Thinking Myself Slim?!

So as far as dieting goes, I’m a card carrying member of extreme dieters anonymous! No matter whether it’s a fasting, counting, souping, tabletting or eat it whilst standing on your head diet (and I think I’ve tried them all) they only ever end one way – in total abject failure. In my late teens (yes I’ve been dieting more than half of my life) I ordered tablets from a newspaper advert, filling in my details in miniature handwriting on a minuscule scrap of paper and handing over a cheque for an obscene amount of money for a 19 year old on a YTS placement. I lost lots of weight that time by being violently sick from whatever was in an obnoxious looking green torpedo that promised I would lose 2 stone in 2 weeks!

Oh I start with the enthusiasm and dedication that would make an Olympic athlete proud – nothing and I mean NOTHING will get in the way of my reaching target. My blinkers are on and I’m heading only in one direction.  Unfortunately, disillusionment often kicks in before I’ve got more than a few days in with some and a few months with others. Sometimes due to side effects that have been horrendously disabling, see obnoxious green torpedoes above and also  fat blocking tablets prescribed for me by my own GP! They are something I prefer to block out of my memory, as does my husband!! But more often than not, it’s due to the restrictions these diets place on you. No matter how much food these diets claim you can eat, there is always something that has to be measured/restricted/counted and no matter what it is, I want it – NOW – with a passion.

So begins the slippery slope to failure. It’s always going to happen. That item becomes your focus, that initial determination is now focused on any way to get that item. Mine has always been cake. It doesn’t matter what type, size or shape it is, if it has buttercream or marzipan on it, I want it. Which is why, unless someone invents an all you can eat cake diet, I’m always destined to fail. Or am I?

A few weeks ago I heard about the Slimpod from Thinking Slimmer and I thought what the heck, not tried this before, why not give it a go?  However  the more I read about it the more skeptical I became. The Slimpod is designed to help you lose weight WITHOUT dieting, now I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, the only way to lose weight is to diet. Despite the skepticism I decided to get involved, it suited me perfectly, as I could lie on the couch and listen to the podcast which was going to transform me by changing my conceptions of food and change the way I eat and think about food. So last Monday I downloaded the recording, and after Little Devil went to Nursery, I dutifully plugged in my headphones, lay down and listened to what can only be described and one of the warmest, calming voices I’d ever heard and I was quite disappointed when it came to an end and even more disappointed when I realised I couldn’t actually remember what had been said! I’d agreed to listen once a day for 12 weeks and decided it wouldn’t be too much of a hardship! As to whether it had worked straight away, well time would tell.

The following day I went shopping and before I knew it I’d piled fresh fruit into the trolley and skipped straight past my favourite aisle – the cakes. Now that didn’t just surprise me, it totally shocked Little D, who started crying and shouting Mummy you need cherry bakewells – eek, that’s bad for a 3 yer old isn’t it? But I didnt, and for the first time in months and months, not a single cake went in the trolley. All week, I’ve eaten what I wanted and stopped when I was full, I’ve made healthier food choices than I’ve made for years without being prompted and I’ve lost 3.5lbs and all without being on a ‘diet’.

For once, I’m listening to me, instead of nameless faces telling me what to do and do you know what? I rather like it. I’m looking forward to the week ahead – watch this space.