Losing weight is not easy. Keeping weight off as you get older is a challenge enough. I remember when I was younger I could eat and drink all I want with no care. I was much more active, of course. But I really believe I had a faster metabolism back then.
Even though I’m sure people don’t think I’m fat, when I look at my body compared to 15 years ago, I know I’ve gained weight. Even though I watch what I eat, I know I’m not able to indulge the way I used to when I was younger. I was rail thin when I was younger. I wasn’t anorexic, but if someone looked at me, they probably thought I was. I had so much energy.
Now I have pretty much cut out alcohol. For other health issues, I’ve had to cut out the breads. I am very slowly seeing my weight get back to what it was. It takes time. But I know I also didn’t gain weight overnight. It took years to slowly put it on. A little along the way and you don’t notice, but then one day you’re trying to put on a pair of old jeans and they don’t fit anymore.
It definitely is a process and not fun. I definitely sacrifice every day. But I see some of my g/fs complaining, yet they do not want to do anything basic to help themselves. Alcohol (beer mostly) is empty calories and they won’t give it up no matter what. They won’t even give up whip cream on a coffee drink, much less the calories in a Frappucino.
I think for me personally, I have some major phobias of being sick. I know people who are diabetic and that scares the hell out of me. That fear must motivate me to watch what I eat. Any illness really is a phobia for me. Back in the day, I knew many people who smoked. But the thought of getting lung cancer made me not ever want to smoke.
I guess my phobias kept me from doing anything that could be bad for me. I am adverse to risk and that seems to increase as I get older. And the analogy to real estate must be true, as well.
Edit: I just remembered another thing that surprised me about one of my g/fs. She refuses to cut out mayonnaise on sandwiches. To me, that seemed like something easy to give up.
I think once you get in a habit of not eating certain things, it gets easier.
