It’s not hip to admit it, but I crave structure and routine on some deep, primal level. A big part of me wants an authority figure to put my trust in. The problem is that inside this would-be follower is a very stubborn, itchy, restless brain that finds holes in almost everything, and something to distrust in just about everyone. This applies to many areas of my life, and my weight-loss journey is a prime example.
For over a decade I’ve craved one absolute fool-proof eating and exercise plan to follow with all my heart and mind, and yet each time I have settled on an official plan, I found one aspect of it that gnawed away at my belief in its “rightness.” There is just so much conflicting information out there.
I once read somewhere that diets are like religions: tempers and loyalties burn hot when the subject comes up. I have yet to whole-heartedly join any religion for the long haul, and I suppose the same is true about my weight-loss plan.
Maybe this is meant to be. After all, I didn’t start succeeding until I gave up trusting any one plan to tell me how to lose weight. At the same time, I don’t think this strategy would necessarily work for everyone; we are all so incredibly different even as we pursue common goals.
Participating in CrossFit boot camp, I hear a lot about the Paleo diet. I’ve read and continue to read a good amount on the subject; and yet I cannot bring myself to commit myself to it fully. In recent days, I have read two well-written but differently positioned posts: one an anti-grain manifesto and one a fairly balanced critique of the Paleo plan. My mind feels uneasy.
In the end, I will probably always be doing my own version of any pre-established plan I find. The person in me who just wants things to be simple and tidy is eternally uncomfortable with this. Part of me (and I’m ashamed of this) just wants to be a good girl who does what she’s told and follows the rules and gets an A. But in the end, life is just as much about art as it is about science. We are barely organized chaos at best sometimes, and can’t be straitjacketed or shoehorned into a mold that doesn’t fit us.
5. March 2010 at 3:18 PM
Do not change what is not broken. You know what is working for you and it is working well. No matter who you talk to or what new plan comes out there is always something bigger and better. If you think about it, if it was possible to have 1 plan that works for everyone, well there would only be one plan. If you were to take 10 people and put them on the same plan each one would have completely different results.
The best advice I recieved has been that we should never follow a “plan” but educate ourselves on nutrition and fitness then come up with what works for our own body. In that you may actually just be following several put together.
Who cares if there is not a specific title to it. You have the Hilary plan and it is working for you so keep it up!
XO
5. March 2010 at 7:25 PM
Thanks, Shannon! The Hilary Plan is a constant work in progress, just like I am, I think ;).
5. March 2010 at 3:41 PM
AMEN!
You are making positive long term changes in your life that are working for YOU. You do not need to ‘belong’ to anything to be successful at what you are wanting to achieve. Good on you for having this self realization!!! Have a great weekend Hilary!
5. March 2010 at 7:26 PM
Hi Josie! It’s weird how I sometimes want to belong to something, but at the same time I’ve never been much of a “joiner.” Guess I’ve just got to do my own thing.
5. March 2010 at 3:54 PM
I’ve tried out many many many plans in an attempt to find the right one that works for me. I feel like some of my blog readers might think I’m nuts because I’m constantly trying new things, but like you, the other plans just didn’t feel right. I always dropped lots of weight and felt great the first few weeks of Weight Watchers, but then I’d stop counting my bonus points and give up. Bad Heather! It’s much easier for me to have clear boundaries of what to eat (and what not to). I don’t do well with a little bit of chocolate. :) I’m thankful that I’ve tried so many things and am now feeling like this is the right plan for me.
5. March 2010 at 7:27 PM
Woman, you *know* how many starts and stops and changes I’ve had—I don’t think you’re nuts at all! You’re just like the rest of us, trying to figure out what works and fits best for you ;).
5. March 2010 at 5:47 PM
I am like you; routine and structure but adaptable as needed. I have tried many plans and many no-plan diets. My most successful losses have been with Weight Watchers and South Beach. Now I just need to manage to maintain!
5. March 2010 at 7:28 PM
Maintenance is the final frontier of all this weight-loss stuff! I have a lot to learn about that leg of the journey still . . . luckily I still have time to learn it ;).
6. March 2010 at 8:27 AM
Oh man, all the plans out there make me dizzy. I’ve tried the majority of them with varying degrees of success and failure.
I’m not really sure that any one is better than any other (I think they all have their merits) but the key for me has always been to find something I can hang with for the long term and not feel deprived. :)
6. March 2010 at 12:13 PM
AFG: Dizzyness pretty much sums up how I feel when I try to wrap my mind around all the different weight-loss plans out there, too! From your blog, it sounds like you’ve found something that works for you, which is awesome :).
8. March 2010 at 4:52 PM
There is no “one” plan. The one plan is a culmination of everything you have learned over the years that have worked in some way for you. Put them all together, then you have “Madubby’s Plan” lol ;) It’s 100% customized!