Judy Karbritz
All my adult life I have subscribed to the yoyo method of girth control, being either on or off a diet. I'm 5'2" and at my heaviest was over 14 stone (by then I dare not stand on the scales). I have been to diet clubs and during one of my slim periods I even became a WeightWatchers lecturer, but continued binging and starving throughout the years. Every time I managed to lose weight it inevitably found me again.
To be honest, I am not alone in having had a weight problem whilst being a group leader. One colleague in later life put on so much weight she had gastric surgery and now although she is 100lb slimmer, she dare not have the procedure reversed in case the weight goes back on.
Although I assured my members that willpower comes in cans, "I can, I can, I can!" the only willpower I mustered during those years was the ability to resist temptation until I could be sure that no-one was looking at me for I was on a perpetual diet in company but once alone then I ate without conscience.
I am a performance poet and lecturer so am pretty much in the public eye. As you might expect many of my poems are about food and diets with verses such as:
I went to the doctor
We had a long talk
She told me I had
An overactive fork
As well as running the Jewish Poetry Society (www.jewishpoetrysociety.com) and running workshops, I also entertain on cruise ships. In 2008 I was fortunate to be on the Saga Rose for part of her world cruise. Although lighter than I had once been, I was a good size 14/16 and felt terribly self-conscious when standing in front of an audience. What is even worse is that when I escorted excursions, I had to wear extra large Saga T-shirts and let’s face it, I couldn’t hide away in that rather vivid blue.
A passenger on the cruise told me about the Saga Zone website and I have since joined. I have subscribed to a few of the threads but what has motivated me into finally losing weight is the 'Trying to lose 3 stone' thread in the Health section.
Members (new members are always given a warm welcome) have weekly weigh-ins which elicit congratulatory or occasionally consoling messages when someone has been on holiday or socialised a little too enthusiastically. We discuss the advantages and pitfalls of different diets and give recipe suggestions along with invaluable diet tips.
With their encouragement, I have moderated my eating with a low fat diet and for the last year I have weighed myself once a week (always reporting back to the thread) and maintain at just under 8st 7lb, wearing size 8.
I am following the 80%/20% rule by eating carefully most of the time (loads of fruit and salads/veggies) but having a slice of cake or a chocolate often enough that it is not a forbidden treat which so easily can lead to a binge.
In the past my only exercise ranged from jumping to conclusions to beating around the bush as I lack the commitment to regularly work out at the gym but now, thanks to the encouragement I have received from my Trying to lose 3 stone friends, I walk rather than drive short journeys and try to keep as active as possible.
I recently took my little granddaughter to a soft play area and was faced with banks of mirrors to confuse the children. As I played with Lara I saw the reflection of a slim and confident woman – a far cry from what I would have seen pre-'Trying to lose 3 stone' friends days.
Will I keep to this new way of eating? I am only too aware that the only way to remain a size 8 is to eat like a size 8, so watch this space!
www.judyk.co.uk