By: Maria
McConville, MS,RDN,CPT*
Do you ever wonder why the word “diet” often
has a negative meaning? Diet is usually associated
with weight loss. Never in my many years as a Registered Dietitian have I heard
anyone joyfully say, “I’m going on a diet.” Usually there’s dread in
their voice with that announcement.
Since losing weight successfully and keeping
it off is hard, fad diets that promise quick results are particularly appealing.
And, boy, have there been some intriguing and even crazy diet plans! I can see
why some fall victim to the seduction of fad diets. Still, there has to be a
better way.
Jenny—an Army Spouse, mother of 3, and Registered
Nurse—recently shared her dieting struggles with me.
Maria: Tell me
about your experience as a military spouse.Jenny: I’ve been a military spouse for 27
years. My husband retired just shy of a year ago, after 33 years of active-duty
service in the U.S. Army. Before that, I was an “Army brat,” so the military
has been a part of my life since day one. Our family spent most of our time stationed
at Fort Campbell, KY, which my children now refer to as “home.”
Maria: Also,
tell me about your experience of being a mom of 3 active kids.
Jenny: We were always on the go. Dad was
always deployed, and there was a constant shuffling of children from one
activity to another. I played the role of mom and dad as youth sports coach
(soccer, cheerleading, and baseball), PTO/classroom volunteer, and in later years,
“football mom” and school board member.
Maria: Did you
find a link between your military lifestyle and your weight struggles? If so,
how?
Jenny: I’m not sure I can necessarily connect
my weight struggles to our military lifestyle; though, I’d love to be able to
blame anyone but myself! Perhaps the stress of frequent deployments—balancing
all of the family’s activities alone one day, then reintegrating another adult
into the mix the next day—plays its part. But I must take responsibility for my
behaviors and choices. Although I try to cook healthy meals regularly, there
were plenty of pizza nights and drive-thru dinners, late-night bingeing, and
picking at my kids’ leftovers. I was too busy taking care of my children and my
community—and I didn’t take care of myself. Everyone else came before me…children,
wives clubs, classroom obligations, helping out the neighbors, etc. I made poor
choices. I tried to take care of me, but at the end of each day, I was tired,
and there was still more to be done!
Maria: When did
your weight struggles start? And what
was your weight gain-and-loss journey like?
Jenny: I think puberty was the beginning of
my weight struggles. As the child of a Soldier, we moved a lot, and we moved to
Germany when I was 10 years old. Talk about a great place to eat your feelings!
I think my weight problems began with the “prepubescent pudge” phase, then the
sweets, followed by anxiety. Teasing by my peers and classmates made it worse.
By the time I hit high school, I’d managed to get myself to a healthy weight,
walking lots, cycling, swimming, and participating in sports. I felt pretty
good about myself. Still, the fat girl in me lurked.
I used food as
comfort. A bad day meant a trip with friends to fast food restaurants for milkshakes.
I guess there were too many bad days!
Those habits
continued into adulthood. As a young adult, I’d go through phases of exercise.
Running regularly, then falling into seasonal depression and, once again,
diving into that pint of ice
cream for comfort.
I started nursing
school when my kids were teens. Adding yet another stressor to my life caused my
eating to spiral out of control.
Maria: Which
weight-loss tactics did you try?
Jenny: At one point or another, I tried just
about every diet you could think of. I did various brand-name, meal-plan diets
that worked, until I started eating on my own again. I did the Cardiac Diet,
the Vegetable Soup Diet, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) injections, and
Phentermine. All produced great results, but once I abandoned the diet, the
weight would come back. I was on a never-ending rollercoaster. I KNEW what to
do and how to do it, but I just couldn’t apply it in my life. I didn’t have the
energy or the discipline.
Maria: What
ultimately worked to help you lose weight? And what are you doing now to
maintain a healthy weight?
Jenny: Drastically changing my diet and
exercise is what finally did it for me. I had to commit to being healthy. I
have to recommit to it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. As I answer these questions, I’m
battling with myself over going to take a nap or exercise. I always, ALWAYS,
feel better once I’ve gotten my blood pumping. But after a 12-hour nursing
shift at the hospital, plopping on the couch with a glass of wine sounds so
much better!
Not being able to
go to the gym during COVID, I pulled the trigger and bought myself a great
stationery bike. I LOVE it! I honestly never imagined I could get a solid,
blood-pumping workout in 20–30 minutes that would leave me completely spent and
energized all at the same time. My coworkers and I ride “together” as often as
we can. And we encourage and celebrate each other.
I eat a high-protein
diet but don’t count carbs. I don’t follow any specific diet plan. I eat small
portions and reduced my alcohol intake because many friends, co-workers, and I
noticed that we were all drinking much more than before the pandemic.
I really don’t
have a sweet tooth. In fact, it’s very rare that I eat sweets. Salty snacks are
my weakness, so when I indulge, I just have a small amount. For example, I’ll
buy a snack size bag of chips, eat a few, and make someone else finish them.
Then everyone’s happy.
Maybe I’ll always
want to be leaner, more toned, and weigh a few pounds less, but I know that as
long as I’m putting in the work and being honest with myself, I’m doing all I
can.
Maria: What
advice would you give to others struggling to lose weight?
Jenny: When you fall down—and you will—get
back up. Forgive yourself and start over. Make time for you. There are lots of
ways to access free and inexpensive training at home as well.
Also, find your tribe!
Whether it’s an amazing Facebook group, friends from your place of worship, neighbors,
or colleagues, no matter how far apart you are, encourage each other and hold
each other accountable. And journal. It’s amazing how much you learn about
yourself and your habits when you reflect on life events after something happens.
Maria: If there
was one thing you wish you’d known at the beginning of your weight struggles,
what would it be?
Jenny: I think it would be that I’m 100%
worth the time it takes to be healthy. And healthy doesn’t mean “skinny” to me
anymore. It means being physically and mentally well and happy with who I am
and where I am on this crazy journey called life. I’m more than a number on a
scale or a tag on the inside of a dress. I’m perfectly me.
Maria: It sounds like prioritizing exercise,
eating smaller portions, not getting too many calories from drinking, and
focusing on health (not the scale) are what works for you.
Your experience
supports the science that lifestyle changes, not strict diets, are the primary
keys to successful weight loss and maintenance.
Jenny: Yes, I now know that to be true.
Visit HPRC’s Fighting-Weight
Strategies section to learn more.
About the Author
Maria McConville, of the Henry M. Jackson
Foundation, is a Senior
Nutrition Health Educator for the Consortium for Health and Military
Performance (CHAMP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
(USU).
Disclosure:
*The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The
contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do
not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M.
Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of
trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement
by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships
to disclose.
