Scales and Success

Every January, Kalisha is inspired by all the talk of resolutions and makes a decision to lose weight; as do millions of other people. She usually starts out doing really well until the first trip to the grocery and Little Debbie beckons her or the Golden Arches call her name.
This year, I advised her to not tell anyone when she lost a few pounds. It nearly killed her to not post it on FB, but she didn't. We decided when she reached the 10# mark, she could brag a little. She has reached that goal and is determined to keep going.
So what is different this year? I believe there are several factors:
1) she is exercising
2) she has the motivation of wanting to fit into the khaki pants she has to wear to work at Parkview Field in a few months
3) in the food area, we have tried to R-E-A-L-L-Y concentrate on 'portion control' rather than all the things we can't eat (I am saying 'we' because I am doing this, also, only I can't say I exercise)
I want to tell you a Subway story that I found nearly unbelievable. Kalisha had received a Subway gift card and although Subway has healthy options, Kalisha always orders the meatball sub smothered in mozzarella cheese, a bag of chips and a soda.
Her Friday cooking group took a day off from cooking and went to Subway for lunch. This is her story when she came home.
Kalisha: "I asked the guy behind the counter if a meatball sub was good for someone trying to lose weight. He said 'no.' So I ordered the turkey sandwich with no mayo and I didn't get a bag of chips and no soda."
Me: "Wow. Kalisha, I am so proud of you. That took a lot of will power."
Kalisha: "Yes, it did. Oh, yeah, I did get 2 cookies, one for you and one for me."

My theory is you can't conquer all the giants at one time. I was amazed at her choice of sandwich and that she could actually force herself to do it.

Another football-watching day, she wanted to use her coupon for a Papa John's Pizza. I said it would be very tempting to have that in the house. She told me she would only eat one piece and have a salad with it. That is exactly what she did. She froze the other 7 pieces, so she can have one every time she gets hungry for pizza.
It was a good thing she set a good example for me; otherwise I would have had 2 pieces. :)

For a week, she was losing a pound or a half pound a day. Then for a few days, she stayed the same. Then lost a bit again, and then one morning, she gained a pound back. I coached her through the disappointment and said that always happens to everybody and encouraged her to just keep going. She has and when she got to the 10# again, she put it on FB (this morning) She is blessed with many friends who commented and encouraged her.
I also know the experts say you should not weigh every day, but she wants to, so it is ok with me. That is another motivator.

There are so many reasons (besides khaki pants) for her to lose weight.

She has gone out with friends several times and done fairly well with her ordering but if she orders something like the mint swirl shake at Arby's, it isn't the end of the world. I don't want this journey to be self-defeating.

Right now, she is feeling pretty good about it and we will continue working on our goals, but it definitely isn't the only topic of conversation at our house.

 

 

Taking Advantage of That Autism Stubborn Streak

Kalisha has been struggling with her weight for several years. She has tried various things, but her penchant for sweet things has always thrown her off track and any real weight loss has eluded her.  She has never wanted it badly enough and I can't want it for her more than she wants it for herself. She also gets a 'depo' shot every 3 months. It increases her hunger.
She is not only a huge Indianapolis Colts fan, she also likes the Tincaps, a minor league baseball team that plays in our town. She attends many of their games and has purchased several t-shirts with the team logo. However.....she wanted a real team jersey. The cost of $70 was prohibitive, but she saved. She wanted a 3X (they do run a bit small) but all that was available was a 2X. It fits her across the shoulders and bust but is not comfortable around her waist and butt area.
Kalisha joined Weight Watchers. She is thrilled with the app for her phone that she can use on bar codes to check the 'points.'
Here's where the stubbornness or tenacity or perseverance  of her autism diagnosis is a good thing. She wants to fit into that jersey and will do anything to accomplish that goal. It has been almost a month: longer than she has ever stuck with a weight plan before.
She only weighs on Tuesday and Friday mornings. She will not get on the scale any other day. She gets up in the morning, showers, get dressed, and walks the dog. She does her exercises and writes down her points, faithfully, EVERY DAY. She has convinced her cooking class companions to count points and only prepare healthy meals, every Friday.

She has absolutely refused any tidbit of something sweet, no matter what. She has not had a Big Mac (one of her favorites) after she saw how many points were in one.
We have talked a lot about the psychological aspects of this, also. I (and Kalisha) realize you can't be successful at anything without a struggle and she does have to have a little leeway sometimes. I am preparing meals so she and I eat the same things. So far she has lost 5.5 pounds.
I am not naïve enough to believe this is the end of the weight struggle. BUT perhaps, by the time she can fit into that 2X jersey, she will have become so accustomed to healthy eating, it won't be such a difficult lifestyle.
For right now, I am thanking God every day for her single-mindedness.