| The Way I See It
What makes the difference between success and failure when we're trying to lose weight? Why can some people sail through the weekend or a social engagement without blowing their carb and calorie allowance to hell?
I've talked to hundreds of dieters. Newbies, old hands, students and professionals. Whenever the complaint is, “When will staying on plan be easy?” the answer is always the same. “When you make it automatic.”
I'm going to borrow a comment from Dr. Phil who says that no one breaks a habit, they merely substitute one behavior for another. Assuming Dr. Phil knows what he's talking about, how do we make this life law work for us?
Create rituals! Even confirmed party animals thrive on some degree of structure. During my weight loss phase what I found most challenging were weekends, Sunday mornings in particular. For well over 15 years, my husband would get up early and bring home an assortment of sinfully huge muffins or fresh warm donuts. I'd make vats of decadent dessert style coffee and we'd relax in caloric oblivion over the Sunday paper, planning our day, easing into our always hectic Mondays.
It's hard to break a 15 year old habit, but my 40s brought several surprises including divorce, bankruptcy and foreclosure. If there was ever a time for the comfort of my food and wine rituals, this was it. So, I did. To an extreme actually, because I gained another 40 lbs in only a few short months.
One afternoon I caught a sideways glance in a mirrored window. The prayer “Holy cow, who's that woman? Glad I don't look like that,” crossed my mind for a brief second. Oops, then I realized I was looking at me. When did this happen? Is the mirror distorted? No.
How would I make this diet time different? Successful? I had no problem organizing my home, my children, my work so I decided to apply the same principles to losing weight. I knew very well that low calorie low carb was the fastest way and fast always appealed to impatient me.
Out came my planning pad and I jotted down everything I could think of that would make the difference between success and failure. Grocery list - check. Menus - check. Cooking plan since I cook in batches - check. Projects to keep busy and away from the fridge -- well, at least until my old friend, ketosis, took over and whisked away my appetite. Double check.
My list didn't include exercise. Why? Because I don't like it. Wish I did, I know it's terrific for your cardiovascular health, but I don't. However, if I did I'd have scheduled a quick 15 minutes when I first got out of bed. Get it done, out of the way and right before a hot shower! I also probably would have sneaked in an after dinner activity that didn't feel like exercise – like walking laps at the park with the other moms or making a tennis date with friends instead of munching snacks in front of the TV.
The way I see it is that our rituals are whatever we decide them to be and we can change them at will. If we want to. Even if it's uncomfortable.
Drinking my 600 calorie cups of coffee was self-defeating. I don't care for black coffee, so what to do? Quit. Cold turkey. By the way, no one told me about caffeine headaches. Ouch! I was positive I had a brain tumor! But even more distressing was a decision about what to have first thing in the morning in lieu of coffee.
To most people this would have been a simple choice. Yeah, to most people. Honestly, I stood frozen in the kitchen like a deer in the headlights. If not coffee, what? Think, think. Change. Not my favorite mode, to be sure. But my 1200 calories a day in 2 huge mugs of coffee weren't part of my Kimkins plan. Gingerly I opened the fridge and briskly opened a can of Diet Coke. Who on earth drinks diet soda for breakfast? Me. And you know what? It only took a few days before it didn't feel so weird anymore.
Scientific studies show that it takes 21 days to create a habit. If you change a behavior or ingrain a new habit for just 3 measly weeks, you stand an excellent chance of success. Our challenge to ourselves is to not be overwhelmed. Maybe we won't be Kimkins poster kids solemnly sworn to our plan in 3 weeks, but we can darned sure strive to undo sabotaging habits like 600 calorie coffee (or Big Macs).
Do co-workers meet for drinks after work each Friday like clockwork? Well, you've got 5 days to figure out how you're going to handle it. I know it's outrageous, but maybe even skip the watering hole a couple of Fridays? Fearing dinner with the in-laws and grandma's never ending pasta bowl every Sunday? Figure a strategy. Maybe start a new in-law ritual with Sunday brunch – ham & eggs are very Kimkins friendly.
What's my point? Look at the obvious field mines and c-h-a-n-g-e. If it's not helping, it's probably hurting. Change it. Examine your food and socialization rituals. Create new ones that work for the new you and your new goals.
Challenge yourself to succeed.
Ask Kimmer!
Question: I've always heard that all diets work differently for every person and that YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) applies. Is that true?
Hog wash. If you work any program correctly, fully understanding the guidelines and aren't cheating, you will always get optimum results. Providing, of course, that you pick a program that gives the results you want. Average weight loss programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig will give you 1-2 lbs a week, while Kimkins is substantially higher.
Question: How do I tell if my frame is Small, Medium or Large?
Here's a quick estimate you can do right now. Wrap your thumb & middle finger around your opposite wrist at the smallest point.
- If your middle finger & thumb overlap, you have a SMALL frame
- If your middle finger & thumb meet, you have a MEDIUM frame
- If your middle finger & thumb don't meet, you have a LARGE frame
Want something more concrete? Grab a tape measure and use the following chart to determine whether you're small, medium, or large boned.
Women – Wrist Circumference:
Under 5'2"
small = wrist < 5.5"
medium = wrist 5.5” to 5.75"
large = wrist size > 5.75"
5'2" to 5'5"
small = wrist < 6"
medium = wrist 6" to 6.25"
large = wrist > 6.25"
Over 5'5"
small = wrist < 6.25"
medium = wrist 6.25" to 6.5"
large = wrist > 6.5"
Men – Wrist Circumference:
small = wrist 5.5" to 6.5"
medium = wrist 6.5" to 7.5"
large = wrist > 7.5"
Do you have a question for me? Come and ask in Questions & Advice on the Member Forum.
Member Viewpoint
I must confess that in the beginning, I was a total Kimmer critic.
When I read her posts on that other internet board at first, I thought this gal is a fanatic!!! She wants people to lose the weight in an extreme manner. She expects way too much. She is self righteous, and that probably isn't even her real "after" picture. (Sorry Kimmer, please forgive me.)
I considered myself to be pretty low carb savvy. I had lost 35 lbs before on Atkins. (It took me a year.)
Of course, I gobbled my way back up to my start weight over the next year and a half.
Most of my Atkins success came during the first 8 weeks when I was on induction. Then I learned about NET carbs. I loved them, I wanted them in my life. When I restarted my weight loss this last spring I hated that Kimmer kept telling us that our beautiful net carbs were holding us back from success. (What a party pooper she was!)
Second thing I hated about Kimmer was that she said we needed to also control CALORIES AND FAT!! And no CHEATS, NO ALCOHOL! (She had to be crazy.) But that was why I loved my low carb diet so much ... I could feast on my bacon and sausage every morning, hamburgers, hot dogs and steak! I could enjoy my rum and diet coke ... no carbs! Life was good.
So, I practiced my own half hearted net carb and fat filled diet. I lost 10 lbs in 3 weeks, I regained 2. I bounced around between 9-14 lbs lost for 4 months!
How discouraging! I was never in ketosis, always hungry and hated to face the scale. I would take weekends off, vacations off.
Finally I vacationed and weekended myself right back to where I started.
All this time, I kept reading Kimmer's advice to others, hating what she was saying. But knowing it made perfect sense. I could find no fault in her reasoning, and was astounded by the results people were having.
Eleven days ago I decided that I needed to try something that really made sense. I dreaded the meat and eggs only Kimmer Experiment for a few days. I doubted I could live without my net carbs.
Well, this is day 12. I am down 14lbs, and am thriving on Kimkins. No NETS, NO CHEATS, NO ALCOHOL, LOW CAL, LOW FAT. I don't feel hungry all of the time, I don't have constant cravings. I am excited to weigh myself every morning and write down how much I lost!!!
I feel confident and in control!
I am in the 180s for the first time in a long time. That is something I could not accomplish in 4 months of my half hearted Atkins.
So, Kimmer, I am now a true believer. For the first time, I actually BELIEVE I can reach the goal of 135 lbs. Something that always felt like a fantasy before. For the first time ever, I actually BELIEVE I can reach my 135 pound goal and then go even lower. A thought that never crossed my mind before.
Thanks so much, Kimmer, for your diligence and patience. Thank you for helping others find out what you learned about real weight loss results. Thanks for not backing off, or watering it down, because people don't want to face the reality.
And finally, thanks for this great site, it is a lifesaver. I plan to refer as many people as I can to it.
Motivation
We all know a trip to the gym can be inspiring or depressing, but what if you could put down those weights and look pounds thinner in mere seconds? Introducing the new HP R927 digital camera! Naturally, it's got all the bells and whistles of a high end camera including 3 variations of “thinner”. Some think HP should have called their new camera the “tummy tuck” feature! If you've got $400 to spare, this motivational novelty can be yours!
If $400 is a bit of a budget stretcher, how about smoke & mirrors? OK, just mirrors. Boutiques have been using “skinny” mirrors for eons to showcase customers most attractively in the fitting room. This is done with a slightly concave mirror and knocks off about 10 pounds. This sounds groovy until you take that dreadful dress home only to discover the svelte siren in the skinny mirror has suddenly turned into a manatee.
You can trick yourself with a skinny mirror for about $200. Want a cheaper version? Buy a 5-6 foot wardrobe mirror at Wal Mart, place it 6 inches from the wall and lean it back to touch. Stand back 5 feet – instantly thinner!
Kimmer's Recipe Box
Chicken Chili
- 3 cups chicken, diced, raw
- .75 cup chicken broth
- .5 cup chopped onion
- .5 cup chopped bell pepper
- .5 Italian tomato, diced
- 1 serrano or other hot chili, seeded & chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped garlic (jarred OK)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- .5 tsp garlic powder (if chopped garlic not used)
- .25 tsp ground oregano
- .25 tsp Tabasco (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
In large saucepan pour chicken broth with spices & Tabasco, mix and simmer for a few minutes. Add veggies and chicken, simmer until chicken is done, about 20 minutes. Serves 4.
This chili is excellent to double or triple and make in a slow cooker for the entire family. Set slow cooker to “slow” for 6 hours. Whole skinless chicken can be used if preferred. Serve over rice for non-Kimkins family members.
Also excellent reheated for work lunches!
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