Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Crazy Crash Diets

That's what I'm thinking about this morning. Crazy crash diets. So I wonder, which came first for me, the ED (specifically binge eating) or the years of crazy crash diets? Was I born with a predisposition to binging? Or is it a behavior I have developed as a result of abusing my body with diets for all of my adult life? I have a feeling that it's a bit of both.

Personally, I am done with Crazy Crash Diets! No more! I am going to learn to eat a healthy diet. I am going to learn to stop worshipping food and then trying avoid the effects of that worship by doing extreme diets. For me, at this point in my journey, the "Let's Do Lunch" plan is helping me with that. I am learning to eat from all the food groups while still avoiding flour and sugar. For others it is doing a healthy low carb plan, or a healthy calorie controlled plan. The point is, whatever plan a person chooses, it needs to be healthy.

I am somewhat troubled this morning. I belong to several weight loss forums and on each one I see those who are doing reasonable, healthy, life style changing plans. But then there are the others, people like me who tend to gravitate toward the exteme. I see those who are eating only meat and eggs, only meat and water, only egg whites....well, you get the idea. On each weight loss forum I see crazy crash diets being promoted. ...and followed. I see people who have made a name for themselves in the low carb community trying these extreme measures. It makes me sad. When someone has made a name for themself in the weight loss community people look up to that person. People try things they wouldn't normally try because "so and so" is doing it. That's how I discovered Kimkins. Because someone with a name in the low carb community was doing it so it must be ok.

I don't know what the answer is to all of this. I just know that for me...I've had enough of Crazy Crash dieting!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

glad you are getting off the crahs diet merrygo round

Deborah said...

Wow Miss Vickie,
You mentioned your blog and I check it every so often but not all that often cause you seem to be hit or miss. Im so proud of you for journaling and getting to the root of many of the problems that have haunted you and sabotaged your past efforts. Its amazing how when you come out of the extra low carb fog or the extra high carb fog that some major revelations can miraculously come to light lol This is God's gift to you for following a plan that is healthy. He has given you back your thoughts and rationalization. You are making tremendous headway my dear. Keep up the great work!!! I will be checking here more often for updates!!! lol : )
Love Ya
Debbie

Anonymous said...

Great post, Vickie!

"Crazy crash diets. So I wonder, which came first for me, the ED (specifically binge eating) or the years of crazy crash diets? Was I born with a predisposition to binging? Or is it a behavior I have developed as a result of abusing my body with diets for all of my adult life? I have a feeling that it's a bit of both."


Just anecdotal observation from my own life experiences and friendships, but it seems to me that the people I know who are/have been drawn to crash/fad diets also tend to very much be perfectionists in other areas of their life. When life starts getting hectic and out of control, all too often so does the way we eat. Then we blimp up, and crash diets are looked at as a way to get SOME thing under control; the more hectic life gets, the more rigid and and obsessive the eating plan becomes, which in turn makes a person feel crummy and physically ill-equipped to deal with the other stuff that's 'causing' us to stress eat. It's a terrible cycle many are acquainted with, myself included.


"On each weight loss forum I see crazy crash diets being promoted. ...and followed. I see people who have made a name for themselves in the low carb community trying these extreme measures. It makes me sad. When someone has made a name for themself in the weight loss community people look up to that person. People try things they wouldn't normally try because "so and so" is doing it. That's how I discovered Kimkins. Because someone with a name in the low carb community was doing it so it must be ok."

I understand and completely agree with you!

Not to take anything away from anyone's legitimate achievements, but I cringe anytime I see a "star" being born on the weight loss support forums for the very reasons you said.