AND MEASURE ALL THE TIME, NO WAY, I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF THAT TO KNOW WHAT A PORTION SIZE IS FOR ME. I’VE DIETED ENOUGH TIMES TO KNOW WHAT IS TOO MUCH FOOD, TOO MANY CARBS, ETC ETC. BUT DEFINTELY IF YOU HAVE A GOAL THEN I DO BELIEVE YOU NEED TO BE QUITE METICULOUS ABOUT THINGS, OTHERWISE LIKE YOU SAY, HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHAT TO CHANGE IF YOU DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING IN!

I DON’T ALWAYS EAT PERFECTLY, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE – FOR INSTANCE, LAST NIGHT I HAD BBQ CHOOK (WITH SKIN AND STUFFING!) WITH SOME BOUGHT PASTA AND POTATO SALADS, LEFT OVER FROM OUR BBQ THE NIGHT BEFORE WHERE I ATE RISSOLES!!! I DON’T OBSESS OVER THAT THOUGH AND ALSO, IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OFTEN, PARTICULARLY 2 DAYS IN A ROW. MY USUAL DINNER MEAL WOULD BE SOME SORT OF LEAN PROTEIN WITH VEGGIES AND A BIT OF FAT, WHICH I ENJOY. I KNOW IF I DID THIS TOO OFTEN I’D GET FAT, SO I MAKE SURE I DON’T.

FIGURE COMPETITION CAN INDEED BE A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DISORDERED EATING PATTERNS. EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE, HAS LEARNED THE HARD WAY (WELL SOME STILL PROBABLY HAVEN’T LEARNED). AFTER MY FIRST COMP I PUT ON 10KG IN THE NEXT 3 MONTHS. I BLOATED UP SO BADLY THE WEEK AFTER, AND MY BLOOD SUGAR WENT HAYWIRE – I JUST COULDN’T STOP EATING. MY LEGS WERE FULL OF FLUID AND IT HURT TO WALK OR BEND MY KNEES. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE. EVERY TIME I COMPETED I GOT A LOT BETTER WITH HOW I HANDLED THE AFTERMATH. I PUT WEIGHT BACK ON, OF COURSE, BUT SLOWLY. I THINK MY WEIGHT AT PRESENT IS ABOUT 2.5-3KG OVER MY WEEK BEFORE COMP WEIGHT. THAT’S PRETTY GOOD. I CAN LIVE LIKE THIS.

I DEFINITELY HAVE TO PULL MYSELF INTO LINE EVERY NOW AND THEN AS I CAN BECOME TOO COMPLACENT, BUT I KNOW WHEN THAT IS. I DO THINK IT’S IMPORTANT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE METICULOUS ABOUT FOOD ALL THE TIME, OR IT DOES BECOME AN OBSESSION. I DIET WHEN I HAVE A REASON, OTHERWISE I JUST EAT HEALTHY AND USE THE BASIC RULES, PROTEIN WITH EACH MEAL, SMALL MEALS OFTEN, AND, I ALSO MAKE SURE I DON’T OVERDO THE CARBS OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY AND THAT MAY MEAN JUST HAVING A MEAL OR TWO THAT DON’T CONTAIN CARBS.