Diet Naked

A few months ago, "Primetime Live" featured a show, as described in this article, "Lose the Weight, or Wear the Bikini on TV."  The question was, "Will the Threat of Public Humiliation Motivate Volunteers to Lose 15 Pounds in Two Months?"  Volunteers agreed to be photographed in skimpy, humiliating swimsuits.  If they did not lose fifteen pounds in two months, they agreed to let the photographs be shown on national television.

How's that for motivation?  As you can imagine, all but one of the dieters succeeded since they put themselves in a precarious position.  They had no choice but to rescue themselves from total humiliation, thus proving the point.  The immediate threat of humiliation has more power than the long-term threat of health problems, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and strokes.

I think of that intense motivation as Dieting Naked.  Dieting Naked means that instead of unspoken promises to be "good" tomorrow and then eating a Snickers bar at right before bed, you announce your intentions.  You unveil yourself, diet in plain sight without shame.  Now, you are accountable to someone--your co-workers, your husband, your mother or best friend.  Or me.  (When you Diet Naked, office snacks have no power over you--everyone knows you don't eat birthday cake anymore.)

Some of you have already experienced a Naked Diet because you were facing a high-school reunion or a vacation requiring bikinis and toned abs.  You had no choice--lose some weight or face mortification.  (I panicked about my twenty-year high school reunion, decided not to go, changed my mind at the last minute and only had enough time to lose twelve pounds.  And yes, I was mortified to attend wearing size 16 pants.) 

Obesity puts us at higher risk of assorted health problems, but the truth of human behavior is that unless we have immediate gratification--or immediate threat--we lack motivation to act.

That's why this blog--or, Dieting Naked--has been an effective part of my weight-loss success.  I knew when I agreed to write a diet blog for ClubMom that you would be watching.  No more secret deals with myself (I will not eat a french fry this year!) that I'd break when the greasy scent of salty potatoes coated my nasal passages.  No more promises in the dark that I'd forsake in the daylight when confronted with an Oreo package.  No more large Dairy Queen blizzards that I'd slurp up on the drive home from the grocery store.

(Newsflash:  Food eaten in secret still has calories.) 

I had some success with Weight Watchers, primarily due to the accountability of weekly weigh-ins.  But then, I'd skip a weigh-in if I knew I'd been "bad."  And then the next week would be a disaster.  Soon, I quit going altogether.

Here, I cannot skip a week.  I promised an Official Thursday Weigh-In and that's what I'm providing.  I'm Dieting Naked while you watch.  And it's working!

So, really, it's only fair that you strip, too, and join me.  Don't be shy.  No one will laugh.  We are all Naked, too, on the same journey to better health--and smaller pants. 

Comments

[siouxjoe]

Hey just wanted to let you know I went "naked" with my husband the other day. Um that sounded bad...or good, anyway I finally told him my actual real weight. It almost made me throw up, thereby contributing to my weight goals! But in all seriousness, you are absolutely right about being honest with yourself and someone else to back that up. It felt good to get it off my chest and also...I have finally lost 10 pounds! I am halfway to 10% Yeah!!! Keep up the good blogging!

[natalie]

I am no naked. This post did it. Thanks for your uninhibitied honesty. So, world...Natalie is naked (okay, actually, I'm not naked, but you know what I mean) and I'm going public. Fellow teachers and future students, YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME. I will not give in and eat whatever goodies you bring to share. I'm going to pour out the rest of the Coca-Cola right now. Thank you, Shrinking Mom.

[Alicia]

Hey Mel-
Great going so far. Your blog is inciteful and encouraging - so much so that I reached for a carrot stick instead of one of my husband's snickers bars earlier. You said it best about the instant gratification though. It's tough but nothing good is gained easily, right? Thank you for putting your naked self out there before us - you're an encouragement for all. Congratulations and keep up the GREAT work!
P.S. Any tips about working out?

[Zaire]

In 1998 I injured my back, ruptured 2 discs. At the time I weighed 350 lbs.
It took the doctors a year (to the day) to diagnose the bad discs. The doctors put me on heavy pain killers, the 12 hour kind. Both Oxy and MS contins made me extremely ill. I couldn't hold down even diet sprite. It started a trend. Since then my appetite has disappeared. I have to force my self to eat most of the time. And I eat like a bird, if that much. It is very strange as all my life I was a piggy eater. Parents made me eat everything on my plate, even though my eyes were bigger than my tummy. I have lost 175 lbs., half my weight and am still in shock. I weigh 175 lbs. now, and haven't weighed that little since I was a sopomore I weighed more than that. I am in shock, but very happy about it.- I don't suggest this method for anyone else, as it is miserable. I'm 51 yo and I know that my eating habits have changed forever. I hope this gives others hope, but don't go this route, it is miserable

[Missie]

If you wanted to get me naked, couldn't you at least buy me dinner first?

[Adventures In Babywearing]

You are so on with this one, I am sure all can relate. You have been a good motivation for me- so not only are you doing this blog for your own accountability, but you are helping others like me along the way- thanks, Mel!

[Tertia]

So, I need to promise to pose on blog in bikini? I think I will frighten my readers away ;-)

[Kelly]

I am also going naked with you. I had taken off a ton of weight to get pregnant and then gained it all back with my son and never lost it again. He is two now, I think it is time. At 206.6 lbs this morning, I am naked world. I am starting a new life for myself and my family.

[Allie]

6.4 pounds from 200 (193.6) I have owned it and it is time to get it off. The baby weight is turning 5 in Sept. You have inspired me.

[Julie]

How very inspirational! I want to join you too!!!... Only I'll have to wait until I have my baby... No dieting while pregnant... But I so need to go "naked" as soon as the wee one makes an appearance!

[Angelique Tatum]

Hello,

I cannot get the scale to budge...I exercise about 3 to 5 times a week, that is a good week. Then the next week, I will probably do it twice a week, then the next week I will have my cycle and skip the entire week because of it. I need motivation, some mornings I cannot get out of bed. I eat pretty healthy, and I have no problem drinking water. I probably drink too much in a day. I currently weigh 185l...HELP Will someone email me back with pointers. Oh problem areas, jiggly thighs, too much inner thigh, stomach, upper lower, feels like a fanny pack, love handles, my daughter pinches them, jiggly arms, those are my problem areas, practically my entire body.
:-) Can someone please email me back: angelique.tatum@dhs.gov

[Tony]

I had some success with Weight Watchers, primarily due to the accountability of weighing in every week. But then, I'd skip a weigh-in if I knew I'd been "bad." And then the next week would be a disaster.

I am a member of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). Each week we weigh in, and during "roll call", we tell how much weight we've lost. If you've gained waight you can say "I temporarily gained". I don't take advantage of that out, and each week, I admit my gains if I have them. I take ownership of my gains.

Confession is good for the soul. :)

[Tony]

Whoops. The first paragraph should have been "quoted".

[Tropicrain]

What the heck-I'll get nekkid with you..This is the second time I have to lose a large amount of weight. When I was 26 I ended up gaining 100 lbs in 6 months from a benign Cushing's Syndrome Tumor. I lost 80 lbs in 7 months-40 of it in crisis post surgery and the rest as managing the city pool. We all had to swim 40 laps a day and believe me it came off. Talk about a nekkid experience. Unfortunately I gained 30 lbs nursing my baby (now 13) a few years later. Four years ago, I fell in a boating accident and displaced a vertebrae and was subsequently diagnosed wth spondolysthesis. I gained another 40 lbs thanks to my gourmet now-ex husband and lots of mobility issues. This month it will be a year since I had back surgery. My back is great though I am still finding out my limitations. It has been a bad year what with my ex filing for divorce 10 days post op, and having to plan a career change out of large animal research into something that will not set me back (along with a teen entering puberty, several pets dying and the stress of job hunting-yikes).

So all this free time (which I do not do well with) does allow a lot of workout time (or TV time which has been the case lately). I have been working out with pilates and trying to ride my bike around the heat spikes (102 yesterday).

so for the record-I am at 219 and 5'8" on July 11, 2006. Goal 170 by Christmas 2006.

[Noelle]

I needed this post today. I'll get naked right along with you.

This morning the scale said 167 lbs. Yet again. This plateau ends now.

Better health, smaller pants - here I come!

[Monika]

Sure what the heck I’ll get naked…. when I was diagnosed with diabetes on 4/11/06 I weighted 190. This morning I weighted in at 160…. 20 more to go. I would have NEVER lost weight without that dreaded “D” word hanging over my head; fear like humiliation is a great motivator.

[Heather]

Hey, I'm so excited about winning a ClubMom water bottle -- woohoo! Blogging about my health has made the hugest difference to me as well. No more sneaking. My kids are disappointed that my secret stashes of chocolate are depleted. I'm drinking chocolate protein shakes instead of eating M&Ms. I gotta tell somebody this news! YEAH!

[Sara]

I tried this approach before and I failed. I failed in just about every way possible to lose weight and I’m not talking about 10 or 20 pounds. I’m talking about 60 pounds at lease. I reached a point of giving up on myself.

[Allie]

I posted earlier and should probably add I am 5'4". Once i was at the md's he looked at my weight on the chart and asked "how tall are you", I responeded. "how tall should I be?"

[judy]

Okay. But I won't get naked.

Althouhg if I were to, the pants I would take off would be size 22's. 22 with elastic.

There. I did it.

Is that naked enough?

[Jyl]

Okay, I am 5'5", 250lbs, and 32. Now how is that for a visual, whoa, I know it gives me the willies too. I sometimes dream that I'm in an auto accident and loose my leg and I get so excited because I know it will be deducted from the scale. But reality is I am tired of being treated different. I've gained 100lbs over the last five years. I need to get serious and be held accountable. CAUTION: you may need to close your eyes...So here I am, Naked!

[Tonya]

Perish the thought, naked!!! No, I could never be one of those that would be willing to photographed. I am a photographer for that very reason. Your writing is so funny. Keep up the weight loss! Your doing a great job!

[Ruth]

I too have recently started the same type of diet through my doctor. I put on 50 lbs in 2 years due to meds and lack of excercise. Sitting my rear in a school bus 4-7 hours a day didn't help. I have lost 6 and 1/2 lbs in my first 3 weeks. One main help-no more caffiene or soda! Eating the right amount of veggies, fruit and protein has actually given me more energy w/o all the excess sugar and "insulin" highs which were just turning to fat! Keep up the good work, I'm glad we're all doing this together! When anyone feels like they can't do it anymore-remember you are not on this track alone, we're there supporting you!!

[amy]

Mel, just want to give you kudos for what you are doing. I ran across your blog two days ago and read through all three months to catch up. Even us younger women suffer from weight problems. I am also trying to lose weight, so I am going on the record with everything. I weighed 250 at 5'4" as of Jan 2005, then found I was pregnant. When I gave birth, I was still 261, and with nursing and dieting, I went down to 225 by the time my son was four months old (March 06). Three weeks ago, I went to my doc, and she said we needed to work on my weight and sent me to a nutritionist. I started dieting and exercising 2.5 weeks ago and have lost 13 lbs and am down to 212. I am going to follow your journey and hope to get down to 140, which I haven't been since 8th grade when I was 13. Thanks for writing, u r an inspiration to those who need it!

[Tropicrain]

Mel and everybody-

thanks for the support!

Yep, things have been a bit rough but its all going to be fine. One day at a time.

Here is a poem that I wrote back in the Cush days -its a take-off on Langston Hughes..

Recovery

So now I still feel the wind
rushing through the crack in my wing
broken bone slowly mends

Time passing
heals wounds
to heart and otherwise

I flutter and fall
Yet
I rise a little further tonight
than last night

And tomorrow
if it is given
I will rise again
and on
Until I once again soar.

Raina 2/4/89

Now I must plan for my midlife crisis July edition-a short blond haircut-something I said I would never do ;) I will be traveling on Thursday but will check back in ASAP. Have a powerful day!